The Velvet Underpants
Crux Fermentation Project

8/27/2020 rated originally. The aroma on this one is balanced with tropical and stone fruit and some malt notes. It is smooth and medium bodied and easy drinking.

 

 

Very hazy gold with three plus fingers of cream color head. Rings of lace appear as the levels drop.
Smell is pungent fruit orange some bread crust malts.
Taste is orange zest bready malts and finishes with a kiss of lemon.
Mouthfeel is medium light with good carbonation. Finish is lightly wet and balanced.
Overall a tasty hazy. Packaged. on 01/04/2021.

16oz can purchased at the Trader Joe's on Spokane's South Hill. My friend Jason is a TJ's employee and is very much musically simpatico with me, so when he pointed out the existence of a Crux beer honoring the Velvet Underground's Loaded album, he knew that I'd find a reason to take it home. Now, I'm not the biggest Crux fan, but I'm not one to automatically turn around and hate it. Apparently, it was brewed entirely with Mosaic hops. Canned on March 9, 2021, per the stamp on the bottom of the can, so, within reason, it can hold it's head up high when it comes to freshness. It's definitely not over the hill right now.

Poured into a tallboy can glass, this was a opaque tangerine color, with a generously sized, fluffy, off-white head. Lots of lace, perhaps the kind that you'd find on a corset.

Mildly sweet, fruity nose to this. Fruity, not juicy. I feel like that's an important distinction.

Mosaic hops are generally used in all sorts of ways. It's a fairly versatile hop. Here, it's a kind of generic fruitiness that sorta hints at stonefruit, but doesn't quite go to tropical. Mellowly fruity is how I guess I would describe the vibe. It's perhaps not as bright as some fruity hazies, but I wouldn't roll my eyes at it. On the back end is a slightly lemony, dry citrus flavor.

Medium bodied, with a slightly resiny mouthfeel. I wouldn't say the answer is to call it a palate dancer, but it was alright.

I'm not generally a big Crux fan, but, with this beer, I found a reason to keep them in mind in the future. Generally, in the past I've found their beers' descriptions sound great, but aren't as compelling as they sound. Nevertheless, I really liked this beer. Maybe it's the beginning of a new age for them.

 

 

Poured from a 16 ounce can into a IPA glass.

Look- Straw, hazy, frothy white head, above average head retention and lacing.

Smell- Mango, guava, peach, melon, lemon, pineapple.

Taste- Mango, guava, ripe melon, zesty.

Feel- Between thin and medium body, average carbonation, medium bitterness, slightly prickly.

Overall- Very tasty beer, bold flavor for just 6% ABV.

really impressive hazy ipa right here, crux continues to impress, their new ones have been great lately. this is quite hazy, pale straw colored and dense but without visible sediment from the pint can, a tall and airy white head rises up a couple of inches high and hangs on pretty well, all kinds of intricate lace as i drink it down, bubbly still too, a little heavy looking but it doesnt drink that way at all. it smells incredible, and if this is all mosaic, its a cool and uncommon side of them leading the way, none of the cat pee thing, none of the greenness that often accompanies a huge dry hop like this, its so pungent and fresh, so uniquely fruity, more stone fruit peachy character than i ever get from mosaic, fresh rather than the more common canned pineapple, and some melon, lemon zest, and tangerine too, really pretty dynamic for just one hop, especially such a well known one. all of this is there in the flavor too, crazy fruitiness for mosaic, and it stars early too, somewhat more intense than i am used to as well, maybe its the freshness, but maybe its cryo hops or something too, less vegetal matter, more of the good stuff, front of tongue, peachy again, lots of citrus, and slightly delicate, almost floral and springy even though its robust overall. simple, dry, cereal grain base is lighter than it looks with all the haze, and the fermentation is pretty clean. overall an exceptional beer, really unique for mosaic alone, and honestly even better than expectations, which is hard to do for crux because i always know their beers are going to be awesome. dont miss this one, its a gem!

Canned 7/31, poured into a pint-shaped glass.

A: Beautiful hazy gold with a fluffy & soapy white head and good lacing; looks like fruit juice.

S: Strong notes of pineapple, mango, papaya, peach, apricot, and orange. Very nice.

T: More tropical fruit bowl, berries, and the pineapple and stone fruit are bright; there is an underlying pine and grapefruit-y bitterness as well. Malt presence is really just that underlying pillowy base to push the hop flavors along.

MF: Light and drinkable, refreshing with low bitterness.

O: This beer rocks; I crushed 16 ounces WAY too fast. The tropical fruit and juicy flavors are right up my alley, and the lower 6% abv makes it even better.

Orange golden pour, hazy, small foamy head. Light grapefruit peel aroma. Taste offers subdued fruity, citrus flavors, bitter citrus peel which finishes dry.