61 Margin
Orono Brewing Company

 

 

I've reviewed a few Orono IPAs and hoppy pale ale styles over the past year or so, and have generally found them to be quite impressive. That said, the best beer I've ever had from them was a sour at a Zwanze Day event at Novare Res a few years back (I think the same year I died at Beer Meets Wood only a few hours later, but that's neither here nor there, nor is it within the confines of my recollection to be honest), so I suppose I'm still looking for that god-tier IPA from these guys. Yeah, Tubular is pretty sweet, and Totally Tubular was nice stuff too (but oddly not as "tubular" as regular Tubular for some reason), but... triple-dry-hopped DIPA with Citra, Galaxy, Mosaic, and Vic Secret? Hell yeah, let's do this.

This was canned 11/16/20, making it just about two-and-a-half weeks old. It pours into my glass as a humorously-opaque deep orange hued liquid topped with a superbly-retentive head of eggshell-white foam. Some good lacing and incredible legs give this a nice character, for sure. The entire surface is fully-covered with suds as well. A good looking, super-dense NEIPA, but nothing very spectacular honestly. I appreciate how cohesive it is, but it also just looks like a solid object in my glass, and that's kind of disconcerting. Oh well.

With this kind of hop bill and the fact that it's triple dry-hopped, I'm expecting some monumental stuff, of course. Orono's "The Way Life Should Be" single IPA features (what I assume to be) a single dry-hop addition of all of these hops plus El Dorado, but it comes off slightly-differently. There's a hit of pineapple and passion fruit here with some backing notes of papaya and freshly-picked herbs, but also an unusual plastic-like, funky note that I'm not sure about. Almost feels Brett Trois-like, which gives me pause. Some more graininess and unusual apricot-like undertones make me a little concerned, honestly. So many good hops... so much saturation (so they say...), but it doesn't feel like it's utilizing them to the best extent.

Eh, it's middling on the tongue, too, kinda. Big and chewy feel with flavors of pineapple, papaya, mango, and grapefruit with some lighter undercurrents of grassiness, pine-like dankness, and passion fruit. Ethanol seems a bit too heavy, though, to me... it's just kinda sitting there on the palate, edging out some other potentially-intriguing flavors. Too much happening here, and not enough definition. The finish is open-ended and semi-sweet, too. Not big on this one. Worth a drink, maybe, but not worth seeking out if you're just hearing of it. They've made some much better beers, in my experience.

 

 

Poured into a 16 oz Hop Slam Snulip glass not sure when it was canned.
Pours a very hazy light yellow with a solid finger plus sticky white head that leaves thick patches of lace, with excellent retention. 4.5

Smell papaya, apricot, pine resin, and grapefruit rind. 4.25

Taste follows really tropical papaya, apricot upfront and some piney grapefruit bitterness in the long lingering finish. 4.25

Mouthfeel is “Yogi” bigger than your average beer, not dry but definetly a tad sticky from the Triple Dry hopping, light carbonation and soft on the tongue, and at 8% ABV extremely drinkable. 4.5

Overall this stuff is excellent, really haven’t heard much about this brewery, but will be taking notice for now on. 4.25

 

61 Margin pours an inviting murky orange color with a one-finger head that lingers depositing a fine layer of lacing on the glass. The smell is up tropical fruits thanks to the triple hopping with grapefruit and papaya with melon sweetness on the backside. The taste...carries an up front hop and rind bitterness that gives way to the grapefruit and sweet melon.

This is a well made NEDIPA and definitely my favorite Orono brewing makes! Sooooo good.
Hazy orange color with a 2 finger head and spotty lacing. Taste and smell of grapefruit papaya mango melon lil malt. Hits every note for my likes and at 8%.....wow!

 

Hazy orange with a finger head. Aromas of melon, grapefruit and grass. Subtle sweetness coming from melon and grapefruit flavors with some resin, along with spice and bitter grapefruit rind on the finish. Starts out on the medium bodied side but develops a fuller, creamier texture as it warms. My first beer from Orono Brewing and I'm a big fan!