Collective Arts "IPA No. 8" Double IPA

I've only had one other Collective Arts beer, and it was just kind of okay. This one seems like it's going to be a bit more of a novelty beer with the goofy dog with a halo on a cloud - I assume this represents someone's dead dog, and that's certainly a good reason to drink, but it doesn't put me in mind of a great beer.

The very hazy orange beer has the familiar double IPA look of a fruit juice, and that head on top is definitely adding a pulp feel to the mix, but no pulp leaves this much lacing. The aroma is much weaker than most of these DIPAs have been drinking lately, but what exists is light tangerine and orange; there's a detectable tartness in the smell.

First sip is tremendous. It has a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness with the orange, tangerine, and grapefruit (possibly a shot of apple) under it all. I just didn't expect this sublime mixture of awesome, and this is one of those rare times where I might sip happily all night and just wrap this up by giving this a rating of 5/5. Alas, that is not the way this process works.

Tip-in is moderate carbonation burn with a watery mix of grapefruit, orange, and tangerine. The middle comes forward with an increase in carbonation while tartness joins tangerines in the dance of flavor that this beer has turned out to be. The finish is a bitter-sweet juice with a sprig of pine to trail off.

Bottom Line: I know why the cloud on the can is happy (aside from the cute puppy).

5.0/5