Lil' Cutie
Sockeye Grill & Brewery

 

12oz can from Hops and Bottles. Dark orange/ amber body, small foamy head. Aroma is oranges, caramel and hops. Caramel continues in the taste , light tangerine presence, finishing with a tiny hoppy bite. Sweet, and I like the way it was still focused on some solid malts with only tangerine accents. Nice!

12oz can poured into a pint glass.

A: Chill-hazed gold body with ample effervescence. Small off-white head is fizzy and fades fairly quickly; minimal lace.

S: Hoppy orange zest and fruity esters; tangerine with hints of pineapple, grapefruit and other citrus fruits.

T: Follows the nose with notes of tangerine/orange/blood orange, citrus rind, hints of grapefruit and lemon/lime...there is an added component from the lactose here that I couldn't quite pull out of the nose...it is a faint vanilla smoothness that does add another layer of complexity to fairly run-of-the-mill citrus-flavored IPA.

MF: Smooth body with some creamy tones. Low bitterness.

O: A good tangerine IPA with a hint of that lactose additive. Worth trying.

a tangerine ipa and a solid brew overall, they had quite a few new ones on yesterday when we were over there. this is a little malty still, but has some nice bitterness to keep it drinking like an ipa. its not overly fruited, not too sweet or anything, and quite balanced, i think this works for all seasons, drinks pretty sturdy but easy, and is one of the better hoppy beers i have had from sockeye, which has never been their strong suit, at least in my opinion. a light amber color to this, soft toasted and honey baked character to the grain, but some bitter pithy orange along with the more juicy tangerine aspect, they go together well, and the little bit at the end i think is needed. its a little old school as a base, but is very fresh and balanced, and the tangerine is natural and nicely proportioned and paired with whatever hops they have used in here. kind of pale ale-esque, northwestern, some pine notes to the hops, trace vanilla late and as it warms too, enough carbonation, and an excellent companion to the hot chicken wings in here, which were among the best i have had around boise to date. tasty stuff here!