Firstly, we would like to apologize to our loyal fans that we've been inactive for a while. There's been some sort of sickness that we're just now getting over, killing our sinuses and taste buds for too damn long.
I've personally been longing to taste good beer again, not being able to taste made Two Brother's Outlaw IPA (upcoming review) taste like water, or even worse, Natty Light. Ick. Regardless, my senses are back to almost full, so onto the review.
I've been intrigued by this since I first saw it in an email from Premium Beverage Supply (yes, I get email updates on upcoming releases of beer because I'm awesome like that). I love grapefruit, I love IPA, the combo has entered my mind many times when we've thought about that to homebrew.
This pours a nice golden color with decent carbonation and a white head that doesn't stick around very long. The aroma on this is a nice lighter crystal malt-like essence that is lending itself to the citrus/grapefruit that is prominent. I love this aroma. The flavor, however, falls short. This is not so much an IPA. There are some light earthy and piney tones up front that drop out of the flavor profile in about 2 seconds. After that, there is a watery blast that washes away the palate. The backend has a tinge of faint bitterness (that without hardcore analyzing, would be missed). This isn't bad, more like a lawnmower beer, but it's more like grapefruit flavored sparkling water. Definitely not an IPA. the 6% isn't noticed in this light-bodied brew. Smooth drinking with a light grapefruit juice finish sort of stickiness. Today's a good day to drink this (as it was 65 degrees in central Ohio, with a high of around 28 tomorrow), but would be better on a hot summer day.
3.0/5 caps- just due to such a light flavor
-Nathan-
I'm still sick, but after nearly two weeks of dulled senses, I'm wanting to get some extra vitamin C in my system, hence the grapefruit beers. Besides, I miss drinking craft beer. Well, I suppose our go-to cheap beer (Burger) could be considered craft, as it's made in small-ish batches here in Ohio, but nevertheless, I want something with taste. Phlegm be damned, I'm drinking anyway, so if I miss some tasting notes in this, I apologize.
Nathan nailed the appearance. I don't pick up as much crystal malts as well as I pick up citrus and grapefruit with some light cracker-y notes from the malts in the nose. The aroma is lovely, quite lovely, even through the clogged-ness that is my nose tonight. As I take a sip, I'm sadly disappointed. I could hope it was my dulled senses, but after Nathan's review, I am thinking I'm not that far off. It's weird, but I feel the grapefruit more than I taste it, if that makes any sense at all. I get some cracker, an almost metallic note, the grapefruit feeling, and then a dry finish. It's rather sweet in the middle. On the deep back end of this (read: as I'm belching it back, one of my favorite parts of the tasting -- yes, I'm weird and uncouth like that), there is noticeable grapefruit, but it's almost like it's too little, too late.
I'm a little saddened. If you're going to go with an Abita beer, their Purple Haze is pretty fantastic.
3.4/5 caps
-Jennie
Cheese pairing: Colby-Jack
Food pairing: Key Lime cheesecake
Music pairing: Pharell, "Happy"
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