Got Nelson?
Thorn Brewing Company

Type: 16-oz. can
Reviewed as: American IPA
Glass: Melvin 14-oz. Spiegelau IPA glass
Price: $3.79
From: Windmill Farms in Del Cerro (San Diego), Calif.
Purchased: Aug. 7, 2021
Consumed: Aug. 20, 2021
Misc.: Canned on July 22, 2021

Snuck over to Windmill Farms for a lunch break from work, just to see if they had anything new since my last trip there. Came across this one from Thorn, which I’d had before. I gave a full pour a 4.00 on Untappd on Sept. 28, 2018 and wrote “I used to not like Nelson hops except for OG Nelson. Good to see the hop is good again. And Thorn is quietly killing it.” Full description online was “The Essential IPA Series showcases standout IPAs that represent the best of this West coast style. Got Nelson? IPA was the first beer brewed in our Essential series and is inspired by one of the most legendary San Diego IPAs.” Flavor Profile: Fruity and tropical, notes of white wine and gooseberries are front and center with a dry finish from the Nelson Sauvin hops.”

Poured a clear medium yellow color with three fingers of frothy off-white head. Could see a handful of bubble streams coming up from the bottom and sides of the glass at different speeds. Outstanding spotty lacing. Outstanding retention. (Sight - 4.25)

Smelled Nelson, white grape, papaya, pine, peppery spice, bitter orange peel, tangerine and hints of mango. Smelled almost as good from the can. (Smell - 4.00)

Taste wasn’t as quite as good as the nose. In order got Nelson, white grape, papaya, black pepper, pine, bitter orange peel, tangerine, grapefruit rind and hints of mango. (Taste - 4.00)

Medium body. Oily-to-creamy texture. Average carbonation. Long, bitter, spicy finish. (Feel - 4.25)

Not the biggest fan of West Coast Nelson IPAs (I prefer hazy Nelson IPAs), but this was outstanding. (Overall - 4.00)

4.04 | 90 | A-

On draft at the source - served in a Thorn St. shaker pint

Got Nelson? Truthfully...this could use some more Nelson!
Solid brew none the less. Pale amber body with some well conditioned clarity across. Off-white capper of frothy suds and a few splashes of sticky lace left clinging to my glass. Nelson as it presents with white wine grape, grapefruit zest, and a touch of dank floral and green berry. Has a bit of caramel malt sweetness to it with some fruity esters back there. Could use more Nelson.

 

Pours a slightly unfiltered orange gold with a finger of head that sticks around

Smells earthy, danky, fruit blossoms, nectarines

Juicy, sweet stone fruit. Has a sweet characteristic....almost like dried pineapple

Nice full body, enough malt to support the hops.

Really well done.

 

 

 

malty. blah-y. very UNexciting.... geez... DO something different!!!! this has lasted since 2014????

Pours a golden honey color with little lacing. Smell is Corn nuts, roasted pumpkin seeds, salty ocean brine with earthy hop notes. A nutty, brown ale smell. Taste is roasted corn nut, roasted IPA, tropical notes that are over powered by a brown ale makeup. Very drinkable and crisp. This beer is strange, it's marketed as an IPA but it's unlike any IPA I've had before. I'm not sure if this beer went bad or what but it taste like a brown IPA ale. I shared it with a few other people at the table and we all agreed it would be great with a stew in the fall, really not sure what I drank but it was honestly pretty good.

Appearance - Pours crystal clear golden color with thick white cap that settles to a thin layer. Spotty lacing around the glass.

Aroma - Great Nelson hop aroma pine, grapefruit, citrus peel so clean. Light lemon.

Taste - Taste is wonderful, crisp clean nice citrus peel and pine

Feel - Medium bodied light slightly dry finish.

Overall - Super solid single hop IPA

 

 

 

 

 

 

On cask at The Joint in OB San Diego, poured into a pint glass.

Clear, copper-tan appearance, the cask-pour produces a fluffy head that never fully recedes. Citrusy, peppery nose, with tropical nuances. Sweeter and balanced on the palate, with honey malts tamping down the hop-forward profile. Suggestions of candied grapefruit and lemon-pepper play well against a grassy astringency. A little booze at the finish helps close the sip quickly, with subtle bitter aspects lingering.

I'm told this was dry-hopped with simcoe and amarillo, and from the the citrusy-tropical profile it makes sense. Easily the best brew Thorn Street has conjured up. Ordering another.