Sam Adams Hopflake IPA

Sam Adams had a white IPA before Hopflake IPA - it was called Whitewater IPA. I believe the difference in this one is that it has lemongrass added for flavoring. Oh, that and the hops arranged in the shape of a snowflake on the label. To remind my fellow beer geeks, a white IPA is typically a Belgian or Farmhouse Style ale with a high IBU count (i.e. lots of hops). I like the white IPA style, despite its bandwagoney use of "IPA" as shorthand for anything with more than 35 IBU's. Typically, and Hopflake is no exception, the style melds the smoothness of the Belgian/Saisson/Farmhouse style with hoppiness resulting in a refreshing brew. Hopflake is an okay white IPA, absolutely nothing wrong with it, but one of my criticisms of their seasonal variety packs in the past has been a lack of actual associate with the season - sometimes the same beers show up in the winter and the summer sampler packs. That makes no sense. That all being said, I'll enjoy the rest of this one, and even the second one, and surely someone will be convinced that it's Christmassy due to the festive label.