Prairie Artisan Phantasmagoria Double IPA

I took a long break between this beer and the last one I had from this brewer. Mainly, I wanted to ensure I gave this one a fair shot after having ranted a bit about not liking the last one. I don't think I said anything about their mothers or anything that I couldn't take back, but I don't want to offend the beer, so I'm giving it a fresh start over a month after I had the last one.

The beer is a very hazy kind of copper-gold color with a minimal head that nestles into a shadow of itself spread across the center of the beer with a ring of demarcation around the sides where it shall not pass. The aroma is citrus, a bit of funky yeast, and flaking biscuits. It smells very inviting.

First sip is VERY funky. It's bittersweet and tart with lemons and grapefruit and that funky yeast that seems to coat the tongue with a furry layer of something dark and foreboding. I'm not sure what's going on with this off-the-wall beer, but I can't say I dislike it. Maybe I'll fully love it in a swig.

Tip-in is oranges and a bit of crusty bread. I expected more of a bang right from the start, but it's actually pretty mild and well spoken for what it is. The middle is a strange mix of funky yeast and creamy smoothness with some grains tossed into the mix just to make things even. The finish comes along with a spike of tartness and a cessation of the funkiness a bit.

Bottom Line: Not bad, but mixed taste is not what character is. The mixture is too much of a muddled mess.

2.25/5