3-Way IPA - (2022, West Coast)
Fort George Brewery + Public House

 

Look: Bright yellow and lightly opaque with a frothy white head that billows up and pulls back to a ½ finger lid with good retention. Slowly recedes to reveal great lacing left behind
Aroma: I could smell it on the pour. Grapefruit, Cara cara orange, peach, strawberries, pine, sweet rose, Cannabis, table grapes, melon, gooseberries, raspberries, and some bready malt
Taste: Starts off with a huge grape and peach hit that holds the spotlight for a moment before a barrage of citrus fruits follow. Dank and pine appear throughout and the malt tries to keep up but gladly fails to contain the hops. Closes with juicy melon and a mixed berry presence, along with a nice hop bite
Mouthfeel: Full, a little slick, medium-high carbonation, and light but felt dryness on the finish
Overall: This is some tasty stuff. I won’t be the first nor the last to say, “Thank you Fort George and about time” to the return of a 3-Way WCIPA and an awesome and delicious one at that. A WCIPa through and through but very new-school and unique in flavor with the citrus/melon/dank/grape/berries combo. I’ll be drinking plenty of this and of course, recommend it too

 

 

 

ive heard this called boring compared to past releases, but i disagree, is it slightly more conventional or even traditional? sure, but its also awesome, fresh as heck right now, bold in the right ways, fruit punchy hop intensity that suggests a heck of a dry hopping, its also only moderately bitter, but its super clean too, and exceptionally well done overall, neat with ravenna and alvarado street in the mix too. sometimes beer doesnt have to be absurdly unique if its brilliantly executed, and thats where this one falls, but it certainly isnt boring. rather clear with a golden glow and a nice inch of white head from the tap, pretty light visually really. the nose and taste are crazy fresh, with orange, pineapple, mango, and honey aromatics, more peachy apricoty in the taste, with some waxy resinous character, some pine and some grapefruit as it warms, id love to know what the hips are. its cool that the bitterness isnt all at the end, it starts earlier, never really intensifying at all, but being present the whole way. the fruitiness of the hops evolves a little as this warms, and i like the slightly oily texture this has from the hops, very light grain body so this seems to give it some of its structure. excellent carbonation, impeccably clean ferment which is key for this to really pop. its almost refreshing to me, which is relatively rare for ipa, and its light while also being big on flavor. i think they did a great job with this, not really a throwback but a timeless take on the style. i look forward to this series each year and was not at all disappointed here. pumped to try the hazy one they did too!

16oz can from Craft Brewers. Lightly cloudy golden pour, thin foamy white head. Aroma is malty with a light hop presence, kind of plain. Taste is grainy, biscuity with a dry hoppiness, faint citrusy notes. Underwhelming.

 

Another West Coast IPA from Ft George, this pours with a soft cloudiness and ample carbonation streaming through a dull golden body. Crisp, floral, bright, with moderate bitterness. Pine, resin, grapefruit, melon, malt - excellent balance.

 

 

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a medium golden amber with a somewhat fizzy, but long lasting two finger white head. Aroma of caramel malt, citrus, tropical fruit and piney hops, grapefruit, lemon, mild mixed fruit and a touch of pine. Flavor is pale malt, piney and citrus hops, grapefruit, lemon, green melon and pine needles. Fine, lingering piney finish. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. A well brewed West Coast IPA with a fairly classic citrus and piney hop bill, leaning a bit more to pine, especially in the finish. The malt is crisp and drier than I expected from the aroma with none of its caramel character, nor the tropical fruit I thought I smelled. Not matter, this is well balanced and flavorful with great bitterness. This has always been a must try annual collaboration, even when hazies were chosen, so really glad to see this years more traditional choice. Nicely done.

 

 

Poured from a 16 ounce can into a tulip glass.

Look- Pale gold, clear with a very slight haze, white sudsy head, average head retention, below average lacing.

Smell- Grapefruit, pine resin, clementine, peach.

Taste- Grapefruit, pine resin, peach, slight clementine.

Feel- Medium body, between moderate and high bitterness, average carbonation, moderately prickly, clean finish, mild astringency, mildly dry finish.

Overall- Citrusy and piney West Coast IPA with nice balance and great feel.

Can from TJs.

A clear light orange with a dense, white head with good retention and lacing. The nose is great! Modern west coast IPA with mango, peach and ripe tangerine to go with pine and citrus bitterness and pungent notes. Mild base malt notes present underneath. The palate opens bitter and mildly pungent, with pine, melon, peach and mango. Moderately bitter, moderately fruity. Clean, bitter finish with pine and peach lingering. Medium-light in body and moderately carbonated, working well with the hop flavors. Quite excellent.

Light and heady, tight bubbles, lacing for days.
sweet and pine on the nose, fruity and creeping bitterness. Easy drinking moderate IBUs. Good buy.

 

2022-05-28
16oz pour on tap at Chuck's Hop Shop in the Central District. Served in a little jar-shaped glass with a handle.

Pours clear dark cold, with a creamy 1 to 1.5 finger head, medium active carbonation. Smell is pine, citrus, totally west coast IPA profile.

Taste is more malty than I expected, light breadiness, though still dominated by citrus and pine. Slow building bitterness.

Mouthfeel is light and super dry. Overall, very nice beer.