Zappa Brews Nelson IPA
Bayhawk Ales

Brewer claims to have made this with Nelson Sauvin hops. More of an oxidized smell than anything hoppy. It also has the inevitable medicinal bitterness of the Bayhawk products, only this one doesn’t seem to be spoiled. From the 22 oz bottle purchased at Elizabeth Station in Bellingham, Wash.

Clear dark amber color with a modest foam in the Stella Artois goblet. It doesn’t taste very strong, so I am a little dubious about the 8.5 ABV. Label also claims 103 IBUs. It’s a nasty sort of bitterness, but it just doesn’t seem to taste that hoppy, or even that bitter. Some plain malt flavor and a little sweetness to start. Some woodiness and a little canned peach flavor that is not so unpleasant. I am trying to think of something nice to say, but I would avoid this stuff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

22 oz bomber pours a clear dark gold color with a small white head. Not much for retention and lacing, and the color is too dark for an IPA.

Nose is a rancid combo of fusel alcohol, fruity yeast and toasty malt. Not much on the hop aroma. Yuk.

Taste is only slightly redeeming...with a tire-burnout bitterness, rampant alcohols and husky grains. Wow, this is almost as bad as my first Bayhawk experience - an infected Chocolate Porter (1.15/5). How is this brewery still in business??

Poured into a Dogfish Head pint glass. Pours a rich coppery amber with a fine two finger aged ivory head with great retention and lacing. Aroma of sweet toffee caramel malt and hints of citrus hops. Flavor is rich caramel malt with distinct Nelson Sauvin hop character, tropical fruit, tangerine and citrus. Finish is long, lingering rather stark hop bitterness. Medium bodied with some creaminess. An interesting IIPA that is heavy on a fine balance of flavorful malt and hop fruitiness. Surprisingly little herbal flavor from the hops (and almost none in the aroma), but the flavor characteristics are very nice. The flavor fall off in the finish, revealing the very high level of hopping in this beer. Except for the rather bare finish, an extremely well balanced and integrated IPA. A bottle from a shop far, far away, and although it was in a cooler, it's age and storage are unknown, so the aromatic portion of the hops may have mellowed. I'd like to try this again fresh to find out, but enjoyed this quite a bit as it is. I'm a little surprised this received so little love here.

 

 

 

 

 

Clear dark amber colored beer with a small off-white colored head. Quite dark it is a shade of reddish orange. You could call it either red or orange sort of borderline.

Smells sweet and hoppy with a citrus and tea aroma. Sandalwood and passion fruit aroma. Faint cinnamon.

Starts out quite neutral in taste with just a bit of wood and some of that passion fruit from the aroma. This beer has over 100 IBUs yet it isn't all that bitter at all. That or my taste buds are so warped from West coast IPAs that I can drink just about anything. Some warming in the stomach from the 8.5 ABV. slightly bittersweet this could be more complex.

Mouthfeel is OK.

Pretty much an average DIPA. Could be more complex but it is OK.