None of this Makes Sense
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

 

 

I am obviously missing something. This beer has the worst aftertaste. Like a half a second after the initial taste. Almost just can't drink it. Which is unheard of for me. This is the first 4 pack I've ever gotten from Costco. But obviously other people see something in it. Bleche!!!

Pours a dried apricot color with smallish head that left little lace. Nose has citrus and peach and is somewhat dank. Taste is maybe a bit lighter than expected from the nose, but has more grapefruit and is somewhat juicy, but also has a pithy taste that pushes it more bitter than anticipated. Overall, pretty solid beer and not way overpriced like may NEIPAs, but not top tier either.

 

Traded for this a while ago as the date on the bottom of the can had 2018 on it but the rest of it wasn't legible. Sure, this was an IPA but New England style? I'm failing to see that here as this didn't look, taste, or feel like one at all. It was drinkable but very plain and pedestrian to me and in a category as crowded as this, that just didn't cut the mustard with me...

This had a peach pour to it that was somewhat muddled with plenty of frothy head topping it off. Lots of peach, apricot, tropical fruit, and tangerine in the nose as the taste contained garlic, seltzer, and fructose, with the end result being an odd, somewhat artificial, and lively mouthfeel that never fully resonated with me. The slickness left behind and the flavors reminded me of soda but alas, this was a beer that didn't feel like anything from this neck of the woods.

There was enough booze here that I felt a bit of warming before I finished this out but that's where the similarities between this and other brews that I've had ended. This fell just a bit short of being a complete disappointment to me but alas, very little of this made sense in the end...

 

From the can, it pours a hazy amber with a nice head, slowly diminishing to a small head and leaving lacing. In the nose, it is citrusy with a touch of malt. In the mouth, it is citrusy as well, with a soft mouthfeel. Nice!

L: Pours a slightly off orange with a big pillowly, slowly fading head. The head leaves some nice lacing around the glass.
S: Hints of lemon and orange peel, lemon, and sweet malts.
T: Sweet fruit and hops with a large amount of malt flavor.
F: Medium-high carbonation with a nice smooth creamy mouthfeel.
O: Slightly better than average DIPA, that seems to be missing something on the nose and the taste.

L: Poured from a bottle to a snifter glass. Had an orange-ish color and a cloudy consistency. There was an inch or so of creamy, somewhat long-lasting head. Above average lacing.

S: A sweet, yet subtle aroma of hops, citrus fruit, tropical fruit, and malt.

T: Tasted of a small amount of malt (mainly in the finish), some tropical fruit (mango, in particular), a decent shot of hops (not overdone, though), and a good amount of citrus fruit (orange, specifically). This is one of those flavors that grows on you. It starts off a little soft and weak, but gradually the fruit flavors emerge. Light and sweet.

F: A fair amount of carbonation with a smooth finish. Medium-bodied.

O: In general, a solid DIPA. Worth a look.

I don't see a date on the can. The label I have lists this as a "NE-SYTLE DOUBLE IPA" and "ALC 7.5% BY VOL"

Appearance: The body is orange and opaque. It has an oversized, large, slightly off-white head. Good head retention.

Aroma: It smells of cabbage and garlic.

Taste: The beer is very grassy and it tastes like old mango and cabbage. At first it wasn't very appealing but later on some kiwi flavor came out and it was pretty nice. As a whole, however, it feels below average.

Mouthfeel: The body is smooth and it has a good texture. It feels pillowy on the palate which is nice. Bitterness is nonexistent.

Overall: The can states that this is an "NE-STYLE DOUBLE IPA" and while it feels like an attempt at the style it misses the mark. I wouldn't drink it again and it's not a beer I would recommend.