Radio Swan
Forbidden Root - Chicago

 

Canned 7/2/2025 (2 months ago)

Appearance: Pours a completely hazy color with a strong white head. SRM of 7. (4.25)

Aroma: Strong aromas of orange, apricot, sweet pineapple, mango, melon. (4.25)

Flavor: Strong flavors of orange, apricot, pineapple, sweet strawberry, mango, melon. (4.00)

Feel: Medium body, strong carbonation. Smooth, lightly sweet. (4.25)

Overall: First try at Forbidden Root. Highly regarded in Chicago. This is Citra, El Dorado plus some Belma gives it a tropical strawberry mango flavor. Some rye malts give it a slight spicey bite. Clean, smooth, and moderately sweet. Incredibly flavorful. Big hype for Forbidden Root (Rating: 4.15)

6/14/25 - (Can - Home) (Chicago, IL) Can Notes: Purchased May 6, 2025 at Beer on the Wall at store temperature for $4.55 including tax, refrigerated at home until opening this morning. 16 oz canned April 17, 2025 at 2:44 PM. India Pale Ale, 6.4% ABV. Malted & Flaked. Rye & Wheat. 2 Xs Dry-Hopped with El Dorado, Citra & Belma. Art by Tony Fitzpatrick. Brewed & Packaged by DESTIHL Brewery, LLC, Normal, Illinois for Forbidden Root, Chicago, Illinois.

Over on his side of the boat, he saw a number of black swans lolling on the water off Montrose Harbor, like black flowers, sweating and shimmering in the heat, rising and falling, tidally, with the waves in slow, linen-like motion. He remembered this is when he started to sing a Merle Haggard song as loud as he could at this, and every other night.

Appearance: Poured about 2/3 of the can into a shaker pint glass, yielding a yellow murky base, bright white creamy generous head leaving clumpy lacing and a generous cover over the base. Looks good for this style. 3.75

Aroma: Pineapple, tangerine, grapefruit, peach. Mild plus in strength, this fruit medley is higher in enjoyment. 4.0

Taste: Consistent with the aroma. Pineapple, grapefruit and peach, more mellow or subdued than the aroma leads. Hefe like wheat, rye emerges a bit as this warms and I’m digging. Let it sit a bit for maximum enjoyment. 4.25

Mouthfeel: Light wafer thin body, faintly felt carbonation. Drinks at the listed 6.4% ABV level. Sweet flavors but the hops and rye keep things balanced and consistent with proper attempts at this style. Pineapple tangerine finish. 4.25

Overall: This is a solid NEIPA. Rye and fruit a combo I don’t find often, one reason I picked up this beer. Bottom line, not sure why DESTIHL is brewing this fir solid brewer Forbidden Root beyond perhaps capacity management, but the receipt and execution works well, and I’d gladly pick these up down the road. 4.25

 

 

16oz can. Can bottom is stamped 'CANNED ON 8/26/20'.
Cloudy, pale gold colored body. Skinny finger of white head. Leaves behind scattered sheets of lacing.
The spice of the rye in the aroma distinguishes this from a lot of other NE IPAs. Has the requisite citrus and pine smells.
Taste also express the rye spiciness, along with the flavors of honey dew melon, orange, grapefruite, and mango. No bitterness, but with a pine bite.
Medium mouth feel. Has a tightness/dryness at the end. Very good carobonation.
Good solid IPA, and the rye sets it apart with its spicy note.

Intense floral and fruity aroma. Smooth, creamy, soft mouthfeel. Well balanced and very good!

 

 

16 oz. Can
PKG DATE: 08/22/19

My first from this brewery.

Poured into a Tree House glass a pretty nice cloudy orangy/yellow color, pretty nice carbonation, with a pretty nice thick/creamy one-finger plus off-white head, which also leaves some pretty nice sticky lacing behind. The nose is hoppy, malty, with a pretty nice citrus complex (orange, tangerine, grapefruit, guava, mango, peach), rye, slight pine. The taste is pretty nice hoppy, malty, with a pretty nice citrus complex (orange, tangerine, grapefruit, mango, peach, guava), rye, slight pine, pretty nice sweetness. Medium body, ABV hidden very nicely, with a nice little dry/bitter finish. Overall, this is a pretty tasty brew. Pretty nice take on the style. Nice to see it around here.

L: Pours a opaque hazy dark orange with a medium white head and no lacing on the glass.

S: Strong orange juice hits you up front, followed by grapefruit and pineapple, a bit of pine, and spicy rye.

T: Tropical orange juice mixes with pineapple, grapefruit pith, a slight pine, a slight herbal hop, a touch sweet but not too bad for the style,

F: Creamy smooth with solid carbonation.

O: This is a very nice and juicy hazy IPA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16 ounce can into a tulip glass. Canned 9/11/17, had 10/1/17.

Pours a mostly opaque hazy yellow, with a two inch foamy head with good retention, and some foamy lacing.
Aromas of pineapple, orange, rye, some grapefruit, light pine, light yeast. The taste opens up a bit- pineapple, orange, peach, rye, malt, light grapefruit. Some hop bitterness throughout. Smooth, creamy, refreshing, well carbonated, a solid medium to full body. Great mouthfeel.

Very enjoyable, and the mouthfeel makes you want every beer to be like this one . Great flavor. Well worth a purchase.