Blackberry Farm "Stonefly" IPA 3v.11

I have had beer with dates, and I've had beer with vintages, but I think this is the first time I have had one with a version number. I hope this is an indication that they went through a bunch of iterations and wound up on a version that is the pinnacle of what their beer can be. What I need right now (and pretty frequently, honestly) is a good beer. 

The clear, golden beer sports a white head that coalesces into an uneven (yet complete) covering across the top of the beer with a circle made of other, smaller circles that are ultimately made up of tiny bubbles that are, when you get right down to it, circular. The aroma is like a bright sunny day where a breeze come across an orange orchard to let you smell the great harvest that's about to come. Also, I'm very thirsty, and this smells good.

First sip is not as juicy and filled with oranges as the smell led me to believe. Instead, it seems quite dry on the back end, and that's after a thicker than expected bread malt that is mixed with flowers, grapefruit, orange, and possibly some tropical fruits. It's an unbalanced sip, but it might just be because I was expecting something very simple and juicy based on the aroma. 

Tip-in is tart with tangerine and oranges mixing with a more substantial grapefruit and no carbonation to speak of. The middle is a dramatic spike in carbonation as the fruits turn to husks and the bread malt doesn't really settle the matter while flowers creep in. The finish is dry, but it is an improvement over the middle, and it actually makes for a nice trail-off for the otherwise challenging brew.

Bottom Line: Good enough, if you have limited options.

2.0/5