- John Lovett
- Diamond Bear’s Andy Applegate
Often times a good beer makes you think of more than just beer. Diamond Bear’s robust addition to its line-up, the Two Term Double IPA, is no exception. After warming up a bit, this spin-off of the Presidential IPA exudes the same sort of charm as the inspiration for its name, former President Bill Clinton, and pushes forward a progressive agenda: big beers in the South. Craft brew here is still kind of catching on, so this might be about as far as they can take it with locals right now. I’m still waiting on a tart Belgian-inspired brew from Diamond Bear. But this Two Term makes the wait more bearable.
At 9 percent ABV, the Two Term has a rich malt base and enough hops to tingle the sides of your tongue an hour after you’ve taken your last sip. Brewer Jesse Melton changed the dry-hopping method a little on the latest Two Term in hopes of sustaining the citrus hop aroma longer. It was packaged in January using Diamond Bear’s newer Kroner bottling line. The others were bottled with the infamous green monster, Helga.
At nearly three months in the bottle, the latest Two Term is holding up strong. The 2010 and 2011 releases that co-owner Andy Applegate put back for a recent private tasting were subdued on hop aroma, but have an aged character that leans more toward sherry than paper. The ’10 was fruitier, darker, and clearer than the others, but with a tinge of mustiness that lets you know it’s past its prime. The 2011 is lighter in color, and retains a healthy balance of malt and hops that leads us to believe this latest release will be good for a long time to come. Two Term sells for around $9 a six-pack in stores, or you can always stop by the brewery on Cross Street in Little Rock for a six-pack or a growler to go.