Recently we have started to reach out to breweries looking to expand our coverage to include beers from outside the Midwest. I was thrilled when Double Nickle was one of the first to respond back to us with their Torched DDH (Double Dry Hopped) Hazy Pale Ale. This beer came all the way to us from New Jersey and that “fired-up” my excitement even more!

In the Fall of 2017 I had the opportunity to explore the New Jersey Craft Beer scene (click here to read all about it), and I FELL IN LOVE. It reminded me of the bootstrap mentality we had in Minnesota in the early 2010s. It was a time when it felt like brewers were artists exploring a new frontier on a small business adventure. New Jersey is in that mind set right now. The laws are not always in their favor, the customers are just learning about the wide variety of flavors and styles beer has to offer, and you have to be offered a tour before you can be offered a beer! I LOVED every minute of it. I didn’t make it to Double Nickle on my foray to the Jersey Shore, so I was excited when New Jersey came to me! So how does Double Nickel’s Torched compare to my nostalgic memories? Let’s find out!

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Description:

• Name: Torched, DDH (Double Dry Hopped) Hazy Pale Ale
• Style: Pale Ale (Hazy)
• ABV: 5.8%
• Dry Hopped with Idaho 7, Citra, and Equinox

Tasting:

Torched pours out with an orange-ish hazy color, and has a thick foamy head that lasts forever! When held up to a strong light in a dark room, it takes on an eerie pale straw gold color, but still super hazy. The initial aroma is a citrus-y hops aroma, with a strong mix of pine and orange tossed in. I am picking up some mango or other tropical fruit in the aroma, which is typical of the hop varieties that they used. Torched has a thick mouth feel, but is silky and smooth. Carbonation is present, but light. The beer an almost warming texture to it as well. The flavors are strong on those orange flavors, smoothed out by some mango, and I would describe it as juicy. The after taste is very clean for a dry hopped Pale Ale. Torched has a great balance between the citrus, piney, and tropical fruit aromas and flavors, and it makes for a very drinkable Pale Ale.

Pairing:

Torched screams for fresh wild caught salmon. Grilled or baked will do, but I would avoid a smoke version of this fish. The delicate citrus flavors would also pair well with a variety of white fish splashed with noticeable citrus flavors. Pork chops marinated in ponzu sauce would also be a great partner with this beer. Torched also screams to be paired with a good hardy brie!

Final Thoughts:

What I liked best: I loved the citrus and tropical fruit flavors.

What surprised me: Torched was smooth and reminded me of orange juice on the mouthfeel.

What I would improve: Just a little more carbonation would have gave this a mimosa like feel to it, and I think I would have enjoyed that.

Double Nickel Brewing was on the opposite side of New Jersey from were we stayed in 2017. But after falling in love with this state during the first adventure I WILL be going back again. Torched has also given me enough reason to sojourn out to Pennsauken to check out the brewery. This beer was smooth, well balanced, and very drinkable. It’s an excellent Spring Beer. This beer is for Pale Ale lovers who like something more drinkable then the heavy hop bombs from the West Coast. It is heavy on the fruity side, while still tasting like a beer. Lastly this beer is also getting the “Beerploma Seal of Approval”, and it is an excellent beer to seek out if you are in the area!

So what are your thoughts on this beer? Leave a comment below!

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Will Matthews has been involved with Beerploma and the Minnesota Craft Beer scene since 2013.  Will is in charge of business relationships, beer review articles, and gadget reviews.  Will’s favorite beer styles include sours, saisons, flavored porters, and California Commons.  If you have any questions or comments about this article feel free to email Will at will.a.matthews@beerploma.com.