Profiled by Ken Carman for professorgoodales.net
The nose is almost pure Citra, with a hint of malt. For some reason the spices didn’t make it into the nose, though the Citra and orange peel could be working in tandem. Slight fruity, yeast driven, nose… tad grapefruit-y.
Hazy. Hey! It’s a wheat beer, what did you expect? Nice big head with fine, tiny, tiny bubbles with some pillow. SRM almost 1! Maybe 2-3: at best. Bubble cling to glass.
The mouthfeel is perfect: a light wheat and spice sense. Slight coriander and orange peel in back ground: roof of mouth cling to spices.
Taste is where it falls down at first, though not much. When cold there was an abrasive bitter that seemed to block the total sense of the beer: a bit harsh. But as it warms it actually softens a bit, though still there. Takes it just a hint out of balance. I’m guessing: too much peel in the orange peel, combining with Citra early additions that add to the harshness in the bitter. Somewhat harsh astringency sense lingers into the aftertaste.
Back off on the peel, folks, and maybe combine with latter additions of hops rather than early.
I do think it worth the try. Slight tweaks may make this superb for the style. And as for that, congrats for a large than craft brewer brewer who was willing to leap into yet again a unique quaff. I just feel tweaks are in order.