Three Weavers is putting some lemon and line into their latest Kolsch…
Sounds like a good citrus blend to me.
The Kolsch Buddha
Imperfect
I am not one to sign up for grocery delivery. I like to pick my own stuff and I stare at screens too much as it is. But I was intrigued by a company that was selling the not pretty but still perfectly fine food.
Now that company, Imperfect Foods has a beer made with New Belgium, a citrus IPA. No googly eyes included.
Zesty
I have seen an uptick in citrus wits in the past couple months but Trademark Brewing has zested up a lager for Angelenos which should be perfect as we exit June gloom for months of summer sun.
Squeeze Manhattan
I certainly didn’t see this extension of the “squeeze” coming from Deschutes. But seeing as I have liked other beer versions of the classic cocktail, I think I will take a swing at this one to see how the fresh and the bourbon meld.
Review – The Messenger IPA
Wow. I remember liking this Three Weavers / Noble Ale Works collaboration back before 3W was not yet up and running in Inglewood but this bottle is tremendous. Just bright with citrus. I am getting tangerine and grapefruit in large delicious amounts. Not much bitterness here but that is because it is accenting the fruit not fighting it.
It also pours a beautiful and clear yellow from a really cool looking and big bottle. Really simple but artfully arranged colors and graphics on the label. The beer really looks good next to the bottle.
Back to the beer, it is super juicy and if you like that, well then this beer will really tickle your tastebuds. And if you have an IPA averse someone in your life, this might be the beer for them. I gave a taste to my resident witbier fan and got a really positive response.
Shark Sense
Maui Brewing had me at Blood Orange. But why not add some more local citrus and some Maui Cane sugar to a Double IPA. And I am always at attention when the Sorachi Ace hop is mentioned. I wonder what color this beer will turn out to be.
Oh, and proceeds from sales will go to shark research. Thankfully not to Shark Week or Sharknados.
Review – Citrus IPA’s
While perusing the shelves of Portland’s excellent Beer Mongers store, I noticed a trend of citrus IPAs. Not just hops with citrus qualities but fruit infused IPAs.
So, for science, I bought three to unscientifically compare and contrast.
From past experience, I ranked the Lompoc first followed by Hop Valley and Coalition. But that is not the final ranking after each bottle was emptied.
Pamplemousse from Lompoc Brewing initially smelled great. Big grapefruit notes minus the pith which I find most commonly in citrus hop combos. But as it warmed, this beer started to lose that fruit vibrancy and settled into a nice IPA only.
Citrus Mistress from Hop Valley was full of the pith from first sip to last. But it was a little too one note for me. I guess I expected a variety of citrus and not just one flavor note.
My winner was Space Fruit from Coalition Brewing. The fruit was there both orange and lime to me along with a spice component that I didn’t line at first but really grew on me.
I think a mix of the last two would have really done the trick.
Now I need to find three SoCal fruit IPAs to test.
Shandy – American Style
Not a big fan of the frog on the label, but I thoroughly enjoyed the B.O.R.I.S. that I had from this great Ohio brewery. Now this summer news via their Facebook page, “We are preparing for the release of our Turbo Shandy Citrus Ale around mid June. Alcohol 7% by volume. – Born from European tradition, our Shandy is a refreshing combination of lemon and light malt flavors. Unlike traditional shandys, Turbo Shandy, revs it up a couple of notches with a high test, full flavored approach as only Hoppin’ Frog can do.”
With the addition of another shandy from Leinenkugel, you can have a mini shandy fest!
I know fruit ales get a bad rap but when done right it brings a whole new flavor palette to the game.
Lemony Cricket
Hall-Woodhouse home of the Badger brand is a beer line that I wish I could get over here (as I have mentioned before in previous posts) Now they have a summer seasonal that would be great..
“It is a refreshing ale which abounds a certain zing. Lemon grass is used in the brewing process, this compliments the citrus aroma from the hopping level. The malt character that supports the refreshing undertones makes this beer suitable for both warm summer days or cool spring evenings. Lemony Cricket is 4.4% ABV and is described as ‘a classic beer with a twist’.”