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I was told - and it may be untrue - that Bearded Iris lost their brewmaster a few years back, and that was when they pulled back on distribution. As a result, I didn't see many of their beers on store shelves for quite a while. It seems that they've come back, generally speaking. I hedge because I notice that most of the beers I encounter are ones that I remember having before the supposed kerfuffle.
I've seen hazier Bearded Iris beers, but that's like saying I've driven faster Lamborghinis. The fact is, they are all pretty dang hazy (well, almost all) and being in the conversation is a good start. The head is at least a little sticky as it leaves lacing while descending to the incomplete layer with a strong ring around the sides of the glass. The aroma is, as the "tropical IPA" moniker would suggest, quite heavy with tropical fruits. I can almost smell the bitterness in here, and I hope they brought a malt that can stand up to the fruits.
First sip is shockingly dry for a tropical IPA. The mango and pear mix with starfruit, but there isn't a whole lot of sweetness to counter the bitterness. Mind you, the bitterness isn't overwhelming, but the malt seems almost absent from the flavor. I don't really know what to make of it. As a sip, it's not bad, but I wouldn't be giving it any awards, if I had any to give.
Tip-in is a bunch of fruits - mango, pineapple, and there might even be dragon fruit. The middle rolls with a haze of bitterness floating over the watery fruit concoction. The finish is a shame, as the fruits get dry and bitter, and all the flavors are just too weak to keep up with their own side effect of bitterness.
Bottom Line: Waving goodbye.
1.5/5
