Polite hop-forward India Pale Ale lets lemon-oiled orange peel, grapefruit, pineapple, mango, peach and tangerine tang sink into dank piney hop bittering. Wheat-flaked cereal graining and crystal malt sweetness battle back oncoming alcohol astringency.
On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead – Hoboken, crisply clean IPA lets grassy Citra hop bittering take the reins as its lemony grapefruit rind bite lingers alongside dry hop-charred pine dankness. Brisk carbolic prickle adds Seltzer-like spritz.
Illuminating golden-hazed medium body brings perfumed yellow grapefruit, navel orange, mango and lemon tanginess to mildly creamed caramel malting. Resinous piney hop bittering gains herbal respite and earthen tea dankness.
Bolder New England-styled IPA leaves yellow grapefruit, pineapple, orange and mango tang upon serious pine lacquering. Sunny lemon zest brightens the load as proper stylistic hop astringency gains strength.
Thin dry-hopped IPA allows brisk lemon peel adjunct and mild lime tang to create pleasant, but insubstantial, up-front flavor profile. Mild floral pining and grassy earthen hops slink below delicately fizzy lemon-limed fluff. Easy drinking, yes, but nearly vapid at the finish.
On tap at Grafton Street – Cambridge, soft-toned beauty lets floral perfumed fruiting shine above mildly creamed pale malting. Tangy orange-peeled grapefruit, pineapple, peach, mango and nectarine juiciness picks up resinous piney hop bittering as well as mild gin-like juniper snip.
On tap at Russell House Tavern, tart raspberry adjunct gains zesty lemon souring, vinous green grape esters and oaken cherry pucker, remaining soft-toned and approachable. Recessive herbal fungi mustiness fades.
Amazingly prolific brown-clouded full body goes way beyond simple amber ale tag. Hoppier stylistic profile ignites IPA-like grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering, resinous pine nuttiness and mild chocolate raisin sweetness above burnt-breaded barley roast. An Imperial Amber, perhaps?
Musky dry-hopped farmhouse ale retains herbal lemon souring and damp barnyard funk to its salty bottom. Wispy mandarin orange and white grape tartness as well as mild lemongrass-peppercorn conflux settle behind Mandarina-Mosaic-hopped lemon rot essence.
On tap at Beef Trust, mild IPA plies toasted marshmallow sweetness and Madagascar vanilla beaning to dry-hopped citric brightness. Lightly creamed vanilla topping contrasts tingly resinous hop bittering as campfire-toasted marshmallow theme fades just a tad at the finish.
On tap at Blind Tiger, indeterminate medium-full body lets toasted coconut adjunct get lost amongst murky caramel-burnt chocolate spicing as well as coffee-burnt cola, hazelnut and walnut sequence. Distant red and purple grape esters waver.
Less interesting bottled version (2017) suffers as desolate “wheat ale” aged on lightly toasted coconut flakes stays watery and thin. Mild coconut pureeing pushed aside by airy carbolic spritz. Distant coconut-sugared lemon wedging and pineapple juicing provide wavering Pina Colada spurt.
