Dreamspeaker
Modern Times Beer

I've been fond of Modern Times' IPAs since we started getting them in my distribution footprint, so to see a new one canned only a few weeks ago at a decent price in my local store's fridge was a welcome find to be sure. A Citra/Motueka/Cascade hopped affair built on a base of 2-row, white wheat and flaked oats, Dreamspeaker is likely to be an exciting and satisfying brew. Let's hope I'm right with my prediction!

First off, this is a great looking brew. It has a nice, stable cap of foam measuring a few fingers upon first pour, which leaves behind rather thin yet consistently-tiered lace and has solid legs, to boot. The color is a deeper golden color than what I expected given the malt bill, but all the haze requisite for the NEIPA style is there without a doubt. The surface is covered in a light veneer of the same foam from the initial decanting, and each small subsequent pour into my glass produces a renewed, vigorous dollop of suds. Nice!

The nose leads off with bright citrus and lighter notes of ripe tropical fruit... I'm overwhelmed by dense grapefruit and orange pulp combined with the sweaty, almost-plasticy scend of passion fruit melded with papaya and mango flesh. There's a light dank earthiness going on here, as well, and I'm for some reason reminded of the berry-like notes Mosaic can provide despite there being no Mosaic here as far as I know. Lightly catty Citra and more mango/guava as I continue to pry into this one. Honestly smells a bit more like a bigger IPA than it actually is (7.2% is about a full percent lower than what it seems like it will be from this intense first experience!).

My first sips produce on my palate a numbing sensation brought on by the surprising bitterness and intense flavors from the oily hops on order in this one. Wow! This really douses the tongue in complex citrus and tropical fruit, as was expected from initially bringing my nose up to the glass. It has a pillowy malt body with, once again, a bit more heft than I expected. Not really a crisp or refreshing beer despite the Motueka doing some work lightening the oiliness with its light spice and lime zest character... it's definitely a medium-high strength IPA. Soft and supple with adequate but not overbearing carbonation. Clean and crisp finish with strong bitterness. That said, the zesty fruity flavors from the hops steal the show here, and, like most modern NEIPAs, this is pretty much just a vehicle for that element. As long as you're okay with that, this will satisfy you... perhaps immensely, even!

 

4-6-19

 

 

 

 

 

5 oz pour on tap. Appearance is a hazy yellow-orange. Aroma is pretty good with tropical and citrus fruit, but oddly the flavor is much more muted and bland. Kind of odd.

 

 

Had Dreamspeaker at Modern Times Point Loma, The Lomaland Fermentorium, San Diego, on draft into footless red wine glass.

Pours hazy tangerine with 1-finger near-white head, which quickly dissipates nearly away, but leaves nice sketchy lace. Somewhat dank, mildly piney aroma. Begins dank and piney, then a bit malty, and slightly sticky finish.

To my surprise, this is a better than passable hazy IPA (not NE as not particularly fruity) from California. Dank and piney.

 

 

I love this beer. Big and bodacious but soft and elegant at the same time. It’s a juice bomb but with enough hop pizzazz and bite to satiate my west coast palette. And the soft, pillowy mouthfeel. Strangely amazing. Amaze balls.

That’s all I’m going to say about one of my favorites.