The Way Life Should Be
Orono Brewing Company
- From:
- Orono Brewing Company
- Maine, United States
- Style:
- Hazy IPA
Ranked #576 - ABV:
- 6.1%
- Score:
- 91
Ranked #7,614 - Avg:
- 4.15 | pDev: 5.78%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 14
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Nov 21, 2025
- Added:
- Nov 05, 2018
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 8
SCORE
91
Outstanding
91
Outstanding
Maine. Good people, beautiful wilderness, great beer….the way life should be. Juicy IPA brewed with Maine grown grains, triple dry hopped with massive amounts of Galaxy, Mosaic, Ella, Citra, El Dorado, and Vic Secret.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Rated by Craigomaniac from Connecticut
5/5 rDev +20.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +20.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Great - had in Acadia
Nov 21, 2025
Reviewed by FreePal88 from Niger
4/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I much prefer this over the better known Tubular. The fruit (pear, citrus, stonefruit, melon, etc) notes are more subdued, and the subtlety makes it easier to appreciate how it goes with that bready/grainy warmth. NEIPA that leans more toward the "tastes like beer" side of the spectrum than the "tastes like sunny D" side. Based on visuals I figured I was getting something tropical and extremely sweet with Tubular, and something more subtle when I reached for this, so they've got their marketing figured out.
Nov 28, 2023
Reviewed by Act25 from New Jersey
4.28/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
My 1st from brewer. 6th Poohbah review. Amazing. Love this woodsy Maine 6% IPA that drinks like a DIPA.
a) Haze, froth, lace.
s) Quiet woodsy floor meets subtle fruit, not overly citric.
t) Woods, leaves, pine, pear, mango, resin - abundant colors, large notes.
f) Dry, tangy, bittering, peppery finish.
o) One of the best 6% IPAs I've enjoyed in a long while.
Apr 27, 2023a) Haze, froth, lace.
s) Quiet woodsy floor meets subtle fruit, not overly citric.
t) Woods, leaves, pine, pear, mango, resin - abundant colors, large notes.
f) Dry, tangy, bittering, peppery finish.
o) One of the best 6% IPAs I've enjoyed in a long while.
Reviewed by brureview from Massachusetts
4.02/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This beer is a retro style.
Lots of NEIPAs now.
The color and appearance are excellent- golden color with a 4F head.
The hop profile flavor doesn’t seem to be brought out- TDH withGalaxy, Mosaic, Citra , El Dorado and Vic secret.
Mild aroma of citrus. and pear.
The taste is dwarfed by a very bitter hoppy finish, and little of the fruit character is brought out.
With the advent of the NEIPA, I don’t miss the hoppy bitter finish of IPAs in the past.
Perhaps a recipe tweak? A NEIPA? With those hops, a solid fruit character is quite possible.
May 26, 2021Lots of NEIPAs now.
The color and appearance are excellent- golden color with a 4F head.
The hop profile flavor doesn’t seem to be brought out- TDH withGalaxy, Mosaic, Citra , El Dorado and Vic secret.
Mild aroma of citrus. and pear.
The taste is dwarfed by a very bitter hoppy finish, and little of the fruit character is brought out.
With the advent of the NEIPA, I don’t miss the hoppy bitter finish of IPAs in the past.
Perhaps a recipe tweak? A NEIPA? With those hops, a solid fruit character is quite possible.
Reviewed by Peach63 from New York
4.16/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.16/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours a hazy pale yellow with a 1/2 inch white head, which slowly fades. Moderate lacing.
Pine and grapefruit dominate the aroma. Also mango, floral.
Taste is grapefruit, pine, mango, earthy, resinous.
Medium bodied, light carbonation. Dry, tangy finish.
This is a very good NEIPA.
May 22, 2021Pine and grapefruit dominate the aroma. Also mango, floral.
Taste is grapefruit, pine, mango, earthy, resinous.
Medium bodied, light carbonation. Dry, tangy finish.
This is a very good NEIPA.
Reviewed by Shiredave from New York
3.84/5 rDev -7.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.84/5 rDev -7.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Canned on 08-31-20
Another brushed suede, cloudy tan beer with a low head of sticky foam and some faint lacy drippings.
Aroma is a good mix of citrus and white sugar, strong at first top pop and pour but less impressive as it out gassed and warmed up a bit.
The taste is a bit thin and weak, not rich or malty in flavor but with just enough sweetness to carry the mid boil hops part way over the tongue, then falls off the cliff.
Hop bitterness is not soft and plays off the grassy / citrus from flavoring hops well.
Body is light, the finish sudden and tart. All remnants of malt sweetness whisked away in a cloud of heavy handed hop additions.
A decent NE leaning IPA but not likely one I'd buy again.
Sep 28, 2020Another brushed suede, cloudy tan beer with a low head of sticky foam and some faint lacy drippings.
Aroma is a good mix of citrus and white sugar, strong at first top pop and pour but less impressive as it out gassed and warmed up a bit.
The taste is a bit thin and weak, not rich or malty in flavor but with just enough sweetness to carry the mid boil hops part way over the tongue, then falls off the cliff.
Hop bitterness is not soft and plays off the grassy / citrus from flavoring hops well.
Body is light, the finish sudden and tart. All remnants of malt sweetness whisked away in a cloud of heavy handed hop additions.
A decent NE leaning IPA but not likely one I'd buy again.
Reviewed by metter98 from New York
4.24/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A: The beer is very hazy yellow in color. It poured with a quarter finger high off white head that quickly settled down but left lots of lacing down the sides fo the glass, a narrow collar around the edge, and small specks of bubbles covering a good portion of the surface.
S: Moderate aromas of gooseberry, pear
and stone fruit are present in the nose.
T: The taste follows the smell and has some additional hints of pine towards the finish.
M: It feels nearly medium-bodied and very juicy on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: With a name like "The Way Life Should Be" and a picture of a hop cone on the label, this IPA does a very good job showcasing the aromas, flavors, and juices of hops. It is very easy to drink.
Serving type: can
Aug 10, 2020S: Moderate aromas of gooseberry, pear
and stone fruit are present in the nose.
T: The taste follows the smell and has some additional hints of pine towards the finish.
M: It feels nearly medium-bodied and very juicy on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: With a name like "The Way Life Should Be" and a picture of a hop cone on the label, this IPA does a very good job showcasing the aromas, flavors, and juices of hops. It is very easy to drink.
Serving type: can
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