Modus Mandarina
Ska Brewing Co.

Modus MandarinaModus Mandarina
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Ska Brewing Co.
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
American IPA
Ranked #1,500
ABV:
6.8%
Score:
88
Ranked #13,495
Avg:
3.94 | pDev: 9.64%
Reviews:
102
Ratings:
391
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 17, 2023
Added:
Jul 13, 2014
Wants:
  22
Gots:
  85
We collaborated with Kyle on a special batch of "Kyle's Manipulated Modus"- Modus Hoperandi brewed with orange peel and dry hopped with Mandarina Bavaria hops.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.86 by btbcolo from Colorado

Nov 17, 2023
Photo of monkist
Reviewed by monkist from Hungary

4.2/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
It is made with orange peels, the can says. Picking up some of the raw fruit in the aroma and the taste, feels very organic. There has got to be quite a lot of malts in there too as the color is a dark amber and has a malt-heavy body with quite some citrusy bitter overtones. Feels as if you have bitten into an orange as it is, with the peel on and all. Actually, it tastes like there was a hint of coriander in it as well? The more time passes, the more the beer starts to feel weird. It is well done but the taste is a bit off, I am not getting THAT citrusiness I was expecting… it is much more like sweet and bold and round while I was waiting for something earthy, piney and citrusy…
So it IS a good IPA but I did not really get the taste, but what the H-E-double hockey sticks…
Aug 04, 2023
Photo of Strix
Reviewed by Strix from Wisconsin

3.77/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Deep murky orange

Orange and pine

Not a classic bright IPA but kind of a dank one. Not really bad but not wholly successful for me either, orange is pervasive but there's kind of a watery orange juice vibe to it

Mouthfeel fine

Okay but not my personal fave
Jul 21, 2023
 
Rated: 3.24 by lakewy17 from New Hampshire

Jul 08, 2023
 
Rated: 4.02 by HopBelT from Belgium

Mar 31, 2023
Photo of Sigmund
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway

3.94/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dec. 2016: 355 ml can, Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 6.8%. Orange to amber colour, moderate off-white head. Strong aroma of citrussy and piney hops, hints of orange peel and caramel. Medium sweet flavour, firm hoppy character with notes of mandarin and oranges, piney and bitter finish. Good stuff.
Aug 29, 2022
 
Rated: 4.24 by DrBass from Maryland

Aug 13, 2022
 
Rated: 3.94 by animal69 from Louisiana

May 03, 2022
 
Rated: 3.74 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Aug 05, 2021
Photo of ANIMOUL
Rated by ANIMOUL from Vermont

3.83/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Decent beer but a bit too fruity (mandarin orange). Doesn't go well with the 'west coast' style
Jun 27, 2021
 
Rated: 3.96 by HighwayChile from Kansas

Jun 24, 2021
 
Rated: 4.39 by summitsippin from Colorado

Mar 02, 2021
Photo of LukeGude
Rated by LukeGude from Iowa

3.34/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Cam poured into pint glass at Durango condo. Too bitter IMO.
Nov 04, 2020
Photo of GarrettB
Reviewed by GarrettB from Colorado

3.44/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
June 19th, 2016 - A taste of citrus here for the summer, in convenient can form, and with enough hops to move product in stores. The Modus Mandarina offers light notes of citrus and tangerine with some light hop character, and a refreshing, light body. The lightest essence of tangerine is also evident. I find this a very refreshing beer, aided by the light body and the kiss of tangerine in the flavor, and just a hint of hops to whet the appetite for a harder IPA but not spoiling my midday clear-headedness.
Oct 29, 2020
 
Rated: 4 by jtnord from Colorado

Sep 12, 2020
 
Rated: 4.25 by ryanf2192 from District of Columbia

Jun 08, 2020
Photo of woodychandler
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
I will be the first to admit, I was pretty excited when Ska Brewing arrived here in Lancaster, PA. I scooped up a whole buncha CANs for The CANQuest (tm) & do not regret my decision. I say that only because I see that some reviewers have not enjoyed this beer. Fair dinkum!

