pFriem + Westbound & Down
pFriem Family Brewers

 

predictably delicious from these two, no surprise this is ultra modern, light on the grain side, hopped with new school stuff to max fruit intensity but very low bitterness overall, highly refined, fresh as can be, all the boxes i expected to be checked from this were easily checked, its wonderful beer, but, it also sort of doesnt really feel like it has a soul, it feels a bit formulaic, a bit like i already knew what it was going to be before i sipped it, these two have certainly been quality leaders in this style space for some time, but i thought collectively they might push a little further into new territory, this is decidedly a known entity, not a critique, but i wanted this to take me someplace exotic, and as good as it most definitely is, it doesnt do that. blonde and light on the grain side, honey colored at the most and quite clear. gorgeous white head on this too, over an inch easy from the tap, airy and lasting, good looking draft. hops in this are mosaic, nectaron and krush, a lovely combination, and we get more or less the best of each of them, heavy stone fruit, pineapple and catty and dank, red berry and lemongrass, highly aromatic and pungent in taste without being overdone or harsh in any way, early and sustained climax in both aroma and flavor too, yet somewhat quick drinking overall with low bitterness and a citrus forward recall on the palate, light and pure overall, very flavorful. no doubt this is great ipa, right on current trends and clean despite some of that catty mosaic linger, i like the weedy character, the hop oiliness, and the simplicity on the grain side, its exceptional, lighter bodied, repeatable. it is also, however, not changing my life, the way i kind of thought it would from these two, and ive liked beers ive had from both of them separately even better than this joint effort in the ipa space, which in no way is to diminish this, just that maybe some experimental hops or hop products or some weird process or just something else to drive interest would have been appreciated, even expected, but its cool this exists anyway, and its awesome. nectaron might be the lead hop to my senses, and its delicious! very summery vibes to this one, well timed release.

Pale yet clear gold pour, darker gold in the glass; minimal carbonation yet a dense, thick, white head, long-lasting; fat, lasting rings and dense webs of foam cling to the glass. Dank and spicy herbal nose; weedy; a bit of fennel and thyme. Mild malt backbone well-balanced hop bitterness blended with a peppery hop flavor. Medium body; soft and velvety with a slight touch of gritty, dry bite to the palate.

A collaboration gone good! Yes, this west coast India pale ale strikes me as a wonderful example of the west coast style.

ABV: 7.0%; pouring temperature: 51.2 °F; canning info: PKG 03/06/26
Source: pFriem Artisan Club (via Tavour)

Thanks from - The Bricenator – for this brew. This brews flavors are mix of mild green apple, unripe pear, and tangerine joined to make a great beer. The label- made with the collaboration of - is hard to spot especially as the cans black look can make it looks like the regular IPA, but look for it as it is a really excellent beer.