Ledge Sesh
Three Magnets Brewing

Hazy, light copper color. Foamy head with solid retention and lacing. The aroma is orange and lemon, with hints of bread malt and fruit. Flavor is citrus and stone fruits, pine, and caramel malt. This is a very well balanced beer. Juicy and resinous, yet still quite drinkable. Just the right amount of hops bite and bitterness in the aftertaste. Thick mouthfeel, dry finish. A very good beer overall, and a fine example of quality, NW IPAs.

 

 

 

2018 from a 16 oz can. 7.0% abv, 50 ibu.

Ledge Sesh pours a kind of muddled orange as if it's been tinited by a pinch of brown. Not the prettiest of beers, but it's not terrible to look at either. The foamy off white fluff on top settles into a creamy surface coverage, and leaves a powdered snow bank around the perimeter which provides excellent lacing.

Over ripened mango hits first. Again, muddled seems to be a theme as this continues with an indistinguishable fruit melody, yet it finishes with a pronounced wet forest of pine.

And the flavor continues the theme. Very grapefruit rind like with some nuttiness, and all around just down and dirty. I'm finding it hard to recognize much else but damp soil and pine, which are great compliments, but there seems to lack something for them to carry out that task.

It even feels a bit raw with an intial creaminess that is taken over by a bubbly tingle, and finally an earthy yet subdued bitterness. Balanced more like a Pale Ale. In fact, I think I'd call it an Imperial Pale Ale over an India Pale Ale, whatever the hell that means.

I was drawn to Ledge Sesh because of Three Magnets stellar impressions on me this far (not to mention my continued obsession with skateboarding. Politics... I'll refrain.). This one fell a bit short, perhaps due to it's 8 weeks of age. I look forward to trying 2019, hopefully a bit more fresh next time. Cheers.

2018. Canned 01/30/18

Murky body the colour of home pressed rough cider. Massive fluffy white head. Beautiful lacing.
Surprisingly sweet and yeasty. There's some fruit in there as well and some earthy hops.
Flavour is initially similar with some floral and yeasty sweetness with a blunt bitterness. As it warms it becomes much more pleasant. Still has that blunt pine bitterness, but it feels more at place now among some soft floral and lightly tropical fruits.
Middle thin body that is just soft smoothe and enjoyable. Bright effervescence balances and the bitterness builds to a lastingly punishing bitter finish.
This was two beers. Initial pour was not particularly enticing and I was pretty underwhelmed. As it warmed though it really came into its own and I found myself quite enjoying it. A study in contradictions between the soft body and bright carbonation, the lighter fruit/floral notes and the big hammer of piney bitterness that carries through the end.

Love the facts on the side of the can, too.

 

This hazy, light brown beer tastes hoppy and evergreen but has a mouthfeel that recalls the juiciest of beers, without the sugary stickiness. The combination is exquisite: at last, those who don't like fruity IPAs can taste a beer that combines the smoothness of a Sculpin with a savory dankness. This is aided by a smell of pine and slight citrus.

 

 

 

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a medium coppery amber with a two finger white head with great retention and lots of lacing. Aroma of pale malt, dank citrus hops, papaya, orange citrus and a hint of lemon. Flavor of lightly caramel malt, citrus, piney and dank hops, light stone fruit, orange citrus. Finishes with resinous and lingering piney and citrus hops. Medium bodied with moderate creaminess, nice mouth feel. A well balanced and well hopped IPA. The malt seems almost neutral in flavor, but is very supportive of the healthy hopping. The hops lean towards the alpha oils rather than herbal flavors, but have some nice fruit flavors to interact with the major hop bitterness. A flavorful addition to the Three Magnets IPA lineup. I joked about the 7.5% session ale when I bought this, but it apparently is a pun for the Sessions of Washington congress. This is no session ale, even if it is a Session ale.