Ascent
Mother Earth Brew Co.

 

 

This is a classic juniper/pine forward West Coast style dank IPA.

Love the can art with the Joshua Trees and the Redwoods in the background. Very interesting combination of elements of California flora, but it works well with the sillouhuete of a girl rock climbing with a 4-pack hanging from her harness--thematic. The pour reveals a luminous, almost glowing clear golden body with a thin film of eggshell white head--lovely.

Aromas are all coniferous resins, rosemary and juniper and desert sage. I feel like they might have used California hops for this, because I'm definitely getting a California teruoir with hints of lime, blood orange and red grapefruit zest. A bit of a candied pineapple and a caramelly malt presence linger on the finish.

I have to disclose that this was canned 01/28/2025. It seems it was well-refrigerated most of that time, as it still tasted fairly decent for an almost 7-month-old IPA.

I hope to find this fresher, and I am giving it a bit of extra points in the taste category considering its age and the style category.

The mouthfeel is very dry and a tad clingy in an astringent way. Could stand to be more crisp. But again, think this could be a freshness problem.

Regardless, it is still overall very good.

84 B

new packaged ipa from these guys, been awhile since they dropped something new and full time, but a few this year, so good for them, love the innovation! more of a west coast type here, they left it kind of maltier than its color would suggest and sweet bit also it packs some bitterness, fine balance i guess, but it drinks a tad heavier than anticipated, a little more old school too i guess, even though its only honey colored, pretty clear overall, and just short white headed from the tap at their downtown spot. aroma of pineapple and pine, relatively familiar, juniper and mountain sage herbal character as it warms, cereal malt with some almost confectionary sweetness, simple really, fresh, enough minerality to almost come across a little metallic as it warms. the flavor is similar, pretty early onset hop bitterness, light peach or apricot, maybe dehydrated, long on the palate, fruity. pine too though, light gin, carried by generic grain sweetness, some almost chardonnay character at the end, just a tickle of alcohol to it, good enough carbonation, and on the whole pretty pleasant, although for one less drinkable than i thought it would be and also a little generic for a brewery i know to be capable of unique hoppy greatness courtesy of the project x series, which has been stellar. this is good, but it isnt epic. a curious addition to their lineup, less exotic and exciting than their best hoppy stuff for sure, but fresh and fully serviceable...