You won't see words like "overtone” or "underpinning" because I try to take a realistic stab at describing beer. I'm less interested in the ultra elite jargon and more interested in highlighting my main likes and dislikes of a given brew. I have recently decided to Homebrew so my focus has changed from simply reviewing beer to making it as well!
This pours cloudy golden with nice head and juice resin
lacing. The smell is floral and mildly fruity. The flavor starts with a crisp
bite but turns smooth with a subtle amount of fruit and punch-in-the-face hops.
The flavor works through bitterness but it does not take over. I can taste some
pleasant grassiness…but not overpowering. The whole feel is pretty much here
and gone, but I would not classify it as “rounded” because of the lack of sweet
malt. I love this west coast style, and would easily put this beer in my top
ten. If you are looking for a rounded IPA with malt and hops at war, this is
not it. If you are looking for awesome hop bomb that is easy to drink, this is
a must try. Delicious.
There are five categories to evaluating a beer with your review:
Appearance - Note the beer's color, carbonation, head and its retention. Is it clear or cloudy? Does it look lackluster and dull or alive and inviting?
Smell - Bring the beer to your nose. Note the beer's aromatic qualities. Malts: sweet, roasty, smoky, toasty, chocolaty, nutty, caramelly, biscuity? Hops: dank / resiny, herbal, perfumy, spicy, leafy, grassy, floral, piney, citrusy? Yeast will also create aromas. You might get fruity or flowery aromas (esters) from ales and very clean aromas from lagers, which will allow the malt and hop subtleties to pull through.
Taste - Take a deep sip of the beer. Note any flavors, or interpretations of flavors, that you might discover. The descriptions will be similar to what you smell. Is the beer built-well? Is there a balance between the ingredients? Was the beer brewed with a specific dominance of character in mind? How does it fit the style?
Mouthfeel - Take another sip and let it wander. Note how the beer feels on the palate and its body. Light, heavy, chewy, thin / watery, smooth or coarse? Was the beer flat, over-carbonated?
Drinkability - The beer's overall ease of consumption and your overall impression of the beer. Would you have another?
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