Mother Earth Boo Koo IPA

Good old Mother Earth. She brings us the trees, wind, and water. She protects us from the nasty solar winds and radiation that would likely kill us. On top of all of that, she gives us hops, barley, and Nampa, Idaho. Without these things, we might not have an IPA to drink today. How sad of a day would that be?

The honey gold beer has a good enough amount of head with a patchiness that is common for an IPA, but the lacing isn't quite as good as it should be. Still, no one is perfect, and this might just have the taste to pull out a winner. After all, the nose is a delicious tangerine and mango citrus that puts me in mind of some of the best of the breed.

First sip is citrus, indeed, but there's pine in here with it to give it a leg up on the world. We're not just dealing with a one-flavor beer; this is something with depth. The honey malt is tossed in there to try to keep the pine and citrus in their respective corners, but they are dueling, and my mouth is the battleground.

Tip-in is bread malt with the tangerine and lemon right out front. The middle is where the pine comes in to join the mix. Despite a rise of honey, the bitterness starts to take hold about halfway through, and it crescendos all the way through. By the finish, the bitterness is king, but the pine notes are dusty and dry under it.

Bottom Line: Enough ingredients, but not harmonious enough to be great.

2.5/5