Jam #1: Manifest IPA
Community Beer Works

Picked up this growler from the CBW guys at the Bidwell Market...

A: Pours a nice cloudy orange/yellow with two full fingers of head. The foam takes awhile to settle, and leaves a rocky layer along the top of the beer. Some decent lacing as it drinks.

S: The nose is full of citrus and a touch of pine. I'm picking up tangerine, grapefruit, lemon, pine resin, and a slight herbal tea component. Smells great.

T: It starts out sweet with big hits of herbal tea and flowers. Some mild bitterness comes on in the middle (lemon, orange, pine) but it's never overpowering. It fades a bit in the finish, where the beer becomes a bit watery and thin.

M: Light bodied beer. It's light and sweet up front, bitter in the middle, and light to finish. There are some nice lingering hoppy bitters that stay on the palate for a good while.

O: This beer is pretty good. After tasting Frank, and knowing that they labeled it an APA, I am left a bit lacking by this IPA. I was suppose I was hoping for a huge hop bomb. The flavors a good, but it's a bit thin in the back end. I'm happy to have tried this beer and look forward to CBWs next experiment.

 

thanks merc for adding this beer

The beer pours a hazy amber with a thin white head that fades quickly to a halo around the glass's edges. The haze makes this IPA look syrupy and thick in comparison to frank...which is also sitting right next to it. It's nose is very sweet and the initial resiny hops become citrusy as the beer warms. The taste amplifies the citrus hoppiness and a semi-dry, bitter aftertaste lingers for about 30 seconds after drinking. The beer's mouthfeel is just as thick and syrupy as the beer's appearance.
This beer is quite balanced and well priced, but doesn't push the same boundaries as Frank.