You Can't Handle the Juice
Heretic Brewing Company

 

 

16 oz can from Boise Co-op. Hazy, cloudy yellow, foamy head. Fruity aroma, citrus, peaches. Taste is super juicy, huge fruity notes capped with a healthy dose of grapefruit peel.

It's a nice pour to empty a pint can's contents into a clear glass liter mug. There's no ever expanding stark white foam to be found, even at room temperature. The brew is mildly cloudy golden amber, with a modest and enduring white head. Looks aside, this isn't one for the nose. There's neither much malt, nor hops to be found. So, the taste remains an enigma until it's actually through the lips. Now, can be told that there's almost a spiciness to the taste. Likely a combination of the hops and a reasonably high ABV. The hopping is moderately bitter and straightforward, abetted by the alcohol. The hops are piney, more than citrus-like or resinous. With a body that's a little too light and a little too sweet, this ultimately disappoints. It certainly falls short of the implied juicy character. Overall, it's at best an average tasting IPA that's more like an Imperial IPA than New England IPA. The alcohol bite is worsened by the lack of softening starches that just aren't there. But, neither is this a good West Coast style IPA, because the sharp hoppiness is missing. It's not a bad way to get a good dose of alcohol, but it can't be highly recommended.

tasty brew, no doubt about it. it has a nice bitter bite to it along with sweetness. lots of grapefruit & other citrus.

Had this in draft form. Pretty tasty double ipa. Lots of grapefruit but not super sweet definitely hits like a double.

Juicy juice. Good Hop notes. Just a little bitter. Makes the mouth water in a good way. Sneaky ABV makes for great quaffing. Washes down hot Buffalo Wings nicely. Yeah. I can handle the Juice.,.

 

 

 

16 oz can, with ugly devil face, dated 8/13/21 (oops) into Ghost Teku.
This one has been bothering me for awhile, I don't know why, I just needed to get it out of my fridge.

Juicy body indeed, a rarity for california. Deep blonde. Has a tall creamy cap of 2 fingers that recedes to 1.

Aroma reminds me of a Bearded Iris beer. Juicy grapefruit and sweet orange peel, with hints of cannabis, strawberry, and grass.

Looks like I might have opened this right on the brink of spoilage. It's not quite here fully, but I can tell in a week or two it would turn ugly. Grapefruit and orange peel, like the nose, open this one up, and instead of cannabis you get pine and wet grass. Pale and crystal malt peeking through a little bit in a way that was probably not originally intended. Hops eventually give way to this malt, indicating brink of fading. Despite all of this, has held up well for 2.5 months on a Total Wine dry shelf.

Feel is very very juicy, with acidity and bite, some light creaminess, and eventual dryness. Alcohol heat is at the back palate but only mildly.

Overall, I liked this one, and it has held up swimmingly, knowing full-well that it has been only stored at room temperature on a storeroom floor. It would be something I'd consider visiting again, maybe.

$3.99 / Total Wine

Fast, fruity and somewhat exotic, it takes a lot to handle a hazy, imperial IPA. But Heretic handles themselves quite well putting together such a beer. The question is, can you handle it?

Pouring a fairly light golden straw appearance, the milky You Can't Handle The Juice builds a light, airy and withstanding white froth while drawing the nose with a tropical, light, citrus and herbal perfume that's redolent with citronella and fresh brewed green tea. As the malts come to life, the early taste is softly sweet with vanilla cream, cereal and light bread.

Once the hops arrive, the middle palate has the sessions steering in a fruity direction with passionfruit, papaya, under ripened mango, guava and pawpaw. Citrusy with the greener variety of orange, grapefruit and lemon and the hop profile is of lighter fruits that trend moderately bitter with green tea, verbena, sassafras, fresh grass clippings and a brief drift of hemp.

Medium bodied, the beer's alcohol content is never evident as the beer finishes fruity and herbal with a light gin-like spice. A somewhat juicy, somewhat flat mouthfeel happens along the middle palate and is dangerously close with becoming watery. Its aftertaste is herbal with the more botanical aspects of citronella and tea once more.

A: tangerine in color, hazy, with a small white head.

S: pineapple, tropical, and stone fruits. Sorry juicy.

T: flavor follows. Lots of pineapple, and mango, apricot, and Mandarin.

M: medium body, plenty of bubbles, and a dry finish.

O: overall, I can handle the juice. The juice is good.

Good beer definitely get again

Canned on 01/14/2021, purchased sometime late in March, consumed 04/03/2021. So it has sat about 8 weeks out on the open shelves, spent a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. Let's see how this fares.
A - Yellow with a hint of orange, with plenty of floaties. Poured a good finger's width of head that receded into a thin ring that lasted the duration of the imbibing experience (~20 mins) with lacing on the sides. Good. 4.25
S - Grapefruit, a touch of papaya and melons (cantaloupe), mandarin orange, and perhaps a hint of fruit that I can't put my finger on - dragonfruit perhaps? Very inviting, especially for a beer pushing 10 weeks. I wonder what heavenly aromas it would have imparted on day 1. 4.5
T - Follows smell. Very juicy - mandarin orange on the forefront, peaches, melons, interestingly a hint of some tart berries that I did not get on the smell. Some grapefruit to wrap things up. Has noticeable malt sweetness - which is most welcome. Finishes a touch dry to invite another sip. Bravo Heretic. 4.5
F - Medium, with just enough carbonation to liven things up. 4.5
O - 4.5. This has been a magnificient effort from the folks at Heretic and they continue to amaze me with the quality of their IPAs, especially those emulating the NE IPA style. At 10 weeks out, this is a beer I would pick hands-down over a Alchemist Focal banger anytime. It seems so well put together that at almost 3 months out, this still drinks like a champ. I will keep an eye out for a fresher version of this...for science.