Prairie Madness IPA - Simcoe Hop
Hailstorm Brewing Co.

 

 

 

 

A bright golden orange draft pour into a pint glass in the tasting room forms a thin off-white head that lingers.
A fruity hop aroma with citrus pith and papaya notes on the front with a malt background.
Taste begins fuller malt - bread and finishes with slightly bitter hops

Lite/medium carbonation and feels smooth.
Overall, a clean, smooth, flavorful, and all-day drinkable beer

16oz Can

Canned: 3/23/16

Thanks for the can, Mark! Prairie Madness is a sunset orange libation. It's fairly dark from top to bottom but shows good clarity throughout. A finger of dirty white, dense but soapy, head forms on the pour and shows some impressive staying power. Intricate, silky lace clings to the glass after each drink. The head falls to no less than a thick crown throughout the drink.

The nose is bold and pungent which I'm sure the sheer freshness doesn't hurt. Big tropical notes leap from the glass. A mélange of pineapple and papaya along with muddled blueberry. Orange peel, bitter and candied, both join the fray. The malt base is more subdued than the color of the beer made me think. There's a drizzle of caramel over some bready notes but it's basically a canvas for the mosaic and simcoe. I'm a sucker for mosaic.

The flavor profile is a little different from the nose but not by much. It's more citrus forward with big pithy and zesty orange. The tropicals pop up mid palate and lead through the finish. Ripe pineapple and papaya mostly. The malt profile, again, is bready with a caramel drizzle. It lets the hops shine but it doesn't let them run away with the show. Very nice.

The body feels like it's a touch over moderate in weight with a plush, velvety feel. The carbonation is enough to keep things moving and deny any sign of sweetness. The finish dries out quickly and leaves behind a pleasant bitterness that remains until the next drink. This is an immensely drinkable IPA and one that is pretty tough to set down.

Prairie Madness is a damn good beer from the folks at Hailstorm. It's bold and bright in the hop department but not overly bitter. It drinks much easier than the abv would lead me to believe. It's just flat out juicy and bitter, bold and good. Pick some up when you see it. Check the dates.

 

 

 

 

 

poured out a deep orange with a large tan head

orange citrus aroma's

bitterness, grapefruit and some orange rind

sticky mouthfeel with bitter aftertaste