Penguin Party
Ethereal Brewing

Clear, golden in color with nice head that leaves lacing. Nose and taste are both slightly citrus. Not much bitterness on backend decent easy drinker. .

 

Dry, crisp and clean, the seldom rise of the "cold IPA" gives a welcome reprieve from all the haze. Ethereal brewing takes this lager-like treatment to the summer heat for a refreshing alternative to the juice, cereal and weight of trendier IPA.

Penguin Party gets started with a foggy straw color and loose and lofty white foam. As its citrusy, herbal and spicy scent flows onto the nose, a taste of crisp wafer-thin maltiness shines its way with light honey, caramel and fresh baked bread to start.

As the floral and fruity hops bring a brisk taste of white grapefruit, lemon and kiwi, the taste soon shifts toward a spicier bitterness as soon as the malts dry to near completion. Lemon pepper, lemongrass, fresh spruce and citrus peels spring to life as the peppery resins provide a sticky bitterness to the finish in nearly true west-coast form.

Medium light and certainly drying late in taste, the ale finishes dry, crisp, refreshing and with a hop derived astringency that's only exposed because of the beer's arid dryness. Flirting with thinness, the session rides long and spicy with hops for a true bitter beer.