Small Batch - Gin IPA
Benson Brewery

On tap at brewery:
Pours a copper golden color. Head sits atop the beer in a thick foamy cap. Early lacing is nice.

Nose is an interesting floral bouquet, definitely influenced by the gin, seeming almost what I might think juniper "berries" smell like. A light lemongrass/coconut impression also comes across to me, but different than the typical Sorachi ace version of a similar impression.

Feel starts like a normal IPA, medium light, crisp, little cracker to biscuity malt. As the bitterness starts, the gin barrel notes step in and say, "Hold on!" If the gin dominated, I wouldn't rate this as highly as I am. But the gin seems to add that piney note classic NW hops tend to supply without the resiny feel. Yes there a gin-like component to it versus a woody pine, but it works for me. To nitpick, carbonation might be a little more than perfect, though the gin barrel seems to round out the rough edges nicely.

I expect to be higher than most on the ratings of this beer. But I truly enjoyed how the use of the barrel shone in his beer without tasting like malted gin water. The IPA itself might be slightly lost, but not by much.