Hoppy Wheat
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 ounce bottle into signature pint glass, bottled on 8/2/2016. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy pale golden yellow color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy white head with good retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of tangerine, lemon, melon, peach, pear, grapefruit, apple, citrus peel, light pepper/pine, wheat, cracker, bread, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of citrus/fruity/earthy hops and moderate pale malt notes; with solid strength. Taste of big tangerine, lemon, melon, peach, pear, grapefruit, apple, citrus peel, pepper, pine, wheat, cracker, bread, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Moderate pine/citrus rind/spicy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of tangerine, lemon, melon, peach, pear, grapefruit, apple, citrus rind, pepper, pine, wheat, cracker, bread, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/earthy hops and moderate pale malt flavors; with a nice malt/bitterness balance, and no astringent hop flavors after the finish. Moderate dryness from lingering bitterness, increasing through the glass. Medium carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth, moderately crisp/sticky/resinous/grainy, and lightly creamy balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Zero warming alcohol as expected of 6.2%. Overall this is a very nice wheat IPA. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/earthy hops and moderate pale malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, and refreshing to drink. Pretty unique hop flavors with more fruity/earthy/spicy notes over the citrus. A very enjoyable offering.

 

First had poured from 12-oz. bottle into Weizen glass. The Americanized wheat ale is becoming a favorite style. This one, however, has a bit more bite than typical, and is rightly designated as a "Hoppy Wheat (American) IPA."

 

This is an excellent wheat IPA, really hits on that dank/tropical combo that everyone loves these days. Lightly hazy, slightly thicker body than normal thx to all that wheat. If the nose is sweet tropical dankness, the palate is more fruity pungency with a good bitterness. I dunno why this isn't scored higher (probably because it's, gasp, bitter! God forbid an IPA be bitter!) - it's really an excellent brew.

 

Poured from a chilled 12 oz. bottle into a tulip glass.
Looks: Golden dark yellow, 1 finger of head, virtually no aeration.
Aroma: Orange, mango, ripe fruit.
Taste: Straight ahead hops, a bit of malt and barley in the background, some fading pine. No complexity in the hops, but very tasty.
Mouthfeel: Lingering hoppy bitterness.

Good one, but nothing to distinguish from other IPAs (although this one is wheat based).

Hoppy wheat pours a pale golden color with a tiny lacing head. Nice hoppy and floral aroma. Taste is sweet and creamy then your hit with earth and alot of bitter. Good feel. Overall it's a bit odd and the flavors are off.

A: slight haze; medium gold in color; 1+ finger white head that receded to a wispy cap; very nice lacing;

S: earthy, pine, tropical fruit;

T: orange from start to finish; mixes with pine in the middle; finish is moderately bitter;

M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation; lightly dry finish;

O: very nice;

Look: It pours golden with an off white head that has tinges of orange in it. It has quite a bit of lacing.

Smell: It has aromas of wheat, apricot, citrus, and some grapefruit.

Taste: It has a strong grapefruit and stone fruit flavor that is a cross between peach and apricot. There are also wheat flavors, grain, and citrus.

Feel: It has a moderate body and it is moderately-high on the bitterness.

Overall, this is an interesting combination of wheat and bittering hops that is balanced towards the hops.