Inspired by confectionery wreath-shaped King Cake, lactose spiced ale with sugar-frosted glaze plies wintry cinnamon-nutmeg seasoning to zesty orange-peeled lemon spritz for Mardis Gras celebration. Wispy light-roasted chestnut, butternut squash and pecan pie reminders bump up against Churro-like fried dough sweetness at pastry-like finish.
On tap at Ambulance, bold dry-hopped quad retains IPA-like orange powdering, mango tanginess, grapefruit bittering, pineapple zesting and peachy marmalade tartness undercut by fusel alcohol burn (12.5% ABV) impeding buttery caramel malt richness.
In the can, flagship beige-yellowed NEIPA’s ‘rainbow sherbet’ appeal emanates from its tart lemon-limed orange, pineapple and raspberry resilience. Yet its peachy mango tang packs as much punch. Salty citrus continuance resonates with brisk Citra-Mosaic hop zesting backed by delicate grassy earthiness over lightly creamed oated wheat.
On tap at Ambulance, sweet orange peel adjunct adds tangy juiciness to bitter grapefruit zesting above super-syrupy oated wheat creaming. Mild pine resin seeps into viscously malted citrus continuance.
On tap at Kitchen & Beer Bar, easygoing dry-hopped Citra zesting allows lemony yellow grapefruit and mandarin orange tang to sit gently above mildly creamed vanilla froth, leaving delicate herbal spicing on its prickly citrus surface.
On tap at Ambulance, irresolute NEIPA tries blending coconut-watered tangerine tartness with salty gooseberry souring, perfumed grapefruit zesting and slight lemon custard creaming. Oddly integrated, stylistically outré fruit fodder.
Upscaled heavily hazed chartreuse yellowed pale ale enters NEIPA territory with its salted gooseberry-guava souring contrasting sweet orange-peeled mango and pineapple upsurge over creamy oated wheat spume. Distant white-peppered herbage and mild piney bittering stay subtle. Excellent.
Dry West Coast-styled IPA lets sunshiny Citra-Mosaic-hopped grapefruit-peeled orange tang sidle moderate Simcoe-hopped piney herbage, retaining slight grassy astringency for dry pale-malted medium body. Brisk semi-sharp citrus bittering gains ancillary pineapple, mango and guava tropicalia.
Smoothly crisp yellow-glazed ‘hazy’ IPA rallies brisk grapefruit zesting and salty orange-peeled pineapple, guava and mango perfuming beyond its mild pine bittering above mild oated wheat creaming. Teasing floral ‘snapdragon’ influence slightly sweetens its zesty citric surface.
On tap at Seven Lakes Station, lemony Zamba/ Meridian hop blend heightened by ultra-dry wood tones saturating abrupt yellow grapefruit rind bittering and floral cologne musk. Not unlike some early ’90s citrus-pined West Coast IPA’s.
On tap at Taphouse 15, elegantly soft-toned, hazily orange-glazed, Galaxy/Citra-hopped IPA retains salted lemony yellow grapefruit bittering and peachy mango-pineapple swerve for sprucy pine lacquered herbage reaching slightly astringent grassy knoll as well-disguised 11% ABV adds ethyl gin-soaked pungency.
On tap at Taphouse 15, zestful collab with Other Half Brewing gleams lemony yellow and white grapefruit sunshine upon floral-daubed piney hop dryness, picking up salted mango-pineapple-papaya tang and waxy orange-tangerine-clementine twang in soft oats-flaked setting.
