Three months have passed and we are now onto the 002 version of Luponic Distortion from Firestone Walker.
Before the review proper, let’s get the Luponic 002 Lowdown, as it is called in their press release: The lead hop this time is a new cultivar from an experimental plot in the Pacific Northwest. “It has these vivid peachy flavors with tropical notes reminiscent of papaya,” per Matt Brynildson, the brewmaster.
“Hops from New Zealand and Germany are also in the mix. Of the seven hops in the blend, only two are carryovers from Revolution 001—and three are hops never used by Firestone Walker before.”
“This beer truly touches every corner of the hop growing world,” Brynildson said. “The southern hemisphere hops add these bright Sauvignon Blanc-like accents of grapefruit and gooseberry, and there’s this new variety out of Europe that ties everything together with honeydew aromas and an underlying herbal pine quality.”
Those are the hop ingredients but what I get from this dark yellow hued IPA is a mix of apricot and peach that folds into a really rindy grapefruit taste. The beers really seems to be striving to have a juicy quality but the bitterness really pulls back on the reins. In the end you are left with a resiny taste in the mouth and all the fruit disappears. You could say this was three different beers. Peach aroma. Citrus to Resin flavors. This is one of the IPAs that makes me long to taste beers made from the individual hops.
