Spring-Summer - IPA Vic's Secret
Cloudwater Brew Co.

 

 

 

 

330ml bottle into a Spiegleau IPA glass. Paid £3.60 for a single.

Pours a slightly hazy, golden-orange body with a small amount of sluggish carbonation visible. A light, bubbly, one-finger in height, white head, quickly reduces to a patchy film and collar, leaving behind small amounts of soapy lace.

The fragrant and hop-forward nose mainly comprises of juicy citrus flesh and peels. Yellow grapefruit, orange, tangerine and lime are followed by notes of mango, while subtler floral and pine notes are perceptible in the background. Towards the back end, hints of onion, garlic and a general musty hop presence become apparent, detracting slightly from the otherwise fruity and generally inviting aroma. Taste follows almost exactly, with the exception of savoury profiles, which don’t make it to the palate. Semi-sweet grapefruit, orange, and tangerine lead alongside softer notes of ripe, sticky mango and vague peachy stone fruits. Mid palate, hints of pale malt reveal a light and crisp backbone, against which gentle hop bitterness begins to build. In the mouth, a light to medium body paired with low amounts of soft carbonation feel reasonably smooth and crisp, despite falling a little flat overall. Towards the back end, fruit profiles recede slightly, as mildly bitter grapefruit rind, resinous pine and traces of floral, grassy and musty hops provide moderate drying astringency and a fairly quick and clean finish.

Overall this is a decent beer. It’s crisp, clean, refreshing and enjoyable to drink, but a little lacking in the hop department. With a billing that boasts Citra, Mosaic and Vic’s Secret, it doesn’t quite deliver the punchy profiles that I have come to expect from Cloudwater’s IPA’s. Ultimately this feels like a slightly tamed down version of some of their better offerings.

Hazy yellow color with slightly off-white head. Aroma has intense grassy hops with some tart citrus fruits, mostly lime, meadow flowers and slightly dank notes. Taste follows with the grassy and floral hops, some bitter lemon peel, really clean malt profile. Medium body with soft carbonation. Overall it's a really well made IPA with an interesting hop profile and a really smooth mouthfeel.