Luminosity
La Cumbre Brewing Co.

Type: 16-oz. can
Reviewed as: New England IPA
Glass: Monkish 16-oz. mug
Price: $11.99 for a 4-pack
From: Trader Joe’s (Uptown) in Albuquerque, N.M.
Purchased: Nov. 17, 2022
Consumed: Nov. 19, 2022
Misc.: Canned on Oct. 17, 2022 at 12:29 p.m. MT; Best by Jan. 15, 2023

Picked up three 4-packs of La Cumbre and a barrel-aged RIS on a recent work trip to Albuquerque, N.M. Hadn’t had this one yet. Untappd description was “Designed to be enjoyed under the luminescense of the moon as the days get shorter and shorter and the air gets a little more crisp. Strata, Citra, and Simcoe Hops.”

Poured a bright light golden hazy color with 2-to-3 fingers of frothy white head. Pretty calm underneath with no noticeable bubbles. Almost perfect spiderweb foamy lacing. Almost perfect foamy retention. (Sight - 4.75)

Smelled dank pine, Strata, grass, viney berry, Simcoe, papaya, floral, Citra, grapefruit peel, pineapple and mango rind. About as good from the can. (Smell - 4.00)

Taste was just a step down from the nose. In order got dank pine, Strata, grass, viney berry, Citra, spicy Simcoe, grapefruit peel, pineapple, papaya, mango rind and floral. (Taste - 3.75)

Medium body. Creamy texture. Average-to-lively carbonation. Astringent finish. (Feel - 4.25)

Liked this one overall. Glad I picked up a 4-pack. (Overall - 4.00)

3.97 | 89 | B+

 

Hadn't seen this before until I found it at my local Safeway in Payson, of all places. Very exciting because I think I've already had all the other IPAs in town. (Dirty Verde DIPA from THAT Brewery is the best, but this is also definitely top 5.)

Very aesthetically pleasing minimalist can art of a sunrise over a white mountain peak. Poured into an Odd 13 IPA glass, it produces a super hazy body like yellow peach nectar with a solid white head that lingers.

On the nose, I get notes of apricot, quince, pineapple, yellow peach, and underripe mango with a yellow apple and green pear finish. Super astringent aroma overall. Not even a hint of grain or malt.

Tastes like pussy, but fruitier. Also with a yeasty finish, which is actually not unwelcome here.

Great texture. super clean. Its kind of funny, this is so dry that it becomes a sipper in its own right.

I love it. Super unique. Very modern and innovative brew. The Vikings would be proud. Skål!

From notes

 

 

Appearance was typical for a hazy IPA....a very cloudy pale straw yellow with small white head. Nice retention and lacing. Nice aroma of pineapple, orange and peach. Taste was the same fruit as the nose....very nice. A light hop bite . Smooth mouthfeel with medium body and carbonation. A well made hazy IPA....enjoyed it,

 

 

Great looking hazy gold beer with healthy clingy head. Strong aromas of grapefruit, passion fruit, tangerine and orange peel. Smooth consistent flavors on the palate of melon with hints of grapefruit, lemon and orange. Surprisingly light feeling but has good body and long lasting back palate flavors.

 

Pours opaque gold, solid head that disappaites but laces nicely. Smell of tangerine and citrus. Very tasty beer, the taste follows nose, good level of bitterness throughout. The mouth feel isnt as creamy as it could be, but I really liked this one.

A hazy orange color, small white head with some spotty lace.
Aroma of citrus and tropical fruit.
Orange and pineapple taste.
Light mouthfeel. Tasty, fruity, not too hoppy.

 

16 oz. Can
Canned On: 09/10/20
Best Buy: 12/09/20

Poured into a Tree House glass a pretty nice clean/clear yellow/orange color, pretty nice carbonation, with a pretty nice thick/creamy one-finger off-white head, which also leaves some pretty nice sticky lacing behind. The nose is hoppy, malty, with a pretty nice citrus complex (orange, tangerine, mango, grapefruit, guava), nice little diesel like. The taste is pretty nice, hoppy, malty, with a pretty nice citrus complex (orange, tangerine, mango, grapefruit, guava), nice little diesel like. Medium body, ABV hidden very nicely, with a pretty nice dry/bitter finish. Overall, this is a pretty tasty brew. Orange Julius! Addictive! MilkShake!

L - like a juice bomb both in a Spiegelau IPA glass and a teku glass

S - Melon rind, subdued grapefrut, slight oats

T - Very light melon and grapefruit. There's a slight cereal grain at the end but I'm not sure if that's a feature of the beer.

F - Thick and creamy. Feels like a "hazy" or NEIPA.

O - A smooth hazy IPA. Nothing too special. Seems to be going for the mouthfeel of a typical NE IPA with the taste of a "smoother NE IPA." Still plenty of flavor. I swear there's another NE IPA style IPA that La Cumbre does that's better...
Also: if you're trying to decide between giving this a chance and going with Elevated IPA - go with Elevated. ;-)

L - a watery hazy IPA, not translucent, but not "thicc" either as the kids would say. Decent head, not much lacing.
S - Good dank, citric, piney aspects with some guava element moving in the background.
T - More of the same: Pineapple emerges on the palate, along with citrus, guava, and some weedy murkiness. Nothing too distinct. Strata, Citra, and Simcoe. The latter adds that slight weedy/pee note that isn't off-putting.
F - Good mouthfeel, a tweener weight for an IPA at 6.5% - tastes more like a heavy pale hazy, and needs a bit more density and certitude to live up to Cumbre's other. Not quite as balanced as Sun Fade in my view. Edit- 2nd and 3rd cans only 2 weeks out are a little flat. Weird.
O - Another nice hazy from Cumbre - just wish they'd slap the ABV of these beers back on the can. Anybody else notice this? They stopped putting the info on the can, and not sure why.