Alpha Experiment: Eureka!
Country Boy Brewing

 

 

Country Boy's next stop through the single-hop series lands them at the enigma hop of the Eureka! varietal. Known as the "pine fruit" hop, expectations of grapefruit, currant and a big pine presence are all anticipated.

Within its golden amber glow, the softly hazed IPA casts a rich and frothy foam structure casts dry fruit aromatics hinging on citrus. White grapefruit, lemon,nectarine and green berries kick things off as the initial palate is soft and supple with thin caramel and light honey.

As the malts quickly dissolve on the tongue, the layers of hops unfold to bring about a tantalizing and tangy fruit flavor of grapefruit, lemon and honeydew. Though sharp with under-ripened berries and a lemon-lime zest, the ale trails with the herbal piquant character of lemon verbena, bay leaf and a dry resin bitterness of muddled spruce tips.

Somewhat winey and gin-like, a juniper berry flavor peaks through the citrus and supports the acute pine character. Its bitterness trends peppery and its body medium-dry while the taste crispens and the texture tightens for great refreshment, cleanliness and satisfaction and only a mild hop-derived astringency noted.