Head Full of Dynomite v.25: Citra, El Dorado, Nelson Sauvin
Fremont Brewing Company

Type: 16-oz. can
Reviewed as: New England IPA
Glass: North Park 16.5-oz. Munique glass
Price: $3.25
From: Trader Joe’s in La Mesa, Calif.
Purchased: Dec. 31, 2020
Consumed: Jan. 11, 2021
Misc.: Packaged on Dec. 12, 2020 at 10:13 a.m. PT

Had Rachel pick me up one of these. Had been wanting to try this because of the hop combo. Had one version of this before, giving v.9 (Sabro Cryo, Ekuanot and Amarillo) a 3.64 on March 8, 2019. Looks like that was my first time having Sabro, which has quickly become one of my favorites. This one was featuring Citra, El Dorado and Nelson Sauvin.

Poured a pale-to-medium hazy color with three fingers of white frothy head. Plenty of bubbles coming up along the sides of the glass. Excellent uneven foamy lacing. Excellent retention. (Sight - 4.50)

Smelled orange creamsicle, orange rind, melon, El Dorado, guava, mango, Citra, pineapple, red grapefruit and bubblegum. Much better out of the can. (Smell - 4.00)

Taste was not as good as the nose. In order got El Dorado, melon, orange blossom, bitter orange rind, guava, Citra, lesser Nelson, pineapple, bubblegum, citrus pulp, peach skin, mango and pine. (Taste - 3.50)

Medium body. Creamy texture. Average-to-lively carbonation. Long, dry finish. (Feel - 3.75)

Not as good as I hoped it would be. With that hop combo, I would have through it would have been better. Very good though. (Overall - 3.75)

3.76 | 85 | B+

16 oz. Can
PKG: 12/10/20

Poured into a Tree House glass a very nice cloudy pale yellow color, very nice carbonation, with a very nice thick/creamy one-finger plus off-white head, which also leaves some pretty nice sticky lacing behind. The nose is hoppy, malty, with a very nice citrus complex (orange, tangerine, grapefruit, pineapple, mango, peach, papaya, nectarine, apricot), pretty nice diesel like. The taste is very nice hoppy, malty, with a very nice citrus complex (orange, tangerine, grapefruit, pineapple, mango, peach, papaya, nectarine, apricot), pretty nice diesel like. Medium body, ABV hidden very nicely, with a nice little dry/bitter finish. Overall, this is a very tasty brew. Orange Julius! Addictive! MilkShake! Nice to see it around here.

scored this on tap, always get stoked up when i see one of these, especially in this format. such a great series, and the beat goes on here for sure, although this has some slight greenness and bite to it, like its either a tad too new still or that it was dry hopped just a little past the ideal point, but this is nit picking to be sure. hazy pale orange, a little denser than i like for session drinking, but lively headed and without visible particulate. it smells fresh, but im not sure i could pick out nelson, which at first is sort of a red flag, but i settle into more obvious citra and el dorado notes, perhaps the hops are listed in order of dosage, would make sense. there is curious middle palate bitterness in this, but by the finish its back to juice more than anything. obvious orange and lemongrass notes to this, a hint of raw coconut flesh, a little sticky weed, and perhaps a touch more malt than it needs, but there is some balance for what it is, so i will not be too critical. a hint of hop pellet burn as it warms, so it might not rank among the best in the series for me, but i appreciate such an assertive use of these varietals at the same time. as long as they keep making these, ill keep buying them, even if i wish for a little more classic nelson character out of this one...

 

16oz can from Hops & Bottles. Orange golden hazy body, thin ring of head. Slight funky aroma, tropical, melon. Light sweetness, fruity, soft, juicy. Crushable

A-light orange, burgeoning head
S-tropical fruits
T-mango, stonefruit. Above average sweet, below average bitter. Balanced and a bit more malty than prior HFoD's
M-Lite (+) mouth, fluffy and clean finish. Below average carbonation.
O-Good enough for a repeat, but not one of the better HFoD's

Poured from a 16 ounce can into an IPA glass.

Look- Sudsy white head, above average head retention and lacing, dark straw, hazy, visible particulate sediment.

Smell- Grassy, mango, guava, melon.

Taste- Earthy, herbal, slight melon, weak flavor.

Feel- Thin body, slightly below average carbonation, medium bitterness, astringent finish.

Overall- Awesome look and nice smell, but lacked bold flavor.

 

16oz canned 12/10 and poured into an IPA nonic.

A: Soft hazy pale orange, capped with a fluffy white head and decent lacing.

S: Not explosive but moderately juicy and tropical, the Citra seems the strongest of the three hops used with impressions of lemon/lime, mango, mild pink grapefruit/rind as well as stone fruit, with some light grassy/earthy qualities.

T: This is familiar and delicious, with that juicy and fresh hop quality that leans in on the lemon-lime citrus and light tangerine; the malt backbone is that same grainy and soft, pillowy malt base that I’ve come to know and appreciate over the last year.

MF: Lighter side of medium and crushable with mild hop bitterness.

O: One of the better variants of this one that I’ve tried in the last year; it is familiar, and though I always wish these would be a little more explosively hoppy, this one has nice juicy qualities.

Pours a hazy pale orange color with a thick head to top it off. The head has a moderate retention with minimal lacing. Aroma is a bit tropical with subtle notes of pineapple, mango, melon, wheaty malts and a hint of pine.

This version is a solid tasting beer, the flavor is more wheat forward with a mildly sweet and citrusy tropical fruitiness. Has a nice soft and juicy feel.

Medium body with a moderate bitterness and carbonation. This beer goes down very smooth and easily, has a soft and smooth mouthfeel. Another solid beer from Fremont, can never go wrong with a head full of dynomite.

 

 

2020-12-13
16oz can served in a big snifter. Packaged 12/10/20. Bought it yesterday at the brewery.

Pours a hazy whitish-orange with a big fluffy head that dissipates to a bunch of clumps on the surface of the beer and the side of the glass. Plenty of carbonation. Smell is a small amount of melon, and some orange pith, and some pineapple or papaya or both.

Taste is sweet, juicy, tropical fruit with a light hop resin bitterness on the finish. Taste is soft and welcoming. Neither oversweet nor sharply hoppy. Surprisingly balanced, though leaning toward the sweet side.

Mouthfeel is fluffy, light. Overall, really nice.