Hobneelch’n Hoppy Wheat Ale
Anderson Valley Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poured into a Lagunitas large mouth glass.

Look: Semi-clear sunburnt golden body with nice rising bubbles feed a soapy white head that never leaves. Soapy, foamy white bands of lacing remain on the glass.

Aroma: A biscuity malt aroma leads into subtle orange peel and white pepper.

Taste: Starts off with malty wheat and notions of crackers with a heavy introduction of lemon and orange citrus and clean pine notes. Finishes hoppy but not bitter.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, slightly creamy yet dry.

Overall: A beer I could drink all day, refreshing and clean tasting with flavor that doesn't kill the palate.

 

Pours a cloudy yellow color with a big head when put into a large tulip glass. Looks like a wheat beer. Smell is a bit off. Plastic like. Not a big fan of the smell. Taste is like a wheat mixed with a west coast IPA. Not the best mix - but it is not horrible. Hops are present, the wheat is present the taste is very good, closer to good than outstanding. What pushes it over is that the complexity is there - Some honey taste, some wheat, hoppy notes consistent with west coast varieties. Getting a touch of smoke at the finish. Carbonation is very good. Mouthfeel is great. Overall this is a very good beer.

Pours a hazy orange-yellow with a foamy bone head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. A foamy lattice of lace coats the glass on the drink down. Smell is of citrus fruit, citrus zest, floral, pine needle, and earthy hop aromas. Taste is much the same with citrus zest, grapefruit juice, floral, earth, and pine needle flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer with a nice mix of different hop qualities all around.

Serving type: bottle.

 

Appearance - Pours hazy and golden yellow in color with a white, near two-finger width head. Good retention, then peels back to a thin, broken layer of surface suds. Good lacing, with a mix of broken webbing and spots found around the glass.

Smell - Grainy and slightly skunky, with lesser citrus, spice and pine hop aroma.

Taste - Follows the nose. Some wheat, grain and a bit of skunk at first, then hops come into play with moderate citrus pith, spice and bit of pine that rides out into the finish. Fairly balanced overall, with a tasty bittersweet finish that lingers with lemony zing and a sweetness that almost delves into caramel territory.

Mouthfeel - Light to medium in body with fair carbonation. Slick texture provides an easy drinking experience with a finish that's mostly dry.

Overall - Pretty good beer. I have a feeling it's past its prime, but the bottling code is cryptic and I don't feel like I should have to decipher it to know the age of a beer. Regardless, it's drinking well now.