Lizard King v. The Cryo
Pipeworks Brewing Co.
- From:
- Pipeworks Brewing Co.
- Illinois, United States
- Style:
- American Pale Ale
Ranked #217 - ABV:
- 6%
- Score:
- 90
Ranked #13,919 - Avg:
- 4.03 | pDev: 7.69%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 15
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jun 13, 2025
- Added:
- Oct 27, 2020
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
90
Outstanding
90
Outstanding
Brrrrr..... THE CRYO HAS STRUCK AGAIN! This cold-hearted foe is not only the enemy of the Unicorn, but also The Lizard King! The cool and collected Cryo and his army of cold-to-the-bone soliders have raised their icicle swords against the legendary Lizard King. Will the Lizard King win this battle or will he be iced out from a win?
We took our Lizard King recipe, but brewed this batch with Cryo Mosaic hops instead of Mosaic hops. Cryo hops are hops that have been cryogenically frozen immediately after harvest in a nitrogen-rich environment. This process preserves the hop oils and aromatics resulting in a pure and true-to-hop expression of the hop oils.
This beer takes on an incredible berry, melon, aroma with floral and rich earthy notes.
We took our Lizard King recipe, but brewed this batch with Cryo Mosaic hops instead of Mosaic hops. Cryo hops are hops that have been cryogenically frozen immediately after harvest in a nitrogen-rich environment. This process preserves the hop oils and aromatics resulting in a pure and true-to-hop expression of the hop oils.
This beer takes on an incredible berry, melon, aroma with floral and rich earthy notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by DraftMonger from Denmark
3.19/5 rDev -20.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.19/5 rDev -20.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Copenhagen 28/5 2023. 47,3 cl can from DrikBeer web-shop. Cartoonish drawing in cool shades of blue of the Lizard King and a ghoulish Cryo battling.
Pours unclear yellow with a mid-sized white head. Stable. Settles as thin, patchy layer of foam unable of covering the surface of the beer. Moderate lacing.
Aroma is moderately intense with a sweet odor of stone fruit mingling with a bit of citrus. Peach and pineapple. Citrus. A bit thin.
Light carbonation. Slightly thick, oily, soft, thin, lightly tingling texture.
Flavor is medium intense with a medium strong sweetness followed by a slightly stronger bitterness. Aftertaste is bitter and a tad watery. Lingers for a bit. Finish is semi-dry.
The most outstanding thing about the Lizard King is the pretty cool can.
May 31, 2025Pours unclear yellow with a mid-sized white head. Stable. Settles as thin, patchy layer of foam unable of covering the surface of the beer. Moderate lacing.
Aroma is moderately intense with a sweet odor of stone fruit mingling with a bit of citrus. Peach and pineapple. Citrus. A bit thin.
Light carbonation. Slightly thick, oily, soft, thin, lightly tingling texture.
Flavor is medium intense with a medium strong sweetness followed by a slightly stronger bitterness. Aftertaste is bitter and a tad watery. Lingers for a bit. Finish is semi-dry.
The most outstanding thing about the Lizard King is the pretty cool can.
Reviewed by PJRobertz from Illinois
4.04/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.04/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
16 oz. can pours a clear pale greeninsh yellow with small white head. As soon as you pour it, you can smell the dank hops. Aroma has lots of pineapple, some lemon, and melon. Tastes bitter with a light to medium body and lively carbonation. I'm glad to have found this one at a decent price.
Jan 08, 2025
Reviewed by mschrei from Illinois
4.31/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.31/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
I love PW, and this was my first new one of theirs in a while. I’m a big Lizard King fan. Slightly hazy gold, mild carb. dank, hoppy and piney. Taste is slightly piney and dank. Medium bodied, subtle booze. I like it, glad I tried it. Not good as the original, but good,
Nov 09, 2024
Reviewed by Qbert from Illinois
3.77/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.77/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A pretty solid beer but not as good as Lizard King. Same body, but both aroma and taste seem muted as compared to the OG Lizard King. I'll stick to the original.
Mar 08, 2024
Reviewed by russpowell from Arkansas
4.06/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.06/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours an effervescent & slightly hazed gold with a thumb+ of rocky pearl colored head. Good lacing & head retention
S: Tropical & citrus fruits
T: Oranges, papaya, mangoes & some breadyness up front. More orange & mango as this warms, a touch of peach & pine too, plus powdery dryness. Finishes with oranges, pineapple & dryness
MF: Medium body, slight carbonation, nice balance
Easy to drink, solid take on the style. I usually like, don't love use of these cryo hops, this is no exception
Feb 05, 2022S: Tropical & citrus fruits
T: Oranges, papaya, mangoes & some breadyness up front. More orange & mango as this warms, a touch of peach & pine too, plus powdery dryness. Finishes with oranges, pineapple & dryness
MF: Medium body, slight carbonation, nice balance
Easy to drink, solid take on the style. I usually like, don't love use of these cryo hops, this is no exception
Reviewed by Shiredave from New York
3.72/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.72/5 rDev -7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Blue on blue cartoon can art violence, no canning or best by date.
Bright, clear yellow with a brighter white head of tapioca foam. 1 inch head recedes to a thin film with smatters of lace cling.
The aroma is tame - hints of honey and grapefruit but not loud or bold.
The flavors are crisp and balanced and in no way unpleasant, but otherwise unremarkable. I will remark anyway, cuz that's why I'm here. Not much bad or good to say here - it's 'fine". Maybe a bit over carbonated and fizzy in the mouth but the flavors are good - reminds me a a Steehead Extra Pale Ale from a lifetime ago, just not as memorable.
Finish is clean and abrupt - mild, pilsner malt type pale ale flavors fall off a cliff mid swallow, leaving a faint dryness behind.
It's ok... yeah... it's fine.. I guess.
Sep 22, 2021Bright, clear yellow with a brighter white head of tapioca foam. 1 inch head recedes to a thin film with smatters of lace cling.
The aroma is tame - hints of honey and grapefruit but not loud or bold.
The flavors are crisp and balanced and in no way unpleasant, but otherwise unremarkable. I will remark anyway, cuz that's why I'm here. Not much bad or good to say here - it's 'fine". Maybe a bit over carbonated and fizzy in the mouth but the flavors are good - reminds me a a Steehead Extra Pale Ale from a lifetime ago, just not as memorable.
Finish is clean and abrupt - mild, pilsner malt type pale ale flavors fall off a cliff mid swallow, leaving a faint dryness behind.
It's ok... yeah... it's fine.. I guess.
Reviewed by michaelsmith11 from Illinois
4/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A very nice and hoppy pale ale but I like the original better. This one had a nice bitter and clear mosaic hops taste. It was pretty light, hoppy and flavorful.
Jun 07, 2021
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