Park Hopper
Smog City Brewing Co.

 

This one is hot dog good. I’m talking mustard on a hot dog good. Maybe even that organic seedy stuff too. One time I saw a friend put ketchup on a sausage. Can you believe that? Blew my mind more than anything Stephen Hawking could do to me. Park Hoper though? Let’s go.

Pours a slight hazed golden orange with a 1 finger head . Smell has a balance between malt and citrus . Taste has citrus ,melon papaya ,and berries M out feel is malty and some bitterness , more sweet than dry juicy hoppy , tasty.

Type: 16-oz. can
Reviewed as: New England IPA
Glass: Pure Project 14-oz. Teku glass
Price: $4.00
From: Trader Joe’s in La Mesa, Calif.
Purchased: Aug. 24, 2021
Consumed: Sept. 23, 2021
Misc.: Collaboration with Alvarado Street; Canned on Aug. 10, 2021

Rachel picked up a can of this for me. Smog City’s website calls it “Brewed in collaboration with Alvarado Street Brewery and Parks California. This is the second beer in our 1% For the Planet Community Impact Series, that highlights the great work that these non-profits do to support positive environmental impact. Our version of the beer is a 6.8% hazy dream. It’s packed with 6 different hops (yup, 6!). We started with Centennial & Idaho 7 in the kettle, then packed on the hop goodness with a dry hop of El Dorado, Vic Secret, Amarillo, & Sabro. The resulting beer is soft and pillowy, reminiscent of the ripest piece of honeydew you’ve ever had mixed with a not too sweet orange creamsicle.”

Poured a light golden hazy color with 2-to-3 fingers of frothy white head. Could see some bubble streams coming up along the sides of the glass. Excellent uneven foamy lacing. Excellent retention. (Sight - 4.50)

Something a little off for me in the smell, but it got better. Maybe the Vic Secret (because I don’t care for the hop)? El Dorado and Vic Secret stood out initially. Specifically melon, orange creamsicle, orange blossom, floral, grass, orange citrus, Amarillo, passion fruit, woody pine and leafy vegetable. Wasn’t getting much Sabro. Smelled a little better out of the can with the addition of pineapple and mango, and some earthy pilsner malt. (Smell - 3.75)

Tasted about as good as the nose. In order got El Dorado, Vic Secret, melon, orange creamsicle, orange blossom, floral, grass, orange citrus, Amarillo, passion fruit, woody pine, leafy vegetable and some lingering bitterness. (Taste - 3.75)

Medium body. Creamy texture. Average carbonation. Long finish. (Feel - 4.00)

Not as good as I hoped with Alvarado Street involved but still very good. (Overall - 3.75)

3.82 | 86 | B+

 

6/14/22 can date. Poured into a tall tulip 6/30. 1 finger white head, tight bubbles but short lived. not much lacing at all. Orange color. fairly opaque but no solids visible. citrus smell but not intense. Relatively complex flavor with citrus dominating but some other things going on in there that were not easily identified. Moderate bitterness for a NEIPA. Heavy side of medium body. very fine carbonation, but a fair amount of it in the mouthfeel /borderline prickly in the mouth. Not a very clean finish; for whatever reason (perhaps one of personal sensitivities to whatever is in the beer?) it sparked some serious secretions in my mouth.

Brewed with Alvarado Street, but this one has a different hop bill.

Canned on 8/17, consumed on 9/15. Poured from a tall boy into my Bruery tulip.

Murky jonquil body with two fingers of magnolia foam. Big bubbles, delicate lacing, adequate retention.

Tropical fruit, bubble gum, citrus and berries in the nose. A hint of vanilla cookies rounds out the aroma. Fresh and hop forward.

Juicy, faintly dank palate entry. Low bitterness, but zesty/herbaceous. Neutral malt and yeast. Medium dry finish, not lingering.

Creamy, light bodied mouthfeel with fleeting warmth and tannins.

A decent quaffable hazy IPA, with some nice tropical/berry notes, but the flavors don’t live up to the aroma.