Spud
Rhinegeist Brewery

 

Caught with their hand in the goodie sack of new and exploratory flavors, the giddy nature of Rhinegeist brewers reveals itself in this new hop variety. Using exclusively the "Idaho 7" variety, a uniquely flavored pale ale is right around the bend.

Casting a bright light golden sheen on the glass, its creamy froth builds to release a plethora of aromas. Shedding a delicate broken lace, the scent abounds with a toasted sweet and nutty scent that's laced with floral citrus, tropical and an almost smoky fruit scent. Rounding out into a graham cracker-type sweetness with caramel and light honey, mildly of shortbread the balance to hops nears completion.

And as its bready-sweet taste fades, the onslaught of radiant tangerine and red grapefruit align with more tropical flavors of mango and apricot for an almost marmalade-type fruitiness. Nearly smoky with earthen curry and cumin, the uniqueness and complexity of the hops begin. Bitterness dominates the late palate with acute peppercorn, blackcurrant and tea leaf with a long and persistent grip on the gullet.

Its light body and hop dryness is more indicative of a mildly mannered IPA than of the classic pale ale. With the malt falling out nearly completely, its the mild leafy astringency and peppery hop bite that lives on in a dry, refreshing an earthen taste of earl gray tea. An aftertaste that's herbal and leafy trends ribes-like with the next sip looming.