Romero's Tasty Treats
Mikkeller ApS

Type: 16-oz. can
Reviewed as: New England IPA
Glass: Firestone 16-oz. Spiegelau IPA glass
Price: $4.29
From: Windmill Farms in Del Cerro (San Diego), Calif.
Purchased: July 11, 2021
Consumed: July 16, 2021
Misc.: Canned on June 18, 2021 (I think) at 5:58 p.m. PT; Can read 6.0 pct. ABV

Grabbed a can of this and some other stuff while looking for some North Park cans at Windmill Farms. Online description for this was “New England Style IPA with Toasted Coconut. Brewed in honor of our venerable, chief executive big dog, ‘Romero’ - we asked him what his ideal beer would be, and he described something that was completely different from what this one is. Our favorite NE-style IPA base proves ever flexible when it comes to checking out different flavor profiles and techniques, and when we landed on this we were stoked! A riff on an early Micro Release (006), with some tweaks here and there, what we present now is certainly dope. Huge tropical fruit as mango and papaya, blends effortlessly with a moderate toasted coconut flavor, finishing with berry and citrus. Next time you see ‘Romero’ cruising the brewery, ask him, we will tell you - dang, that’s what's up.”

Poured a light amber hazy color with eight fingers of rocky white head. Could see some bubbles coming up along the sides of the glass. Almost perfect foamy layered lacing. Perfect retention. (Sight - 4.75)

Smelled lemon zest, toasted coconut, papaya, mango, hints of caramel popcorn, pine and citrus notes. Pretty subdued overall. Not quite as good from the can. (Smell - 4.00)

Tasted a little better than the nose. More pronounced toasted coconut, followed by lemon, papaya, mango, guava, pine, hints of caramel popcorn and citrus zest. No mention of hops, but I’d lean toward some kind of blend of Motueka and Mosaic among others. (Taste - 4.00)

Medium body. Creamy texture. Average carbonation. Long finish. (Feel - 4.00)

A nice change of pace. Liked this one. It was outstanding. (Overall - 4.00)

4.05 | 91 | A-

 

A: Pours a very hazy bright yellow in color with moderate amounts of fine active visible carbonation rising from the bottom of the glass and moderate pale yellow + pale golden yellow + apricot colored highlights. The beer has a five finger fizzy sudsy pillowy foamy bright white head that slowly reduces to a medium to large sized patch of thick film covering a little more than 50% of the surface of the beer surrounded by a large patches of slightly mottled very thin film amid a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate to strong aromas of juicy tropical/mango + tropical/papaya + citrus/grapefruit hops over the top of light aromas of biscuit + pale + oat malts with a light amount of sugary sweetness. Moderate aromas of toasted coconut.

T: Upfront there are light flavors of biscuit + pale + oat malts with a light amount of sugary sweetness. That is followed by moderate flavors of toasted coconut. Finally there are moderate to strong flavors of juicy tropical/mango + tropical/papaya + citrus/grapefruit hops which impart a light amount of bitterness which fades away quickly leaving moderate lingering coconut + tropical hop flavors.

M: Light to medium bodied with slightly heavier than moderate amounts of carbonation. Light amounts of soft/fluffiness mid-body and a hint of dryness in the finish.

O: Easy to drink with well hidden alcohol but a touch over carbonated in my opinion reducing the creamy soft/fluffiness I expected to find in the mouthfeel. Really nice tropical hop flavors and aromas combined with toasted coconut.