Sweet Potato Fries
Other Half Brewing - Center Street

 

 

 

 

Canned 8/21/24 DC.

L: Pours a hazy yellow gold with a thin white head that collapses eventually. Irregular and pretty lacing.

S: Aromas of pineapple, tangerine, and ambrosia.

T: An absolute mind meld of tropical and citrus flavors. The aforementioned fruits plus mango, lemon lime, and fruit cocktail juice. It all hits during the first and second waves, then it finishes dry and almost perfectly bitter.

F: Medium to soft mouthfeel and medium to low carbonation.

O: A mélange of tropical and citrus delights. Incredibly drinkable for the 8.5% ABV.

Certainly the effects of alcohol is what gives beer mush of it's interest. While we have all been drunk, have we ever been sweet potato fries drunk?

Until now, no. But Other Half is checking off that bucket list item with a hazy imperial IPA that incorporates as many of the hops as they have available. Sweet Potato Fries hits the glass with a yeasty and turbid pour of instant mashed potatoes and pastel golden hues. While floating a creamy ivory froth, the scent of citrus, tropical fruit, orchard fruit and fine herb roll off the foam. Cream and cereal round out the early palate impressions with the suggestions of pastry, heavy cream and honey smacks leading the way.

Firm in it's malt and grain display, the rounded, juicy and creamy structures of the ale invite a bevy of hop flavors to emerge. Pink grapefruit, tangerine, lime and lemon lead the citrusy contingent while more tropical flavors of pineapple, passionfruit and papaya soon follow. Pawpaw, apricot and peach round out the stone fruit an orchard fruit medley for a full and plump fruit cocktail of flavor. A hint of bitterness rises and brings notions of verbena, green tea and hemp to the show but never enough to balance the lingering sweetness.

Botanical in it's finish, spicy suggestions of gin and hemp allow for an herbal presence to accompany the long lingering sweetness and full body into a long and somewhat tiresome finish.