From the CAN: "Crush - Recycle - Reticulata - Smarten - Halftime - Recycle - Bevy - Forest - Zest - Kyle - Recycle"; "Hand-Crafted"; "India Pale Ale Dry-hopped with Mandarina Bavaria hops and brewed with orange peels."; "Lip Up Fatty".

I Crack!ed open the vent & beCAN a slow, gentle C-Line Glug into the awaiting glass. Not only did this produce two-plus fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, tawny head with very good retention, it made my kitchen smell like I had used an orange-scented air freshener! It smelled nice, but it really was not in keeping with the style since the hops were not truly the star while the fruit adjunct definitely was. Color was an orangish-Amber (SRM = > 7, < 9) with NE-quality clarity. Mouthfeel was medium. The taste remained very orange-y & while it was fine, it was not aligned with the style. Also, it was very authentic-tasting. It did not have the taint of artificial flavoring that some have mentioned. It was a pleasant enough beer & it was a bit of an SIW on Ska's part to call it an India Pale Ale. As a "Fruit & Field Beer" it would do much better. Finish was semi-dry, citrusy, tangy & quite refreshing. YMMV.
May 25, 2020
Photo of Jugs_McGhee
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Colorado

2.32/5  rDev -41.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.5
Initial impression from a 12 fl oz pull-tab can (BB 07/10/20) served into a nonic pint:

6.8% ABV. "Citrus IPA." "Ale brewed with orange peels." From their website (accessed 05/23/20): "dry-hopped with a generous portion of Mandarina Bavaria hops and brewed with sweet orange peels." ... "IBU's: [sic] 65
SRM: 18"

Candied orange peel, caramel, pale malt/2-row, Triple Sec/orange liqueur...it almost approaches a Delsym-like sickening syrupy sweetness but luckily avoids it. I can't say I dig its (artificial) orange-leaning flavour profile and its hop profile doesn't do it for me (it's a poor use of Mandarina Bavaria), but it's at least drinkable despite its flaws.

Sticky and pulpy to its detriment. Unrefreshing but well carbonated.

Not a great IPA, nor a great orange flavored ale. The best I can say about it is avoids the Delsym and orange soda pitfalls it could elsewise have been privy to.

D+ (2.32) / NOT RECOMMENDED

***
05/29/20 can:

Boozy orange/tangerine fruit and sticky syrupy sweetness. It's not terrible, but it's definitely a pass.

D+ / NOT RECOMMENDED
May 24, 2020
Photo of ZenAgnostic
Reviewed by ZenAgnostic from Texas

2.9/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2
12oz can poured into Duvel tulip. BBD 06/02/2020 printed on bottom of can. So this still has 4 months left. Picked up at grocery store as part of a $10 sixer mixer.

Appearance - I'll give it points for uniqueness. Pours clear medium to deep orange body. Medium sized (1 finger) light orange head with decent retention and loose soapy suds leaving patchy lacing with decent stick. . 4.25

Smell - interesting, unique and overall pleasant. Orange rind but not the kind you often smell in certain IPAs. Almost has a fake orange-soda like quality to it. Underneath is a musky hop that can't really be characterized because the orange is so overpowering in comparison. Though on the whole, the beer's aroma isn't particularly strong. 4.25

Taste - A let down. Unexpectedly bitter but without a full complex hoppiness you'd get from a normal IPA. The smell gave indications that it would be sweet but that's definitely not the case. A unpleasantly metallic. 2.25

Mouthfeel - Harsh. A little too thin bodied. Dry and astringent throughout that dies down into a faint to moderate lingering in the finish. 2.25

Overall - Neat looking gimmick that doesn't live up to standards or expectations. Chemical harshness, lacks balance or body. One of those beers that somehow manages to be worse than the sum of its parts. 2
Feb 02, 2020
 
Rated: 3.92 by jmbeerdude91 from Arizona

Dec 30, 2019
Modus Mandarina from Ska Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 391 ratings