Shmaltz Star Trek Vulcan Ale "The Genesis Effect" Red Session IPA

This really puts me in mind of a dive bar/pool hall that I visited in Decatur, IL that was called Starship or something like that. It really wasn't Star Trek themed, but the menu was clearly written by a fan. This is a poor example of someone shoehorning a Star Trek theme into something that really shouldn't work like that. I mean, the artwork on that bottle wouldn't have made it to the cover of a fan fiction story. But, let's see if they can brew beer...

It's a red session ale that pours a hazy red with a short white cap that reduces to a very thin veil of sticky bubbles, longing to fly free amongst the stars. The aroma is citrus hops, deep earth, and caramel. I'm still not sure what to expect.

First sip is watery up front, but very meaty toward the tail. It's more complex and less mainstream than the Vulcan culture it reflects. The earth in the end is pretty harsh and gravelly, but it's not immediately repulsive or anything. However, it's not a nice sensation. I hope a swig will be.

Tip-in is earth, citrus, and even a bit of bread. The middle has carbonation scraping the roof of the mouth. the earth taste is even stronger now, and the citrus eases off. Caramel tries to come up, but a bitterness keeps it at bay. The finish comes up with even more damn earth, delving into gravel and twigs and other stuff from my backyard and then trails off with a bitter breeze.

Bottom Line: It tries to be unique, and the problem is that it's not going to be remembered for being uniquely good.

1.75/5