PGA: we republished Maria Devan’s profile at at the end of this one so the reader may compare.
Profiled by Ken Carman for PGA
The nose is cascade/American hop/citrus like with a light grapefruit sense. Very light pilsener malt in the background.
Mostly good clarity with the very slightest sense of haze. The head is pillow with a few bubbles big to small.
I have to ask up front: what the hell makes this “wild?” I understand; they used wild hops, but if you get the same result as if you used regular commercial hops: what the hell’s the point?
Otherwise: if you’re looking for a light, slightly hoppy beer that has a slight pils sense to it, but none of that lager/sulfur sense: this is it For that it’s exceptional. A great gateway beer for the somewhat hop adverse quaffer.
Very light malt: the hops are the star here, but not in a bigger, IPA-ish way. That’s why I recommend it as a gateway beer. There’s the slightest hint of bready behind all that. I would call it a very, very slight toast.
I would recommend and I gave it a 4. I just think the “wild hops” a bit misplaced. How it tastes is at least as important as to how it is described. Inaccurate promo does not supplant actual drinkability, no matter much it may be annoying the packaging doesn’t quite fit what’s inside.
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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Ken Carman is an editor at PGA, endofthenet.org, entertainer, educational service provider, BJCP beer judge, columnist since 1972, author of Autocide and one hell of a weird dude.
Profiled by Maria Devan for PGA
Pours a true gold with pristine clarity. A flourish of bubbles that settles to a steady wafting of pilsner bubbles to the top. Lush and beautiful head of off white foam. This beer is a beauty in the glass.
The nose is lovely clean lightly sweet grain. It has a mysterious lightly fruity scent. It’s some kind of berries. Maybe blackberry.
For a beer that has the hops in the name you would think it would be very hop forward but no. This is all authentic pils style scents except for that exciting bit of exotic fruit. Little bit of grass in the background. Drinks like a dream. A nice lightly grainy malt that’s dry and crisp. Perfect carbonation and that fruit! So subtle so tantalizing. This beer is crisp clean and refreshing and finishes with a bit of herbal grass and just a mild little hint of hop bitter.
Love it! I could not wait to buy this beer again this year.
Outstanding.
4.5
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.”
__________________________________________Beer HERE
Maria Devan lives in Ithaca, NY and is frequent reviewer of beer and a beer lover deluxe.