Bearded Iris Voyager Double IPA

The Bearded Iris guys are all about their mixes. I don't know how many IPAs and DIPAs I've had from them, but it has been quite a few. They aren't consistently great, and I'm not even sure I can say that they are progressively getting better, but I think their idea is that they will just pump out variety until they can't pump out more or they find the perfect beer. I hope it's the latter.

This is a bit more gold in color than the usual Bearded Iris fare, so it looks a lot less like fruit juice. It's still hazy to the point that minimal light can get through from one side to the other. The head isn't much, and it simmers down to a thin covering for modesty's sake. The aroma is a mix of citrus and tropical fruits, so the usual Bearded Iris touch may bring joy to my face after all.

First sip is all the citrus and tropical fruit that you would expect from a Bearded Iris brew, and it's got a little bitter twinge to it that I'm not particularly used to. The bitterness is added to a tanginess to compliment a bit of a cracker or oatmeal malt that is grounding all of the fruits.

Tip-in is tart grapefruit, mango, orange, and lime with carbonation barely adding a tingle. The middle opens into a smooth mixture of the fruits with plums and pears added for smoothness, and they cut any building acidity right down. The finish is a peak at pine hops with a bitterness that goes with them before the bitter cloud trails off.

Bottom Line: They are still tweaking their formulas, and I'll be with them every step of the way.

3.25/5