Steep Coast Zappa
Oskar Blues Grill & Brew

 

Canned 07/02/19

This was disgusting. I donno if it's too old, but it had a very weird taste to it. Something I have never had before. Unfortunately that something was incredibly off putting. Reminded me of like chocolate/coffee but not at all at the same time. Wanted to pour it out to be honest it's that bad, but I wanna get buzzed at least. Oh well. Check out the Can-o-Bliss stuff. This was gross.

 

16oz can. Poured out a clear, golden orange color with a small, off-white head of foam. It smelled of orange, pineapple and toasted caramel. Sweet citrusy bite with toasted caramel and a piney bitterness.

 

 

First time i try Zappa. This cousin of Sabro is worth the trip.
Quite peppery, it shows orange, mango and piney notes. It's quite complex and has a nice pine needle bitterness.
For sure it tastes better than some hot rats.

 

16 oz can, canned 7/3/19. Pours murky dark orange gold with a small creamy white head that quickly goes to a thin film that leaves a little lacing.

The aroma is sweet fruity floral hops.

The flavor is sweet tangy tropical fruit with a little resiny hop finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation.

Overall, a nice big fruity DIPA.

 

 

The story is that Zappa is the hop, plus Sabro and Medusa, all three bred from the neomexicanus species native to the American West. Poured into the New Belgium snifter to keep it all Colorado, it's slightly hazy with plenty of suds and fizz.

Aromatics are "different," but flamboyant, the smell of cedar boughs plus peach and an odd funky business. Moderately sweet with a candy edge to the fruity and grassy flavors. Moderate bitterness. This is really an interesting DIPA, not murky at all but lively with the unusual slush of fruits and conifers. From the 16 oz can purchased at the reliable Elizabeth Station in Bellingham.

 

Can. New England IPA--hazy, but not grossly murky, with lasting head and lace. Tropical fruit tangerine aroma. Medium similar sweetness with a medium citrus and spice bitterness that doesn't necessarily wait for the finish line. Medium body, not too bready, with lively fine carbo. Very good for an NE IPA.

not sure what the story is with this series or with this beer specifically, but i am all about it. for one, the beer is awesome, but secondly, it seems like ages since any meaningful innovation or new products have come out of oskar blues, so this is a wonderful refresh to their lineup, even if its only one and done. sure its maybe not all that innovative, just another brewery getting on the haze train, but the beer is excellent, and its a needed new flavor from these guys, i thought it was great. a lighter than rust colored orange to this from the tap, and a tall and lasting white head, uniform haze but not real thick looking, not dull, and with a ton of carbonation visible. the hops smell somewhat unique to me, in that its not the obvious mosaic and citra complex everyone seems to be fashioning in these. instead i get some curious peachy notes, lemongrass, dried flowers of some kind, and even like a blueberry or something, not sweet at all, but interestingly fruity, and without so much of the usual citrus. the flavor lines up pretty well with the smell, perhaps a little less vibrant and distinct, but certainly equally appealing. the malt is minimal to me here, both in flavor and body, and its all quite dry, a little oily maybe from the hops, but there isnt much if any gran sugar left hanging around. the fermentation is real clean, the bitterness is real low, and the beer, overall, is real good. its peppy and fresh, drinks super easy for a hazy and for its strength, and represents some long overdue progression from oskar blues! yum.