Illusion
Bearded Iris Brewing

Good NE IPA!! I have been spoiled lately with some more hoppy NE style beers but a traditional one, well done, is a good thing also!!!! Poured from a 16 oz can into a pint glass, this beer has a hazy yellow color with a big foamy white head and bands of foamy lacing on the glass. Head retention is good. Aroma and taste get away from the ubiquitous grapefruit and feature more tropical fruits, orange and a little lemon. A nice mix, tasty and not done as often as the grapefruit nose and taste. There is also a good bit of the "dankness"/earthiness often featured in NE IPA's. In all, a tasty brew. Mouthfeel is crisp with a bit of hops bitterness to keep it interesting. the earthy quality adds to the mouthfeel as well. I enjoyed it very much!!!

 

 

A - Pours out with a short white head and a body of pale golden-orange, opaque. The head fades down to a thin bubble cap, with clumpy ropes of lacing down the glass.

S - Front is mango and orange zest, a slightly funkier orange flesh hit beneath, and a resin element riding over the top.

T - Follows the nose, with citrus in the open, an orange juice spritz that coasts into mango and passionfruit tropical notes, a malt core present mostly as a subtle sweetness, leading into an acidic and slightly bitter bite in the finish.

M - Brisk carbonation and moderate weight, but there's a touch of silt, and a bit of resin build over time.

O - Quite tasty, a pleasant, drinkable double NEIPA that delivers as Bearded Iris often does. Solid.

 

 

 

 

Another solid NE DIPA from Bearded Iris! Very enjoyable!

Implying that there's fruit in their beers, they assure us that no actual fruits were harmed in the making of their beers and that any suggestion is simply an illusion. Built around the unique flavors of Motueka and Enigma hops, this fruit concoction is a mind trick in taste.

Illusion kicks off with a substantial cloudy haze, leaving the appearance opaque with a matte goldenrod and cream. Rounding the nose with a medley of citrus, tropical, stone fruit, berry and wine, the nose is a curious blend of fruits that are seldom seen in beer. Sweeter with initial impressions of cereal, cream of wheat, vanilla and dough, the malt influence is firm and starchy.

As the hops lead the way across the middle palate, the full flavors of lemon, under ripened oranges and grapefruit carry a citrusy start while a more strawberry taste follows soon after. Trending almost tangy with white grape, pineapple, passionfruit and apricot, the complex hop-derived fruitiness is bountiful and seems ongoing. A smooth and creamy finish is very light in bitterness, an herbal taste of lemongrass, green tea and sassafras round out the later portions of taste.

Full, creamy and rich with grain, the framework of malt serves as a dense foundation for the hops to keep those fruit impressions plump, juicy and full in a nearly smoothie-like fashion. Finishing off-clean, malty and almost tangy, the hazy ale trails into a slightly herbal finish of hemp and tea.

 

 

 

Tasted in a Spiegelau IPA glass from a one pint can on September 2, 2021.

hoppy refreshing ipa smooth hop taste in every sip pass one on to a friend

 

 

Hazy, check. Citrusy, check. The flavor is not as citrusy as the nose, but does have the kick of the Abv. Head is white almost bright. Lacing is decent, but I suspect the ABv cuts that down a bit. Great beer as expected from a World Class brewery!