Hop Lab - Blue
Bank Brewing Co.

 

 

 

 

 

Let the bottle sit out a bit to warm up

Look: pours a beautiful translucent pale gold color with a finger of head, and some good carbonation bubbles coming up from the glass.

Smell: The Citra dominates here: passion fruit, papaya, mango as well.

Taste: the taste follows the nose to a tee, very tropical and delicious. A little melon I didn't pick up in the nose.

Feel: the body seems a little thinner than I was expecting, but isn't too watery. The beer isn't too bitter, but there's a slight drying bitterness in the finish.

Overall: A delicious and prime example of a Citra IPA. Hops are dominant. Take a look for this and grab it if you see it.

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I swore I’d never touch a Bank Brewing beer after a pair of appalling experiences, but a new brewer & testimony from people I believe – at least for the moment – have weakened my resolve. So here we are, 750ML bomber dated 5/15/15 split with my wife.

The pour is clearish orange, carbonation accounted for. The nose is a tropical cornucopia, with creamy highlights of oranges & mangos. No hint of the evil that befouled previous brews. Optimism rises.

Hop Lab Blue isn’t Pliny, but it’s a clean break from a checkered past (& by checkered I mean repulsive & not really qualifying as beer). The taste tailgates the nose as it goes tropical vertically: papaya, oranges, mango, citrus, it’s as if the hops have been genetically engineered by a mad Caribbean scientist. The sunny wave gives way to moderate bitterness mid-junk, along with a mild caramel sweetness. Touch of alcohol. Thick & creamy for an IPA; adds a nice dimension, & it’s super easy to drink.

Bank Brewing doesn’t suck! Well, color me surprised, but this is not just edible, it’s a very good brew.

 

Picked up a bomber at South Lyndale
L: Pours brilliant gold under a 1” rocky, lightly gold tinted white foam cap that hugs the side of the glass.
S: Earthy, grassy citrus and biscuit aromas.
T: Big flavors with fruit, melon, citrus, tropical fruit, light biscuit.
F: Very creamy, medium body, above average carbonation, soft in the mouth.
O: This is a big flavored beer with an exceptional texture and well balanced flavors. A wonderful suprise.

Excellent sowcase of the Citra hop. Far exceeded my expectations!

 

 

Surprisingly good for the first beer I've had from Bank. I'll be on the lookout for their offerings in the future.

I am going into this knowing this is a Citra hop beer and I am definitely not a fan of Citra hops.

Attractive beer with a pale amber color and moderate head that settled to a thin cap. A lot of lacing got left down the glass. Aroma and flavor is definitely Citra. Powerful hop presence. Dank with what most people say is citrus. To me it is just dank weed and over ripe fruit. Nice body and carbonation. Obviously well crafted. Heard a lot of good things about the people at the brewery. My bottle has written it was bottled on 4-15.

The brewery listings still pisses me off. Fix this already Bros. Submitted a dozen requests.