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Beer Cage Match – Review # 3

Next is review number three from the City Beer Store of San Francisco beer purchase. By the end of the month, I will rank all six. Currently Side Pull is one with Lenticular Cap second, how will beer # 3 fare?

BareBottle IPL is Dead is a DDH Pilsner.  Full recipe is on the can down to the hopping schedule. First time seeing that.  Getting grapefruit but the malt sticks around well.  Nice balance here.  Has a more silky mouthfeel than sharp and bubbly.  Might think at first that it is a pale ale.

I would slot this into second. A little more crisp and it might have gone first.

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Your Mind Will Be 3x Hazy

Though the labels are touch on the neon garish side for me, the beers in this new variety pack from Firestone Walker look intriguing. Hopical Crush would be the first one that I would crack open.

Mind Haze “Tiki Smash” IPA

“Tiki Smash IPA delivers a tiki-inspired flavor combination born of pure hops and freshly toasted coconut. Original Mind Haze hops including Azacca are now joined by Motueka and Sabro hops. The Azacca portion has been increased to amplify the sense of pineapple tropical character, while Sabro delivers its complementary coconut qualities. “We use an elaborate system to introduce freshly toasted coconut for a smooth, subtle extraction,” Brynildson said. “The resulting beer showcases the special synergy of natural coconut with the tropical hop flavors of Mind Haze.”

Mind Haze “Hopical Crush” IPA

“Hopical Crush IPA delivers a double-dry hopped explosion of tropical Mai Tai-inspired flavors, including pineapple and orange. This copiously hopped beer begins by accentuating the original Mind Haze hop blend with the Strata cultivar, which offers up bold pungent fruit and a touch of dank cannabis-like character. The beer is then double dry hopped with twice the amount of hops than usual—ultimately totaling more than five pounds of hops per barrel. The resulting beer exhibits massive flavors that will have you dreaming of Mai Tais on a faraway island.“

Mind Haze “Citrus Cyclone” IPA

“Citrus Cyclone IPA delivers a head-spinning taste of all the citrus flavors under the sun, finished with a kiss of real tangerine. The base beer is co-fermented with fresh California tangerines. This base is blended back with a separate lot of dry-hopped Mind Haze, then finished off with a final dash of tangerine to elevate the citrusy top note. Along the way, the Mandarina hop adds a distinctive orange character. The result is a remarkably refreshing Mind Haze experience.“

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Fishy

The whole photoshop phishbowl doesn’t do this new Helles Lager label from Brouwerij West justice. Of all the cool BW labels, the fish really pops into three dimensions. The blue rocks at the bottom really tie it together.

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What Color of Peach?

I don’t normally go for the super fruited beers but this description and the two breweries starting with L.A.s own Crowns & Hops has me wanting to pick up a can…

“THE BLUE PEACH” BLUEBERRY PEACH GOSE is brewed with peach puree, blueberry puree, graham cracker, vanilla, black lava sea salt, cinnamon and coriander. This beer is a collaboration for Barrel & Flow (Pittsburgh, PA) with Black Calder Brewing Co, (Grand Rapids, MI) and brewed in honor of Stacey Abrams.Her fight to ensure the rights of all voters is an example of being a committed servant of the people.”

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Primal

First off, this is the first canned wild / sour beer from the BarrelWorks brand of Firestone Walker and second this could be an emerging style trend. The sour flagship that tries to win back ground from the overly fruited dessert beers while staying traditional.

You can read more about the three aged beers that were blended into this one beer right HERE.

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Deliria

There is a new elephant in the room. This time in a good way. Brouwerij Huyghe released Deliria a spin-off from Delirium Tremens but this new beer will help the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

The beer is desribed as “A pleasant sparkling carbonate content produces a soft, full taste perception. The taste is very full-bodied and is balanced with fruity tones of apple and Chardonnay grapes. Deliria has a fine, mild bitterness in its aftertaste and a splendid, round feel in the mouth which evolves well.”