Profiled by Maria Devan for PGA
Pours a perfect amber gold with bright clarity. A steady stream of bubbles make their hurried way to the top to become part of the cottony cloud of foam that tops this beer. The body has a radiance. Striking appearance.
The nose is flawless with a tropical fruits, light pine and citrus. The hops are floral and there’s mango on the nose. Sweet simcoe and amarillo. Sunny tangerine. The malt is a sweet kiss of clover honey on the nose.
Taste is out of this world. The fruit and floral hops greet the palate first and give you all that mango but with a blast of grapefruit rind. Earthy and herbal. The hops are not too oily and the malt leaves the honey behind for a moment to show off some bread. The sweetness of the simcoe is brilliant in this and really makes the beer. It has a sturdy bitter. It’s strong and it starts out deceptively mild but by the time you get to the swallow you are tasting a full hop bitter without harshness. Enchanting! This finishes dry and with a touch of sweetness from honey returned to you as if it had been stolen momentarily. Pine lingers in the aftertaste as if you had forgotten that too and it’s back to remind you.
I LOVED this. This is one of the best, most enjoyable IPA’s I have had this year. Bracing, rousing, refreshing. Thank you Jay O’Rear.
4
Welcome to the PGA beer rating system: one beer “Don’t bother.” Two: Eh, if someone gives it to you, drink. Three: very good, go ahead and seek it out, but be aware there is at least one problem. Four: seek it out. Five: pretty much “perfecto.”
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Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.