Hoppy Feaster
Millstream Brewing Company

 

 

Slightly cloudy and yellow body with a rich, foamy white head. Smell exudes peach and grapefruit notes. The taste comes through with a mellow fruitiness, much like what's suggested in the aroma; tart bitterness with an ever so slight hint of alcohol. Medium and soft on the palate; crisp and very dry.

This beer crosses the styles of a Belgian wit and German kölsch to me. The hops really define things with the aroma and flavor. Different and refreshing.

 

On tap at the brewery.

Pours clear. Like, almost Coors Light-level clear. Small white head.

Smells like dry hops against a remarkably thin malt base. Tastes like a hop tonic only with an excessively sweet back end. Seriously, it's kind of remarkable how badly brewed this is: water up front, a painful alpha acid burst in the middle, and the medicinal cake frosting at the end.

Millstream is an important American brewery. Their pilsner and Schild Brau are still world class. But this... this should have not have been released to the general public.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Tulip.

Appearance: Very cloudy yellow-grey with initially strong, white head that mostly settles.

Smell: Orange, grapefruit, tropical notes, spicy yeast notes. Big IPA aroma, but a little bit sickly.

Taste: Big hop taste of orange, grapefruit, mango and pine, but all a little overripe. Some Belgian yeast notes, with that oddly sweet taste that a few Witbiers have. More hoppy and spicy on the finish than bitter.

Feel: Sticky body with lower carbonation than expected. As this should be a refreshing Spring beer, this is not at all dry as it should be.

Overall: This is a stylistic conundrum that has some nice elements of both a Double IPA and a Witbier. However, it does not really gel and the mouthfeel is a train wreck.