2.6 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 10/20
Another disappointing beer from full sail. +++ Sampled from a 22 oz brown bottle this beer poured a dark caramel color with a trace tan head that faded quickly and left no lacing. The aroma was a bit skunky with sweetish caramel. The flavor was bitter and tangy with notes of citrus, pine and a hint of skunk. Medium length dryish finish with lingering caramel and floral hops. Medium body. Eh.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
THOUGHTS: Rather British even with the American hops. Not very Christmasy and not very special. Decent, but not great. Nice balance though. It did get better as it warmed a bit and grew on me a little, but I still don’t think it was very special. Lots of hop flavor without tons of bitterness.
TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a dark, orangey amber with a small, off-white head that mostly diminished and left good lacing. The aroma was a little weak for all the dry hoping. There was light grain, toasted malt and caramel; moderate grapefruit and orange hops; lighter pine and resin hops; hints of musty yeast; and tea. The initial flavor was light to mod sweet and lightly bitter; while the finish was moderately sweet and mot to heavily bitter with a fairly long duration. There was caramel malt, pale malt, a little nutty and toasted malts, heavy citrus hops, citrus rind, orange, grapefruit, a little lemon, some pine and resin hops, metallic hops and hints of musty yeast. The medium body was rather dry with fizzy carbonation and a metallic and dry finish.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
My Bottom Line :
Orange-y, citrusy hops float within bready, lightly caramelized cereals in this effervescent IPA.
Further Personal Perceptions :
-A healthy head of foam laces atop the hazy amber.
-Hops provide a nicely earthy and resinous bitter finish; lengthy but not brash.
-The mouthfeel is made supple by the active carbonation and the soft residual sugars.
-I don’t see what the hybridization is all about here. It tastes like yet another run-of-the-mill (but good) American IPA. No distinctive features.
Bottle.
3.4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Bottle. Pours a hazy orangish brown with light white head that leaves nice lacing. Aroma of piny hops and sweet malts. Flavor is powered by grapefruit hops and a some malts. Sweet at first, but with a bitter aftertaste. I like it, but just a bit too bitter for me.
3.3 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 14/20
Refreshing aroma, bready, hops, fruit. One dimensional in the mouth, just straight hops, tastes like a generic IPA to me, lacks any holiday element; disappointing.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
Bottle shared with Sander at his place, NYC. Pours clear orange with a slight, white foam head. Mild pine and grapefruit in the nose. Medium sweet flavor, light caramel, leaves, gritty pine bitterness, some tropical fruits. Medium bodied with mouth-filling carbonation. Lingering bitter finish, lots of grapefuit rind and dirt, some sweet citrus. Not bad.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 15/20
22oz bottle, 2011 Reserve. Pours hazy orange copper, light white head. No head retention or lacing. Strong hoppy aroma, with notes of citrus and pine, with a caramel/toffee background. Medium body, not over carbonated, slick mouthfeel. Flavor is big and hoppy - citrus flavors up front and pine on the backend, with a good malty hit in between.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Sweet, woody, grapefruity, somewhat doughy aroma. Tea-colored and hazy. Sugary at first with a good hoppy sting. Woody finish with lingering, spicy bitterness. Thanks to Triock for bringing this back from his west coast trip.
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