Anderson Valley Hop Ottin' IPA

As I said a couple days ago, it's almost unreal I haven't tried this beer in the 5 years I've been geeking out on craft beer. I actually did buy a 6 pack of it for my undergrad graduation party when I first got into craft beer but it was for my IPA loving friend known as the Baltimore Beer Guy. I didn't like IPA's back then so it was all for him. I digress. This beer is good. It's not the best beer in CA, in fact it probably wouldn't even crack my top 10 California IPA's, but that doesn't mean it isn't solid and tasty (it only means CA makes some kick ass hoppy beers). Upon pouring this beer the aroma strikingly resembles Stone Ruination. I'm sure there are Centennial hops in this, so maybe that's why. That aroma changed a bit over the course of the 12 ounces, and what I mainly get is a floral sweetness, maybe a little orange. The taste delivers a good amount of hop flavor, as an IPA should. Pine dominates with a sweet floral finish. The main knock I have on this beer is its body- it's too slick for my tastes. It feels like that slickness interferes with some of the bite, dryness, and even seems to shield some of the carbonation. I'm rating it a 3.85/5. Just about average for an IPA for me. Actually, as I think about it, the taste really reminds me of Alesmith IPA, one of the few California IPA's I generally don't prefer.