Last Hurrah
Cloudwater Brew Co.

Pours an almost clear, golden amber coloration with a large, fluffy head. Smell is a little subdued, with only faint biscuity malt and lightly floral, resinous, citrus hops coming through, Taste is a lot more expressive, with a good balance of biscuity, very slightly caramelly malt and slightly floral and resinous, citrus hops with notes of grapefruit and lime peel, as well as hints of gooseberry, peppery spice and pine. Finishes with a medium bitternes and some floral, citrus hops and peppery spice lingering in the aftertaste. Smooth mouthfeel with a medium body and carbonation.

A West Coast IPA brewed with New Zealand hops? Call me intrigued! This is certainly a bit different than your typical WCIPA, while still capturing its essence, although it is just a tad too floral and not quite resinous and bitter enough for my personal taste. Still a great, slightly different interpretation of the style that is quite enjoyable to drink, but look elsewhere for a purebred WCIPA.

Pours a crystal clear golden amber with soft fine head. Gorgeous.

Smell is citrusy with some pine, lemon zest, apricot and a hint of sweetness. Very inviting.

Taste is suberb. Citrus and pine just snuggle atop a perfect, soft and slightly sweet malt bottom. The hops are allowed to run free and infuse every sip with fruity notes of lemon, grapefruit, pine, pine needles, a little bit of spice and a soft, but solid bitterness. Balance is spot on and the drinkability is insane. This has something that I have come to see as the Cloudwater house taste, which is a fruity note that's a bit peachy and grassy. Most of their hoppy stuff has it, and it's just delightful.

Mouthfeel is medium, soft and a bit sticky, with good carbonation.

Overall, I LOVE Cloudwater. This beer, my 80th by them, is exactly why. It’s touted as a west coast IPA, so you get certain preconceptions going. You pour it, and it looks just right, beautiful as fuck in the glass. Then you smell and it’s exactly what you expect this brewery to be. First taste, and yeah. It’s clearly a west coast IPA but still very different. Fragrant, a bit spicy, fruity and citrusy with just the right bitterness and bite, but still soft and stupidly easy to drink. Masterclass.