.jpg)
A West Coast IPA from a deep south brewery? Well, if Southern Tier can put "southern" in their name, even though they are in New York, I think this should be perfectly acceptable. I recall having had Belgian ales from a Tennessee brewery before, and I don't remember if I liked it or not. Nevertheless, it appears that you can make almost any style in almost any location, and it works out just fine. Mind you, I don't think any Belgian ale has been able to match the actual ales from Belgium, but I appreciate a brewery that tries.
I did not remember West Coast IPA's as being so blonde. This is a very pale yellow, but it gets a little richer in the meat of the beer. The head, evidently, is going to get very thick whether I try to keep it down or not. I will be getting a little bit of lacing, but it's not as much as I would have hoped. The head that remains on top of the beer is almost a half inch high in most spots, and it is filled with a rocky mix of bubbles. The aroma is deliciously grapefruit, orange, star fruit, and possibly some apricot. It smells very good, and it makes me want to drink it. Fortunately for me, I'm at that point in the review.
First sip is PDT (Pretty Damn Tasty). The fruits are melding together fairly well, and the bread malt is holding together just fine. The beer gives a sedate experience as a result of the lack of significant bitter bite on the back end. I would go so far as to say this is a well-balanced beer, and I look forward to enjoying much more of this in a full swig.
Tip-in is moderate carbonation burn that seems to be swelling while fruit esters mix with flowers to produce a somewhat herbal and fresh experience. Grains come forward as the fruits intermingle and overcome the flowers that existed only briefly. The finish is sharp bitterness followed by fruit peels and flowers before bitter sweetness grasps for the trail off.
Bottom Line: I may more frequently take a ride to the West Coast via Tennessee.
3.75/5
