Center of the Universe
Columbus Brewing Company

 

 

Tall can poured into a tulip. Deep yellow, almost amber, massive head. Lots of lacing. Monstrous. Piney and fruity, mango for sure, probably orange/grapefruit, and maybe some sort of berry underneath it. I want to say juniper for some reason. The taste is much the same - it's got a hoppy mango-citrus flavor, mainly. It has some resinous aftertaste but is somewhat light on bitterness at first. Plenty malty but balanced. The body is fairly soft and comfortable. Mid with good carbonation. It's a workmanship kind of draught - hardworking and easy to sip.

I am trying this beer off the tapper at The Daily Growler in Powell, Ohio as part of a six sample flight. It poured a clear copper with white head that is leaving some lace. The scent had subtle dank bitter mango and tropical fruit notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with sweet malt base and bitter citrus hop presence. The mouthfeel was medium in body and had good carbonation. Overall it is a great beer.

Body pours a nice orange with a thick foamy head. Very good lacing throughout. Nice looking beer.

Nose is a big tropical mix with nice ripe mango and citrusy flavors. Taste follows nose and adds a sturdy malt backbone. Not much bitterness to speak of, just a trace on finish. Hoppy but only in a generic sense. I'm not familiar enough with the cryopop line to judge use.

A very soft mouthfeel and nice carbonation. Easy drinking and smooth with no sign of the ABV.

A surprisingly delicious, low bitterness beer from breweries that made their names on bitter, hoppy beer.

 

Collaboration with Fat Head's. Canned on 8-3-22. 16oz can poured into a tulip.

Pours golden with a subtle haze; big fluffy and creamy off-white head that falls slowly leaving great thick retention and sticky frothy lacing.

The aromas have a decent amount of citrus along with some caramel. Malts are there.

The flavors basically follow the nose. More citrus leading the way, especially orange, grapefruit and lemon. Some pine resin. There's more caramel coming through. Solid bitterness blending well with a decent sweetness. Solid malt backbone. Finishes juicy and dry at the same time, but it's probably more on the drier side. Mild warmth in the finish, but it's not hot or boozy.

This is a pretty solid DIPA. Maybe my expectations were unfair considering Fat Head's and Columbus are some of the biggest hoppy heavyweights not only in Ohio but in the entire country. This is still pretty nice though. I like the flavors and the hops shine. It's a nice, traditional, classic, and oldschool example of the style.

 

Canned on: 08-03-22

A - Dark medium gold pour with steady, vibrant carbonation and a one fingered layer of creamy, bright white foam resting on top.

S - Moderately fruity nose with citrus, mango, and berries.

T - Moderate on the fruity scale with stone fruit, mango, citrus, berries, a sligth bit of alcohol presence, and just enough pine/citrus bitterness to balance out any sweetness.

M - Big body that's viscous, sticky on the lips, and slightly oily slick.

O - Unique and leans towards the West Coast style.

A bit of hyperbole, no? I am a native Clevelander and graduate of TWO Ohio state universities. I know my way around these parts. It ain't the center of nothing! The brew is a collaboration between Columbus and Fat Head's and the label depicts the lands that lie between these two. There are all these things they show on the label, but they are all Ohio scale things. I would say the corn and fishing are probably better than the skiing (ugh) or racing.

So this (presumably) one-time brew starts off like a big American IPA should with a deep golden color and fantastic lacing. The fizz keeps coming plentifully in fine foam. The aroma is big hoppy and a bit boozy. Lovely smell with nothing rancid, like those hazy's. The taste is fully bittered fighting over top of piles of malt with bitter winning the day. It's nice to have the battlefield going on in your mouth. It has a strong, heavy effect on this drinker. I've had these a couple times before - each time just one.

Highly recommended. I doubt anyone will see it again, but it was nice!