Taste For Adventure
Pizza Port Solana Beach

 

 

Type: 16-oz. can
Reviewed as: American IPA
Glass: Melvin 14-oz. Spiegelau IPA glass
Price: $14.99 for a 6-pack
From: Windmill Farms in Del Cerro (San Diego), Calif.
Purchased: Feb. 26, 2021
Consumed: Feb. 27, 2021
Misc.: Canned on Feb. 1, 2021 at 11:04 a.m. PT

Got this and a handful of other beers on a recent trip to Windmill Farms. Grabbed a 6-pack of this, even though I’m not always sold on Pizza Port IPAs. However, I was intrigued from the description as soon as I saw Sabro. Their website called it “Brewed to showcase some amazing new experimental hops, Sabro and HBC 586. Sabro provides coconut, sandalwood, and citrus. HBC 586 gives pineapple, melon, and berry. Simcoe and Crystal round out the hop aroma with bright grapefruit and floral aroma. Balancing the hops is California grown wheat from Admiral Maltings and some flaked oats. Our La Cruda yeast gives the beer a dry, crisp clean finish.”

Poured a medium yellow clear color with 1-to-2 fingers of off-white frothy head. Lots of bubbles coming up from the bottom of the glass. Average watery lacing. Below average retention. (Sight - 3.50)

Didn’t quite smell as good initially. Got the notes of Sabro, including coconut, cedar and tangerine. Also pineapple, grapefruit, melon, herbal, bitter pine, skunky resin and Simcoe. A little better out of the can with pineapple, coconut and wood sticking out. (Smell - 3.75)

Tasted about as good as the nose. Got Sabro, coconut, cedar, tangerine, herbal, bitter pine, Simcoe, black pepper, aspirin, papaya, grapefruit rind, melon, resin and floral. (Taste - 3.50)

Medium body. Oily texture. Average carbonation. Long bitter finish. (Feel - 3.75)

I think I slightly underrated this a tad. Good at least. Wish I wouldn’t have gotten a 6-pack though. (Overall - 3.75)

3.64 | 82 | B

Can poured into a Mountain Rambler Brewery pint glass

A: Pours golden yellow with a frothy off white head that settles to a light layer and laces nicely.

S: Pine, citrus zest, earthy grassy herbal notes, underlying tropical and stone fruit, a hint of coconut, crackery slightly bready malt, and just a touch of sweetness.

T: Zesty citrus, grapefruit, lemon, lime, and tangerine, some pine, underlying tropical and stone fruit, mango, passion fruit, apricot, guava, peach, and a hint of pineapple, slight herbal notes, faint coconut, crackery malt, and just a touch of sweetness.

M: Medium body, moderate carbonation.

O: Really solid west coast IPA showing off some cool new hops.

Pizza Port’s west coast game is on point!

Clear golden in the glass, minimal foam. Aroma has a blend of a sweet citrusy mandarina and some earthy dank notes, with an almost floral note squeaking through. It’s an interesting mix if you want to think about it, and an easy enough drinker if you don’t.

 

 

 

Canned on 1/5/21. Bought off a room temp shelf at Trader Joe's then refrigerated for a couple weeks before consumption in a tall tulip glass on 2/11/21. Initially looks nice, with a couple fingers of off-white foam that looks somewhat fragile rather than stiff and thick. Sure enough, the head dies off quickly and there is little lacing. I smell no real fruitiness. Wife dials up her imagination and proclaims "maybe some indistinct fruit". Hop flavor is new to me since I tend to be more of a citra/mosaic hop guy, and this isn't that. Once again, no real fruit unless I pretend it is there, but I find the flavor profile from the hops an interesting change. Some nice hoppiness and the mouthfeel is good with low to moderate carbonation, although the very fine bubbles continue to rise through the glass. Overall, I won't do this again; too many similarly priced and easily available IPAs that make me go "wow". I'll do those instead.

 

 

 

Clear golden yellow brew with abundant foam in the wine glass. This new Pizza Port IPA is fruity as usual, but a little more austere. Moderate bitterness with a mineral note. Flavors of papaya with passion fruit, though interestingly bitter for the sweet fruity start. Totally drinkable if you take any pleasure in the bitter hop rush.

If you read the fine print you'll note the hops are listed as Sabro, HBC 586, Simcoe, and Crystal. It is just so refreshing to taste this kind of clean hop flavor. I just drain-poured an Alvarado Street murky concoction. Why would they make such a mess with so many expensive hops? This PP brew is from a San Diego store and was canned 01/04/21, welcome to the New Year.

Looks the part of a PP West Coast IPA.

Smell is floral, grassy and earthy. Underwhelmed.

Taste improves with added citrus, especially grapefruit. Finishes with plenty of bitterness and some lingering acidity.

Low-medium bodied with medium-high carbonation, lively on the tongue and prickly on the swallow.

Rare swing and a miss for PP vs. my palate and preferences. Won't bother repeating, will just opt to grab Swami instead next time.

Sooooo sooooo legit. Pizza Port is soooo sooo legit. Like the Dodgers spanking the Padres year in and year out, this one is a winner. Just beautiful like Astro cheater Justin Verlander’s wife. Mmmmm mmmmm!

Smash the can? I think I shall.