Even the clearest of Bearded Iris beers has a bit of a haze to it, right? Not this time, dear reader. This is a clear yellow-gold beer with quite a nice head to it. The bubbles die down to a soft comforter of thin bubbles completely but unevenly covering the top of the beverage; this head is going to leave lacing. The aroma is soft, but it is more malty than most IPAs I've had of late. That said, the tropical and citrus fruits aren't exactly demure.First sip is an affirmation that these guys know how to pull a beer together. Maybe I've spent too much time in the higher alcohol area of beers to see that this relatively moderate 5.8% ABV beer can bring just as bold a flavor as those more potent brews. The malt is bread, and it serves up a slightly bitter tray of tangerines, grapefruits, and mangoes.
Tip-in is mild carbonation tingle that crescendos slowly into a medium burn while the bread and fruits (now sporting tangerine, grapefruit, and apples). The middle raises the stakes with carbonation scream on the roof of the mouth while the mix of fruits and that bread malt thumps solidly underneath it all like an inescapable beat. The finish is a flash of the carbonation before it dies away and a dusty bitterness echos into the trail off.
Bottom Line: These guys are just really, really good.
4.75/5
