 TAR (1996), Boulder Co., Colorado, USA
Jun 30, 2008
Rusty orange. Thick, clingy white head displays fine retention. Nose is composed of cotton candy, melon, dried pineapple, marmalade, resin-drenched grapefruit pith, and cakey malt. Resin overshadows much of the brighter hop nuances. Fluffy carbonation. Hops are immediately captivating in their explosiveness, yet the core of the body is severely tacky and oversaturated with dense, oppressively oily resins. Vibrant and succulent hop flavors take a backseat to the overemphasized bitterness. Poor attenuation and vitamin B yeast notes further tarnish much of the luster. Staunch grapefruit sting accompanies a spicy surge of alcohol which tingles the palate and unveils sparse notes of peach and blood oranges. Pine needles and candied lemon zest also offer up some poignant, well-defined spiciness, but fail to withstand the overbearing sappiness. Soundly structured malts contribute ample wafery sweetness and substantial heft. Body remains rather heavy and borderline cloying as the malt compounds the resinous weight. Dry and clean note of alcohol lends dryness as it momentarily lifts some of the oils, but the palate is now virtually anesthesized by the unruly hop onslaught. Finishes with continued emphasis on the pine and oily resin, with lingering swirls of bitter grapefruit rind and malty sweetness. While it does have some redeeming qualities, this resembles many hop-driven beers which sacrifice finesse and nuance for overly bold, one-dimensional character thanks to the copious amount of high-alpha hops used. Decent.
josarah (69), Hinesburg, Vermont, USA
Aug 11, 2008 Draft at brewery, tan head, cloudy amber color, citrus aroma. Strong citrus and juniper flavor, sweet yet very hoppy.
bitbucket (1541), Kirkland, Washington, USA
Aug 5, 2008 22, capped. Thanks, Derkruk! Pours cloudy copper with a lacy off-white head. Aroma of apricots, grapefruit, pine. Medium body, taste of citrus and pine. Pine resin finish with a dash of soap. Could stand a bit more body to balance out the pine.
after4ever (1710), Brier, Washington, USA
Aug 3, 2008 22, capped. Thanks, Derkruk! Murky dark amber with lots of stationary bubbles. Dense and creamy tan head. Gorgeous pine and mango nose. Creamy, satisfying body. Lots of pine, resin, and grapefruit on the mid-palate. Resiny finish.
SuzyGreenberg (934), Seattle, Washington, USA
Jul 10, 2008 22 oz. bottle - pours cloudy and light orange; thick white head and lots of lacing; soapy and rich with aromas of sweet hops; intoxicating aromas as if often the case with MS brews; medium body and nice texture overall; very bitter and not too balanced with the aromas; some sweetness, but this is a pure bitter bomb
badbeer (408), Iowa, USA
Jul 6, 2008 Hazy, dark peach color with an off-white head sitting atop. Great retention and lacing. Tangerine, grapefruit, orange, pine, a little pineapple, and some biscuit; hops are very resinous. Taste is like biting straight into an orange rind covered grapefruit, some pine comes in afterwards and leaves you with a long, sticky, resinous hop finish. Medium bodied and carbonation is a little less than medium. I think I like this a little more than my scores indicate, but either way it’s a very solid beer. Thanks to AKBelgianBeast for the bottle.
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