Got Beer? Grey Sail’s Far Far Aweigh

For the next installment of my infinity-part series exploring beers crafted right here in the ol’ Ocean State, I turn to my friends down south at Grey Sail. If you’ve never been, their tap room is beautiful. They basically annexed an historical home next door to the brewery and turned it into part tap room, part visitors center. They are a stone’s throw from downtown Westerly, which is already a decent craft beer destination with the Malted Barley, 84 Tavern and more.

So I return once again to Grey Sail, scooping up their latest innovative brew in the appropriately named Wheelhouse series. It’s called Far Far Aweigh, and pictures artwork of the moon gazing through a telescope in a very “Trip to the Moon,” kind of vibe. There’s even a constellation in the shape of an anchor, probably in honor of the great Rhodus, ancient god of potholes.

It’s a Galaxy India pale ale, referring I’m sure to the Galaxy hops, which likely inspired its name.

The aroma (and first taste) are super juicy with subtle citrus and some light floral undertones. It’s making my mouth water, like I’ve just bitten into some lovely new tropical fruit. The bitterness comes in on the end with a slight dryness, but since the initial flavors are all sweet, it actually balances out nicely. It leaves a tingle on the tongue, the hops lingering for a while and making themselves comfortable in between sips.

Sadly, the label gives me very little information to work with. No idea what the ABV or IBU could be, which like the beer itself, is kind of refreshing in that it’s not relying on arbitrary numbers to make a case for its quality. But since it’s my job to find out these things — to the internet!

Now this is interesting … nothing on the website, but on Untapp’d it says the brew is 6.5%. No read on the IBUs though, but frankly, I’m okay with that. It’s a single-hop IPA, you don’t really need to advertise the IBUs for something like this.

What I really like about this beer is that it’s not just another IPA. It’s perfectly balanced so it never feels as if it’s relying on a gimmick, but rather has a delightfully light, complex taste. It’s billed as an early summer release, and it does have a very summery feel to it. I can picture enjoying a tall glass of this hoppy friend on a hot, hazy day.

Of course, the true hop heads will love it at any time of the year, and one might even be able to share it with some dedicated Blue Moon or Shock Top drinkers and get a generally positive reaction.

I truly enjoyed this beer and look forward to more delicious experiments from Grey Sail.