As far as I know, this is the last beer in the Beer Hug quadrilogy. I'm not even sure I have any more Goose Island beers in my fridge at this point. It's just as well, as I did the round of Shandies right before I did these Beer Hug beers, and I think I would like to see what some other breweries have to say. This one does not call itself hazy, and it does not call itself a double IPA. This just calls itself Neon. The bear on the back says "10,000 Volts of flavor." I don't know what that means. I'm not sure they know what it means.
It's a good thing they didn't call this hazy, as it would not fit the bill. Instead, this is one of the clearest beers I've had in a while. I think I commented about one of the other beers being incredibly clear, but this is apple cider level clear and is a nice, attractive gold with an off-white head that boils down to an incomplete cover on the top of the beer with a strong ring around the sides. There's a little bit of lacing showing through. The aroma smells pine and flowers more than anything else. This is a fairly big departure from the other beers. Let's see if it improves matters.First sip is pretty good, but it is a bit bland. This is in stark contrast to that promise of 10,000 Volts of flavor. It has a juicy flavor to it, but I feel like I'm getting more malt than I would normally get in an IPA, and the flavor is fleeting. I'm not sure what else I can say other than I'm not much of a fan of the sip. Maybe a gulp will bring out the other 9,999 Volts.
Tip-in is a little skunky on top of the fruity zest and moderate carbonation. The middle wakes up with a fruity sharpness and pine resin that is joined by a bread malt while carbonation sloshes to the back of the throat to simmer. The finish is made better by the improved middle, and some honey and resin are left on the tongue for the trail off.
Bottom Line: Not a bad way to end this run.
3.5/5