Waves IPA
Mikkeller ApS

 

 

 

 

Exactly what I was looking for in an IPA. Strong citrus notes and a nice aroma. Held a good, thick head. Very smooth after taste, not too dry but dry enough. Im not one to hunt for IBUs so this was surprisingly smooth for the amount of hop flavor coming through. Very enjoyable. Just bought a 4-pack.
Try the NE IPA as well, just as good.

 

 

With bold introductions to the west coast brewing culture, the Mikkeller brewers land a home run with a no frills, classic brewed, dry, hoppy IPA that embodies the exclamation about American IPA in a pure and simple way that few can deliver.

Mikkeller does just that with Waves IPA. Pale gold and deep in straw hues, the haze beer unleashes a creamy froth to encapsulate the die hard grapefruit, orange pith and piney perfumes that's expected of the style. Its taste is shy with malt sweetness as a thin film on caramel and honey glosses the front of the tongue.

But that gloss dissolves and the full brunt of hops are quickly realized. Cast aside those floral, sprucy and herbal perfumes and welcome a dedicated taste of white grapefruit, fresh orange peels and a tang of lemon. Trending herbal with sassafras, lemon verbena and straw, the taste quickly grows in bitterness until its grassy finish laced with tea, lemongrass and freshly muddled pine needles seem nearly gin-like.

Dry, crisp, clean and retaining only a creamy dryness from the starchiness of malt, the beer is all about the hops and the slim malts that support them. Spicy, bitter and peppery resinous- the beer treads long and hard with leaf, grass and freshly shaven pine in bitter west coast fashion.

 

 

 

 

 

On-draught @ Mikkeller Bar San Francisco.

Juicy, dry, balanced, enjoyable.

Another solid IPA from Mikkeller. I'll have to revisit this in finer grain when I'm able.

HIGH C+ / ABOVE AVERAGE