Fresh Hop Fiend: El Dorado
Stoup Brewing Brewery & Taproom

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a medium golden amber with a fine, two finger white head with great retention and solid lacing. Aroma of pale malt, dank and tropical fruit hops, pineapple, melon and some catty dankness. Flavor is pale malt, citrus and tropical fruit hops, grapefruit, pineapple and green melon with a little pine resin and citrus rind in the finish. Moderately bitter, but just enough to make me happy. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. Didn't know what to expect from the El Dorado hops as they are mostly known for aroma, but this is well balanced for aroma, flavor and finishing bitterness. More citrus than I expected and with the light pine, almost a West Coast profile, but with some tropical and melon fruit mixed in. I liked this one a lot. Stoup has done a great job with fresh hops this year and because their malt body really works for me, they have been my most purchased fresh hops this season. Kudos. Possibly my last fresh hop for this year, but it's been a great one.