Vortex IPA
Fort George Brewery + Public House

L - clear golden malt west coast goodness here. Solid head, decent spotted lacing as it descends. MORE.
S - maybe my least favorite aspect of this outstanding beer; a weird almost Chanel perfume like aspect to this beer (what hop does this?) but otherwise, pine, malt, sea coast forest scents dominate. Reminds me of an old CCC hop blend beer, other than that perfume.
T - Fantastic - like the PNW version of Cumbre's Elevated - a beer that can be a flagship WCIPA at any great brewery. I'd make the trip to Astoria just for this beer. In fact, I intend to.
F - Great balance, mouthfeel, CO2 use, all deft - nothing out of sorts here. Could it feel richer/bitter, sure... but this is also 7.2% in this 2023 iteration, not the stated 7.7 on the beer listing.
O - One of the best PNW style beers I've had in a while, just hits my lane.

 

16 ounce can purchased at Pilgrim's Market in Couer d'Alene, ID. Can listed at 7.2% ABV.
Pours a just short of clear golden with a couple of fingers of foamy , bubbly white head.
Nose hits with tropical fruit - mango, pineapple but also notes of peach, piney resin, and especially as warmed over ripe citrus and a dank weediness.
Tastes of sweet cereal malt - less fruity than nose - some ripe pineapple, grapefruit and again as warmed peach; piney and resinous with a leafy/weedy green bitterness at the back.
Medium mouthfeel with active carbonation and a lingering green bittersweetness.

 

 

not sure how it took me this long to review this classic and now iconic house ipa from these guys, but having it fresh from the source was a pretty righteous experience. so many ipa types are quintessential to the northwest, and many can rightly stake a claim as central to the beer fabric of this region, but this one is absolutely on that list for me, timeless rather than old school, not malty in the sense that many are, and with such a robust hop profile that brings the best of the heavy dry hop and the full kettle schedule together, really compelling hops to this, in part because its not unique just better than so many others, and in part because of being so assertive but not sacrificing drinkability as a result, just dynamite! obviously freshness is key, so catching it at the brewery was amazing. just a bit of color to it and awesome clarity, shiny brassy with an airy white head an inch tall and permanent, the nose here is simcoe driven, zested grapefruit and pith, green pinecone, forest floor, and the kind of weed that makes your whole car smell, really pungent and fresh, balanced but nothing more from the malt, and with a super quick and tidy ferment, highly refined, masterful even. oily on the palate on the first sip, the hops impact the texture as much as the flavor for me, which is what i want in these west coast types, juniper and spruce and sticky buds, orange candy and light pineapple, wet lawn, spicy hop bite, and pink grapefruit, perfect mix of fruity and botanical, and packed with bitterness to the extent that it stays with me awhile. the beer though is still kind of light for its strength, has a nice little honey note for balance and finishes fast. gorgeous recipe and execution, not to be overlooked among all the more trendy ipa brews these guys do, this is so fire!

 

 

 

Nice semi cloudy golden pour, initial pour yields a nice white head. Settles slowly and leave some nice lacing.

The aroma on this beer is a pleasant combination of earthy, dank, pine, and some orange sweetness.

Flavor is a similar combination and has a nice heavy earthy dankness that lingers well after the sip. It slowly builds and the flavor becomes more intense after the sip. Sappy, malty grapefruit like finish.

Medium body, great high bitterness that leans the tongue tingling, the dryness of the beer accentuates this for me.

If you like classic ipas you’ll love this one. I love the how the hops just linger and linger in the aftertaste.

 

 

A fine every day type. Cloudy unfiltered yellow copper hue. Resin, caramel, grapefruit. A very straightforward WCIPA profile. Balanced with a nice citrus sweetness. Medium bodied, good carbonation. Very solid

Can:

C+ / ABOVE AVERAGE

Pint can dated 08/30/2021 "twisted sista" and served in a bulb glass. Pale golden and lightly hazed on account of being an unfiltered IPA. Nice oldschool floral hop aroma. Flavor has alpha presence on the palate and, in a supporting role only, tropical juicy fruit. Pineapple and guava. Considering the ABV is venturing into DIPA territory this is extremely drinkable and flavorful. There's enough residual sugar, but no detectable sweetness. Fine carbonation. Fort George really are masters and this is an excellent execution of a strong American IPA.

A subsequent can earns bonus points for aroma on account of a great, green fresh hop aroma, like hop cone dust on the brewery floor.

 

Currently my favorite beer on the planet. I regularly drank this first in my favorite Cannon Beach, OR restaurant. GREAT. I am having one right now. I only drink IPA these days and this is the best I have had. I try a whole lot of IPAs. Just tastes great. Period. Looks good and tastes good. Not a real connoisseur as far as fancy ratings but this is the best I have had to this date (and I have had multiples of different IPAs).

 

Look: Slightly cloudy light orange with a dense and billowing white head that pillows up at 1 finger and slowly settles, leaving sticky lacing clinging to the glass
Aroma: Cara Cara orange, grapefruit, blueberries, powder sugar-coated strawberries, Cannabis, pine sap, fir needles, and Hawaiian bread
Taste: Orange-led citrus fruits and berries pour it on strong on the initial sip and as those flavors peak, conifers, Cannabis, and bread start filtering in. These continue to hold strong until the citrus, berries, and sweet bready malt return to lead to the finish
Mouthfeel: Full, light slickness, medium-high carbonation, and a noticeable bite and medium strength dryness on the finish
Overall: This is tasty stuff. I don’t buy this near as much as I should as I dig the hop profile’s aroma/flavor and balance in this delicious WCIPA. My only detractor is the high ABV (7.7%) but another one of mt favorite IPAs is in the same range and like this one, it doesn’t show up much except in how it hits you. Recommended