Solar Cycle Fresh Hop IPA
Ecliptic Brewing

Remember the can, just had this beer in Nov or Dec 2024. Can't remember any particulars about it though. May still have a can in my collection.

Look: Opaque and light to medium orange in the glass with a silky white head that settles to a lid and leaves great lacing behind

Aroma: Oranges, grapefruit flesh and rind, fresh hop cones, floral notes, light raspberry, fir needles, Cannabis, pine, Cara cara orange, and strawberry

Taste: Opens up with a hard-hitting shot of berry that includes raspberry, strawberry, and even some marionberry and these meld and unpack as floral notes follow suit. Fresh hop cones and citrus are the next chapter along with resinous conifer and dank that join forces with the berry and floral notes as it comes to a close

Mouthfeel: Full, lightly slick, medium-high carbonation, and lightly dry on the finish

Overall: This is some tasty stuff. A cool collab fresh hop beer with three breweries I respect was an easy buy for me and it paid off well. A lot of FH character throughout and a nice blend of citrus, berry, and dank and the berry presence in this was one of the boldest parts as opposed to their typical role as second fiddle in the flavor profile

 

awesome to find this one on tap, a collaboration with ruse and bale breaker, pretty heady. i was worried when i heard their brewery was closing but it seems like they have found a way to keep it coming, which rules. this is done with simcoe, centennial, and strata, and is up there with the better of the wet hop beers ive had this season, which is sadly coming to a rapid close. a slightly richer honey color to this, a frothy inch of lasting white head from the tap, lots of bubbles. the nose here is incredibly fresh, a little sweet and oily, in part from the grain but the hops carry a sort of concentrated richer thing, hints of mangy and sweet orange and lychee, some recognizable simcoe dankness and a bit of the coconut side of strata, less of the known centennial components to my nose, but nice balance, a tad more bitterness than a lot of the fresh hop stuff seems to have these days, and a clean neutral ferment, well refined beer at peak freshness for sure, very appealing. a bit tropical up front with a mango and dried apricot aspect from the hops, nice grain support less sweet than it smells, light pine and juniper as it warms, definite dank weedy elements, and great overall balance and flow, smooth and soft feeling, high carbonation, snappy bitterness on the swallow, the freshness is evident the entire time, and this has quite a bit of hop nuance and subtle complexity, mandarin orange and its juice later, really good. a total drinker of an ipa, built for the pint glass, and a fine companion to hot pizza! glad to see these guys keeping on despite the changes, always been a favorite of mine!

Poured from a 16 ounce can dated 9-16-24 into an IPA glass.

Look- Medium gold, mildly hazy, plentiful small visible particulate, white sudsy head, above average head retention and lacing.

Smell- Pine, grassy, strawberry, herbaceous, medium strength of scent.

Taste- Pine, strawberry, herbaceous, weak strength of flavor.

Feel- Between thin and medium body, average carbonation, moderately prickly, moderately bitter, mildly creamy.

Overall- Appearance was above average and feel was right at what I would consider average. The nose and flavor were not very vibrant and on the simple side. This beer provided me a below average drinking experience.

Clear amber brew with adequate foam in the snifter. Quite aromatic in the lemons and resins department. Sharp and moderately spritzy on the tongue. All I can think of is Citra hops. Some malty sweetness and quite sharp in the finish. Fairly bitter aftertaste with astringent notes. Overall it's a fresh-tasting hoppy brew that tends toward the stewed taste. Lots of aromatics, bitterness, and citrus. From the 16 oz can purchased at Bridge and Tunnel Bottleshop in Astoria. Dated 9/16/2024.

All the right hops.
Missed the mark as a “freshy” for me.
There are too many great fresh hop beers in the PNW to buy this again.

 

Beautiful pour, unfiltered with a finger of stick foam. Nose is primarily floral with a hint of pine and citrus. First sip is kdy, and here you get the benefit from the fresh hops with a dominate taste that's very clean and seems to have its own bubble of flavor which breaks open and can be enjoyed while it lasts.

Great flavors and terrific feel. Just 6.5% ABV