This proudly calls itself an IPA on the label. The curious name seems like it would lend itself more to an Oktoberfest than anything. These two facts seem particularly incongruous. It means that I don't really know what I'm going to be getting myself into with this beer, and that's just fine with me. This proudly proclaims itself to be "the visual dissonance edition" of this beer. Is there a different edition? It doesn't really matter, as I only have this one in front of me. So, I'm gonna review this.
The very amber beer has a somewhat sticky head that is going to be leaving some lacing, hopefully. There is a bit of a haze to the beer itself, and the bubbles are particularly small and off-white. The aroma is sweet and hoppy with a nod toward dank and bitter. This doesn't look like a traditional IPA, but I won't allow it to influence my tasting of this beer, anyway.First sip is not nearly as aloof as the relatively heavy and complex aroma presented. Instead, the bread malt mixes very well with the reticent hops to engender a relatively calm sip. Mind you, this appears to be made of pine hops and fruit skins, so it is unlikely to remain this sedate for a full swing. I fully expect the assertiveness of these aggressive hops to overcome the nice and cozy malt.
Tip-in is moderate carbonation broil with an almost toffee malt carrying pine and citrus rinds. The middle sends the carbonation to the roof of the mouth, and that's not unusual, but it also seems to turn down the dramatic nature of the carbonation while a wintry mix of spices and fruits alight the taste buds through the middle. The finish is a bitter downturn with dryness in tow, and the finish is awash with spices.
Bottom Line: An exceptionally good mixture of German style and IPA flavor.
4.0/5