3 Floyds "Lazer Snake" IPA

I like the idea of 3 Floyds, but I'm not sure I actually like the brewery. Their characteristically colorful cans certainly catch the eye when they're just sitting on the shelf. The idea behind their beer has so far been better than their actual beer. Instead, their beer has languished in the average range, and it actually made me think twice before buying this one. But, come on, who doesn't want to try a beer named Lazer Snake?

A lacing of thick, patchy bubbles coats the sides of the glass before I get to the uneven, sticky head all globbed together on one side of the top of the beer. The beverage under it is a somewhat hazy gold with the aroma of sweet orange and tangerine juices atop a cracker malt. I can really say that I'm looking forward to this beer. 

First sip is sweet, juicy, balanced, and enjoyable. The malt seems to be more of a caramel variety, but the overall beverage is just really good to drink. I was expecting something with this vivacious of a name to be a little more challenging and a lot more unpredictable as an IPA. Instead, this seems to have all the goodness of a traditional IPA with very little of the heavy bitterness dragging it down. Instead, the malt is balancing it very well, and I absolutely loved the sip.

Tip-in is sweet tangerine and orange with nectarine and peach to match. The middle moves into smooth mixture of the fruit juices with the caramel and toffee malt keeping things nice and lively and the carbonation starting burn at the back of the mouth to give more vibrance to the drink altogether. The finish is a small wave of bitterness like the ocean lapping up across your feet while you're standing on the shore, and the juice make it just as quenching.

Bottom line: I'm genuinely not sure that you can make an IPA better.

5.0/5