Got a few of these "squeeze" series beer, and so far, it's been a mixed bag. I figured that a beer from Oregon making its way to a small beer store in Tennessee should reflect positively on the brewer, right? I mean, it's not just the brewer and some rich guy deciding the beer is good enough to move around the country - there has to be an audience of store owners. But, I guess Budweiser demonstrates that this isn't a great thought process.
First sip is surprisingly smooth. It had been some time since I had a beer that proudly proclaimed itself a West Coast style IPA, and I forgot how smooth these beers can be while still managing to bring a lot of fruit the table. This beer is, indeed, very smooth with the fruit juices managing to go down without any kind of carbonation, acidic, or bitter side effects. The result is a very nice sipping beer.
Tip-in is tangerine and starfruit with very mild carbonation tingle. The middle is much harsher than it was in the sip, and a heightened carbonation burn joins acid and bitterness to nearly overwhelm the fruits, very much unlike it was in the sip. The finish is a sudden cessation of all flavors as carbonation tingles across the tongue before a curiously caramel malt assert itself alongside tartness for the trail off.
Bottom Line: Sip it, and it's very nice.
3.0/5
