When I went to Asheville, I was working, so I was very busy the entire time I was there. There were quite a few breweries in the area that I didn't get a chance to visit, and I regret not having a beer at places like Green Man. Nevertheless, I had a few at Hi-Wire, and every time I grab one off the shelf, I remember the good beer, great people, and fun times I had while I was there.
First sip is very nice at first, but the bitterness hits pretty hard on the back-end as if the malt isn't really trying. So, I'm not sure sipping is the right way to go. It's also possible that the coldness isn't doing the beer any favors, either. I know that more complex beers do better with a little warmth, but I haven't proceduralized experimenting with that, so I'm discounting it for now.
Tip-in is light bitterness with the warmth of grapefruit, tangerine, and orange and very subtle carbonation. The middle presses on with the carbonation taking it up a notch while the fruits flow freely and serenely underneath it all. The finish is a hit of bitter, but it's not untamed like the sip was, and it trails off into a veneer of fruit.
Bottom Line: Respectable enough.
3.25/5
