Mutual Gratification
Ethereal Brewing

There's no rivalry here. The cross town brewers of Mirror Twin and Ethereal have noting but mutual respect for one another. And that mutual love now manifests in a bitter, spicy and aggressive IPA that's basically a sudsy version of kumbaya.

Deep honey amber and tingling the nose with alcohol spice, Mutual Gratification soon fills the nose with marinated citrus, orchard fruit, sharp herb, pine and grass along with another resemblance to floral honey. And once more, a honey-like sweetness pulls from the grains in a caramelized, lightly toasty, nutty and overall granola-like maltiness for a full flavored early impression.

Slow to fade, the malt sweetness clings onto the tastebuds for a firm balance to brace the tastebuds from the brunt of hops. Citrus and tropical fruit follow with mango, pink grapefruit, orange, pineapple and apricot that quickly develops into an oily, resinous bitterness of citrus peels, fragrant woods, tea and pine.

Full bodied and with a stabbing alcohol spice, the strong prickle of ethanol numbs the tongue and trails with a brazen vodka-like turn. A long linger of malt and over cooked tropical fruit and peach is outlasted only by the bitter resins that grip the gullet tightly.