Verdant Force
Crooked Run Fermentation

 

 

A: A pale cloudy yellow in color, with a large bright white head.

S: Herbal, leafy, dirty, with perhaps a touch of citrus.

T: Cloying malt, with lots of caramel. Hops are funky, earthy, and herbal. Some light tropical, but it feels overly sweet.

M: Medium thick, with moderate carbonation.

O: Overall I think this one is a bit of a miss for me. A bit overly cloying, almost tastes like it hasn't quite finished fermenting. Hops are mudled, and there is a lack of brightness in this. It seems like this is trying to be a IIPA, and a NEIPA, and wound up as neither.

 

 

 

From the bottom of the can: "CANNED ON 12/12/18 11:28:52"

Appearance: The body of the beer is a dark beige color that is completely opaque. It has a thick fluffy white head. For a standard Double IPA this is way to dark and opaque. It looks a lot like a New England IPA but it is on the border of being brown. It's not a very appealing looking beer.

Aroma: There is a bit of a buttery or toffee aroma mixed with a bit of alcohol and some green apples. This beer is all over the place and it doesn't smell like any kind of IPA.

Tate: It has a buttery taste up front with hints of toffee. There is a bit of a flowery character to the middle of the tongue and some alcohol. It is comprised of flavors that completely miss the style mark but don't necessarily taste bad.

Mouthfeel: It is smooth with low bitterness and good carbonation. As a New England IPA it works very well but it is wrong for a standard Double IPA.

Overall: It's a really strange beer. It tastes a bit like an Extra Special Bitter and a New England IPA had a love child and this popped out. It's a mess. The odd thing is that the beer doesn't really taste bad, it just doesn't deliver what you would want from a beer that touts "double india pale ale w/ citra & simcoe" from the label on the can. As a whole and disregarding any style guidelines the beer still doesn't deliver enough to warrant a recommendation. It's a beer with an identity crisis to its own detriment.

Pours a cloudy golden, not a great looking beer. It smells good though. Some tropical fruit, maybe some mango. Overall, it's a flavorful IPA with some nice pleasant tropical character, but it feels like it wants to be more, but it isn't. If that makes sense.

 

L: Had this beer on-tap at Growlers to Go - Short Pump, poured into a pint glass. Had an orange-yellow color and a super-cloudy consistency. There was a quarter inch of foamy head that lasted an average amount of time. Excellent lacing.

S: A decent, but not great aroma of hops, citrus fruit, tropical fruit, pine, and malt.

T: Tasted of a tiny bit of malt (mostly in the finish), some citrus fruit (orange, in particular), a hint of pine (not overly prevalent), a fair bit of hops, and some tropical fruit (mango). Not a bad flavor for the most part, but it feels slightly underpowered. Could've used a little boost, but it's still fruity, sweet and zesty.

F: A good amount of carbonation with a smooth, lively finish. Medium-bodied.

O: An uneven beer with some good qualities. Worth a look.

 

 

3.57/5: A savory and spicy IPA? Yeah, it works and works well - low bitterness helps immensely

 

 

 

 

 

Pours a golden orange, impossible to see through. Aroma-strawberry, pineapple, mango, hint of alcohol. Pretty juicy. Taste- piney, sappy, mango sorbet. Kind of minty and green. Mouthfeel is sudsy and almost soft. Overall- I'm entertained enough by this. But, not near as tasty as others in the style.