Nuclear Nugget - Grapefruit
Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery

Poured a copper body with one-finger head and lace ring around glass. The aroma is dominated by grapefruit and something akin to tangerine but I also pick up a bit of citric hops. Sharp, cutting beer that is balanced with an almost sticky grapefruit sweetness and ends up being a medium to heavy-bodied beer that is a little more sweet than hoppy (the hops are not masked at all).

The beer pours a nice creamy head that dissipates quickly but still leaves quite a bit of head on the surface. The beer itself looks the same as the regular Nuclear Nugget; it has a clear dark amber color that sometimes resembles a brown color in the right light.

The smell is good. It has a moderate grapefruit smell that overwhelms the other notes. The hop notes are resin but mixes with the grapefruit to the point where it's hard to detect it. However, the caramel malt note comes pretty well and contrasts enough with the grapefruit that it's definitely nice.

The taste is very good. The taste has the same notes as the smell but that the resin flavored hop notes come out more and make the taste a bit more diverse. The grapefruit note is good and doesn't taste too fake but not completely natural either. The caramel malts come out well and balance the bitterness from the grapefruit and hop notes.

The feel is good. It's the same as the regular NN with a smooth and heft heavy body with some carbonation that gives it a lighter feel.

Overall, this variant is much better than the pineapple one and worth getting. The grapefruit note adds something to the original Nuclear Nugget note to the point where it's worth cost. Go for it if you see it.

 

Poured from a 750 into a shaker pint, the beer is a slightly hazed, deep, dark, caramel-copper coloring with a thin, wispy, white head. Aromas of tart grapefruit, heavy resinous and sticky pine notes, raw honey sweet, heavily roasted caramel, dried grass and pepper spice, and some tropical fruit highlights. Flavors of grapefruit tart and sweet hammer your tastebuds immediately, followed almost as fast by a flow of rich, sweet, raw honey. What a dynamic that somehow finds balance on your palate. This really is a tug of war between the tart and rich sweetness. Dried grass, herbal notes, and dank hops resin accent and highlight nicely throughout. The beer is big and full on the tongue, with a smooth, slightly cloying, and lingering finish. Solid aftertaste of grapefruit, honey, and roasted characteristics. This is a beastly beer.