On tap at Hoover’s Tavern, undersized NEIPA lacks stylish wheated oats creaminess. But its brisk lemony orange rind bittering, tangy grapefruit peeled pineapple zesting and floral-daubed pine licks maintain assertion over dry pale malt base.
All posts by John Fortunato
NEW TRAIL BLACK CAST HAZY DOUBLE IPA
On tap at Kitchen & Beer Bar, straightforward NEIPA places mellow grapefruit, orange, pineapple and mango tropicalia as well as dank pine tones atop buttery oated wheat creaming, but lacks stylish yogurt souring of hazier competition.
OTHER HALF 11 POUNDERS DDH IPA
On tap at Growler & Gill, dry yellow-hazed easygoer retains pillowy soft-tongued pleasantry. Lemony white grapefruit salting, sour guava-gooseberry-passionfruit tartness and mellow mandarin orange tang sit comfortably across mild pine resin and above lightly creamed oats sugaring.
PRISON CITY MASS RIOT NEIPA
On tap at Growler & Gill, tropical fruited NEIPA flagship lacks creamy oated wheat base of richer stylistic brethren but still benefits from juicy Citra-Mosaic hop sunniness and dry Simcoe hop woodiness. Lemony grapefruit spritz and tangy mango-peach-pineapple zesting gain grassy astringency above crystal pale malting.
GREAT NOTION ORANGE CREAMSICKLE IPA
Delightfully confectionery milkshake IPA. Creamsickle-like navel orange tang receives heavily powder-sugared vanilla creaming as fizzy soda pep tickles the tongue. Zesty orange continuance gains ancillary lemon meringue, banana chip, white grapefruit, tangerine and peach illusions dashing thru marshmallow fluff contrasting distant pine tones.
FIDENS JASPER DOUBLE INDIA PALE ALE
Fulsome hazy golden NEIPA retains zesty orange peeled yellow grapefruit tanginess, salted guava-gooseberry souring and slight white peach/tangerine tang as well as resinous piney bittering. Mild grassy astringency and tingled floral spicing add subtleties. Buttery oats creaming gains yogurt thickness at tropical fruited finish.
HANK HUDSON OVERBOARD DOUBLE IPA
Well balanced hazy golden Citra-hopped Imperial IPA (not far removed from an NEIPA with its yogurt-milked wheat oats creaming). Bittersweet orange-peeled grapefruit zesting picks up tart guava-gooseberry souring to contrast less emphatic peachy nectarine splash for dry medium body.
MAINE THANK YOU 2023 INDIA PALE ALE
On tap at Growler & Gill, everchanging tropical fruit punch recipe (’23 version) submits peachy pineapple and mango tanginess to lemony yellow grapefruit bittering, salty lime tartness, slightly sour green grape/guava/lychee combo and subtle white peppered herbage above mildly honeyed oats-flaked Maris Otter malting that contrasts lacquered pine drift.
TRIPLE CROSSING STRATA TRIANGLES IPA
On tap at Taphouse 15, brightly tropical Strata hops allow lightly salted mango-pineapple zesting and frisky orange peel tanginess to enter the slightly sharp fruited fray as ‘sweet basil’ hides beneath pale malt dryness.
ROOT + BRANCH DREAM DREAMS THE DREAMER IPA
On tap at Taphouse 15, hazy golden West Coast-styled IPA utilizes dryly citric pine toned Simcoe hops to reach lightly creamed New England-styled IPA oated wheat base. Mild wood-parched yellow grapefruit and orange rind bittering picks up lightly salted herbal misting.
BOLERO SNORT GOAT
Jersey harvested hophead delight brings briskly bright tropical fruiting to dank pine lacquering over mildly creamed oated wheat base, gathering juniper-bitten herbal nips for its boozy finishing phenols. Bitter orange rind and yellow grapefruit pith juicing thrusts forward alongside the gooey hop resin of a piney-citric West Coast IPA. Not as yogurt-milked or lemony guava soured as most NEIPA’s – so call it a tidily embittered New England/Pacific Northwest hop-centric pairing.
CONCLAVE SHAMANIC REVELATION
On tap at Kitchen & Beer Bar, piney citric double dry-hopped IPA bounces Citra/Mosaic hop zesting against piney Simcoe hop herbage and mild floral daubs. Brisk orange-peeled yellow grapefruit rind bittering gains sweet mango, tangy pineapple and distant cantaloupe-melon conflux for trusty tropical medium body.
