.jpg)
The first of the Marz beers that I had was a bit of an oddball. It was fine, but it was probably trying to take on too much. Well, this time we're hitting a solid IPA, and this is where I expect them to shine. I was told (and it is possibly wrong) that an IPA is the best way to ensure a good beer, as little mistakes can be overcome with a dose of hops. I'm not sure how correct that is, but I want to believe.
The orange is strong with this beer, at least in the middle. It tends to yellow out toward the thinner parts of the glass, but that is not detracting from its beauty. The stark white head of mixed bubbles leaves a rocky collective of bubbles across the top of the beer that dies down to about a quarter of an inch, but it's not going down any further than that. It looks like it's going to leave some lacing, too. The aroma is deliciously fruity and juicy is all heck. I know that this says hazy on the label, and that means that they specifically avoided adding "juicy," but I still have hope. I do like a juicy IPA.
First sip explains why it's not called juicy. It may smell juicy, and it has plenty of fruit juices in it, but it is kind of dry and bitter on the back end, and that seriously distracts from any kind of luxuriating in the grapefruit, tangerine, and orange that are infused into the beverage. Juicy IPAs are good, but that doesn't mean this isn't going to be good. The sip was different than the smell, but it is a good sip in its own right. I'm not sure I ever completely got my mind around the effect that dry hopping has on a beer, and I think I just need more of them.
Tip-in is quite a lot of bubbles that almost distract from the fruit skins and esters that are really trying to get around the bubbles to let the taste buds know what's going on. The middle is a delicious soup of all the fruits jelling together with a cracker malt, and these flavors journey down the throat with nary a care in the world. The finish turns dry and bitter, but it is a cap on an otherwise peaceful beverage.
Bottom Line: I should probably drink more dry hopped beers.
3.75/5
