Unicorn Vs. All Internet Cats
Pipeworks Brewing Co.

Got a fun, new hazy IPA in my glass from Pipeworks, made in collaboration with a brewery I've never had anything by called 2nd Shift Brewing. The brewery seems a bit "lolrandom" in terms of humor, but I did laugh at their stated mission being "to craft beer that attack your senses like battle bots attack their own." That kinda did it for me for whatever reason. The kitschy humor comes across a lot better, however, in the art for this one which is set up like an intentionally-horribly-designed old website from the Internet boom era. Anyway, enough about that, let's get to the liquid inside!

Pours a super-hazy medium-orange kinda color with a few dense fingers of head that dissipate pretty quickly but do leave behind some nice lace and retain with about a half-finger of foam. Decent-enough legs here, too. Gotta say this one does look really chalky and dense, almost like it might be... healthy? I bet there's a decent shot of B-vitamins from the yeast, anyway.

This beer features Idaho 7 and Citra hops, which is a pretty fun little combination. Everyone is used to what Citra can do these days, of course, but I7 tends towards a grassy profile with a tropical backing element that I've found can take some getting used to, especially when combined with the possibility of herbal, stone fruit and even tannic/black tea-like elements when used at certain stages of the brewing and hopping process. The nose is definitely yeasty and features elements of apricot candy, tangerine, pineapple, and guava-like cattiness with a definite grassy undertone running throughout. I think it's a pretty nice balance that doesn't feel overly-punchy or intense, but which does definitely have some fun elements. I'm looking forward to seeing how it tastes!

Very grassy on the tongue, with a ripe apricot and tangerine flavor profile that dips its toes into darker stone fruit here and there as well. Slight crystal malt-like flavor for balance, with some florals coming out toward the finish. Interesting. Pretty sticky, not really "juicy" though, which I kind of expected. I really don't associate I7 with "juice bomb" IPAs... it's just too weird and unpredictable in my opinion. The Citra feels pretty dialed-back here, only really showing off some slight tangy citrus and more generic tropical elements. I'm not overly impressed by this one, unfortunately. Very hop-saturated but ultimately, nothing jumps out at me really. It's fine but feels a little bit bland somehow. Feel is chewy and dense, almost too much so. The can is better than the contents here, methinks. And, I mean... it's an amazing can, so that kinda went without saying.

 

 

16oz can. Poured out a slightly hazy, golden color with a small, white head of foam. It smelled of grasses, orange and grapefruit. It tasted sweet and citrusy with a toasted caramel finish.

Copper to orange to brown in color and murky in complexion. There’s a half inch of frothy off white on top. The aroma is of potatoes and grass. I taste green vegetables, potatoes, grass, and a touch of pine. The mouth is sticky and chewy.

 

16 oz can into wine goblet. No date.
Look is nice hazy yellow. Smell is apricots, melons and light tropical fruit. Taste follows nose with apricots and melon and a nice little bitterness at end. Fell is fairly light. Overall, a nice IPA. Not sure I would seek it out but would drink again.

Pours a slightly opaque orange color. Thin weak fizzy white head dissipates steadily leaving a ring of foam along the outside of the beer.

Aroma is pungent and bright - strong notes of bright fruit, fruit punch, melon and light grassy hop notes.

Taste follows the nose with notes of orange, melon, grass, caramel bread malt backbone. Lightly bitter, grassy hops on the finish. Touch of sweetness overall. A more classic IPA profile that is well executed.

Feel is light, smooth, with a very dry finish. Moderate carbonation.

Overall a very well crafted IPA. One of the few collaborations that really does deliver on expectations.

 

Tasted in a Spiegelau IPA glass from a one pint can on March 28, 2019. A collaboration with 2nd Shift Brewing Company.
Brewed with Idaho 7 and Citra hops.

 

 

 

 

 

Canned 3/19/19; drank 3/31/19 @ the Yarchives.

Opaque dark orange appearance.

A violent pour yielded a nice off-white head; a thick curtain of frothy tree-rung lace.

Honeydew melon & dry grass notes in the nose.

Medium mouthfeel.

Honeydew melon, dry grass & fresh earth flavors.

Way too earthy & dry for me; OK but not worth tracking down.