Psychopz IPL
Parallel 49 Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 17 of the Parallel 49/Central City advent calendar. 341ml bottle poured into tulip.

Pours a deep clear yellow with half a finger of sudsy head that leaves a thin ring of distant cliffside lace as it recedes.

Smells really nice. Bright juicy hops with lots of fresh pine and citrus rind. Grapefruit and orange. Light crispy pale malt backs it all up.

Tastes of more juicy citrus and pine needles, with the pale malt maintaining a comforting eye contact while the hops run the show.

Feels smooth and cheerful. Medium-light bodied with gentle carbonation. Finishes on the dry side, but balanced. Very refreshing.

Verdict: Highly recommended. Big hops, but mild bitterness and dangerous drinkability. Too bad this isn't a summer seasonal.

 

 

 

341ml bottle, day 17 of the 2015 Craft Crossing Calendar, a 'collaborative' effort once again between Parallel 49 and Central City brewing. One of my favourite under-the-radar styles, from a brewery that knows their way around the hops - giddee-up!

This beer pours a slightly hazy, medium golden yellow colour, with three fingers of puffy, loosely foamy, and well-bubbly dirty white head, which leaves some random splatters of paint daub lace around the glass as it quickly sinks away.

It smells of moderately dank and floral pine needles, muddled domestic citrus fruit rind, grainy pale malt, a bit of dry breakfast cereal, some stoney flintiness, and a further grassy and leafy hop bitterness. The taste is fairly fruity off the top, with the same citrus notes from the nose, but now joined by a touch of equally indistinct tropical esters, all alongside a decent grainy and crackery pale malt sweetness, and some consistently sassy and edgy piney, leafy, and floral green-ass hoppiness.

The bubbles are pretty laid-back in their gentle frothiness, the body an adequate middleweight, and generally smooth, the fruitiness going the long mile in helping out in that respect. It finishes off-dry, the malt and fruit still doing well to parry the lingering hoppy bitterness.

Just as promised, this is a well-made lager, given the West Coast IPA treatment - big and hoppy, sure, but in a pleasantly rounded manner. The hops don't just blast you with bitterness, they provide a balancing and enjoyable fruitiness. Worthy of making into one of your year-round offerings, guys!