Double Dry Hopped Hop Monsoon (w/ Citra)
Other Half Brewing - Center Street

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tasted in a plastic cup from draft at Phase Three Brewing on September 3, 2021.

 

 

Picked this up two weeks ago at Other Half as I eagerly anticipated this beer. The DDH Hop Monsoon w/ Nelson was excellent and this was on par with it as it was a hidden gem from these guys, if such a beer exists! There was so much to like about this and with the alcohol about as recessed as could be, this was a clear winner that easily deserved another go-around!

No surprise that this poured like orange juice as it had a similar hue, was plenty hazy, and topped off by a full and fluffy head that evenly and quietly settled down. Gorgeous lacing was left behind starting with a thick ring right along the top of my pint glass with plenty of soapy, splotchy hints of rings below that as it covered nearly as much area as it left behind. Loads of earthy Citra, spicy onions, turbid tropical fruit, and boozy stickiness in the nose as the Ahtanum emerged a bit more in the taste. Deep mango, orange pith, and grapefruit rind really came through as this warmed up with a lovely deep and dank pine sticking around for the aftertaste. Amazingly smooth and laid back for an Imperial IPA, the sweetness from the fruit complemented the malt wonderfully as the carbonation was as light as could be.

A bit of lychee and tangy lime also kicked in in the back as my palate was left plenty sticky and and slick all over. Plenty green for a beer that emphasized one hop, this was a beast that warmed me up while settling me down at the same time. Dated 6/3/18 (how'd that happen?), this was perfect after a month of aging and easily called for another - although I traded the rest of the cans in this 4-pack away. The Daydream, dual hop, and Green beers from Other Half are lovely but please, brew more of the Hop Monsoons, as these beers are nearly as good as it gets!