NE MDW Chi PA
Marz Community Brewing

 

This was the 1st bottled batch, titled "NE MDW CHI PA".

Bottle 1/2/17; drank 1/8/17 @ the Yarchives.

Opaque orange appearance.

A rough pour yielded a huge bright white head; a thick curtain of tree-rung lace.

Orange zest, spring water, grapefruit & mild fresh cut grass notes in the nose.

Medium thick mouthfeel. Orange peel & dry ganja flavors up front; dry grapefruit bite on the finish. No booze heat.

Nice flavors but too dry for me to truly embrace...

 

 

 

 

Acquired from my good friend Jamie over at Kimski during Haymarket's Sausagefest event. Excited to try this one. Drank out of a Transient Artisan Ales tulip glass.

Look: Poured with two fingers of diccipating slightly off white head, medium haze definitely not on the level of the orange juice-esque NE IPAs, color is on the lighter side of orange, very few slow moving down-up bubbles, really nice spiderweb lacing left behind.

Smell: Papaya and orange-mango juice jump out at me instantly, very tropical fruit forward as you'd expect, strawberry, some fresh bright non-tart citrus zest, maybe even a hint of banana.

Taste: Papaya and mango are more subdued compared to the nose, orange, a good pop of sweet biscuit malt, a bit of that unripened banana that was present in the nose.

Feel: Heavy side of light bodied, moderate tongue coating, low apparent carbonation.

 

Given prior issues with the NE style ad yeast settling, this bottle was rolled before opening.

Pours orange in color with a white soapy head. Head dissipates leaving a thin layer of white foam and soapy lacing. Beer appears to be unfiltered as its slightly cloudy, but it is not that opaque super hazy appearance you'd expect from a NE style beer. Beer's appearance is fine, but it has to be docked a bit for not capturing the NE style that it purports to be.

Smell is a pungent fruity bouquet. Mango, peach, pineapple, orange and orange zest. Hint of grass and pine, but thats more complimentary.

Taste is much less fruity and more herbal. Notes of grass, dank hops. Slightly sweet - almost like some honey in there. Malt backbone comes through occasionally lending some balance. Flavor is nice for a generic IPA. However, since its marketed as a NE style, I have to also judge it within that category. The flavor profile is not what you'd expect. Lacks the juiciness and fruit forward flavors usually a hallmark of the NE style.

Feel is appropriate for an IPA - thinner, drinkable, light. Again, for the purported NE style, it falls far short. Its body is too light and not full. Medium carbonation.

Overall in and of itself this is a good IPA. Nothing remarkable, just a well crafted IPA. However, since its marketed as a NE style IPA, it falls short of that category and that works against the beer.

Draft, not really feeling this. Phenolic Belgian yeast presence, no bueno. Hazy golden orange, thin layer of foam, glassy surface. Belgian yeast aroma, vague fruity hops behind that. Taste is a little more fruit forward, but the phenolic twang is there again. Light to medium bodied, finishes dry and phenolic. Odd fusel note at room temp. Overall this is too yeast forward to the point of being distracting. Trendy style bandwagon....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have to say I was a little let down by this one. Poured from a 750 ml bottle. Appearance and smell are spot on, however, the taste is not. The bottle I have has a real strange rubbing alcohol taste on the backend. Not enough to ruin the bottle but definitely enough to mention here.

I honestly preferred Stratus and Juice Pants by wide margin. Would like to try this one again on tap and review it again.

This is a stellar IPA, which really lines up with the New England juice forward, trend that seems to now be so popular in Midwestern circles. Looks terrific, vibrant yellowish orange with lively carbonation. Cream head kicks up and lingers for a moment. Orange juice feel is heavy here - this is relatively easy drinking, hop forward and light on the backend. Creamy mouthfeel with just a clean finish. Terrific.