Floodwatch
Catskill Brewery

Orange in color with tight white head.
Nose is citrus but only slightly.
Taste, like the nose is only slightly citrusy.
Fairly dry finish.

 

16 oz. can poured into nonic
(courtesy of @TongoRad)

L: murky opaque yellow-brown ... no amber to it, but it's got some orangeish-brown in it making just a bit darker than standard yellow; topped by 1/3-inch head of white/offwhite foam; no major sticking/lacing

S: grapefruit, sweet pasty, mango

T: earthy grapefruit peel, thin layer of bread-malt underneath that's just barely adding some sweetness, lingering earthy bitterness in aftertaste that's mostly grapefruit peel; ice cold it has an interesting note I can't place ... spicy/grainy, perhaps coriander comes close to naming it, but it's not anywhere near like the coriander flavor in a good gose ... and this "interesting" note seems to disappear about 1/3 into the glass as it gets overwhelmed by the earthy hop buildup

F: simple and solid, not overly heavy, plenty of carbonation to make it flow easily and accent the hop bite

O: tasty and clean; though it looks murky, it's notes are all very clear, simple, well defined and fitting of the style; it's my fourth beer from Catskill Brewery, and this one makes the brewery 4 or 4 with some homers ... call this one a stand-up double, nothing that's going to overwhelm you with joy and have you call over your friends, but a beer good enough to go to again and again when looking for a little grapefruit fix

 

 

 

 

 

I'm opening up to IPAs again. Maybee its a summer thing. This beer was served probably to cold but it was very refreshing and I am glad it came at the temp it did. It's crisp has a nice long taste. A bitter acidic taste at the end which is warm and fuzzy on the back. Good summer time IPA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pint at Blue Ribbon in the West Village.

App: amber, semi translucent, with frothy white head and little lacing.

Smell: some citrusy hops, some earthy Simcoe dank. Bit of (darker?) malt (Munich?).

Taste: Wow, tastes like it was stored in oak. It seems that instead of giving its usual lemon and butter flavors, Sorachi Ace gives this beer some soft woody flavor (kind of like a sugestion of coconut or vanilla; hard to describe if "oaky" doesnt immediately put you in mind of it). Simcoe doing its job too, some mild greenhouse pungency along woth a rather standard but well done IPA profile. What a unique and pleasant beer.

Mouthfeel: light side of medium bodied. Mild carbonation that for me works well with the cask-illusion woodiness. Could be dryer, and could have some more character. Also while i like how the softness works with the flavor, I still want some more IBUs

Overall: unique beer thats greater than the sum of its parts. Singlehandedly expanded my understanding and appreciation of Sorachi Ace. Very well thought out beer that pairs well with subtle, complex flavorful food.

Didn't revolutionize my world, but definitely put this brewery on my radar. Absolutely worth a try if you see it on tap.