Griffin Claw Brewing Co.:
7.25% ABV | 65 IBU
Norm's Raggedy Ass IPA
Griffin Claw Brewing Co.'s brewmaster Dan Rogers has spent years honing his craft. In 1992 he opened Las Vegas's first brewery, and six years later he won the World Beer Championships Gold Medal for his Big Rock Scotch Ale. By 2011, he had another under his belt for his Red Rock Flanders Red Ale. Since opening Griffin Claw in the summer of 2013, he's only earned more gold, silver, and bronze medals for his beers.
The brewery, located in Birmingham, is a 12,000-square-foot facility that creates and manufactures beers like Screamin' Pumpkin Ale, Grind Line Pale Ale, El Rojo Red Ale, Grand Trunk Bohemian Pilsner, and, perhaps most famously, Norm's Raggedy Ass IPA.
Sold in pint-sized cans, Norm's Raggedy Ass IPA is what you might call the staple of Griffin Claw's line-up. The brew is slightly sweet, with a bitter overtone that hopheads love. It combines piney, citrusy, and fruity hops with a low malt profile, and it won't make you sleepy like other heavily hopped beers. Actually, it's pretty sessionable.
Norm's pours a clear golden and has a thick white head. If you're using a glass, you'll notice a nice lacing. Hops are definitely present even in the nose, but if you smell a little deeper, you'll notice there's a citrusy sweetness to its scent as well and its taste follows suit. It's slightly sweet and well-balanced with its hops. Its mouthfeel is excellent and, like we mentioned before, you can sip on quite a few of these brews in a row.
