Abuse of Powder - Amarillo
Destination Unknown Beer Co.

This was the first beer from Destination Unknown that I reviewed on here so naturally, it was the first Abuse of Powder that I was able to get my hands on. Found this a few weeks back at The Bottle King in Livingston as I thought the name and label were quite witty. While not quite like the New England IPA's that I've become accustomed to from the more popular breweries in these parts, this was a fun beer that was easy to drink and had enough going for it without being outstanding in any particular aspect.

The pour to this was decent as the sticky, hazy, nature of this brew showed when held up to the light. A murky melon with a bit of dark sediment was not quite what I expected but there was a lovely head to top this off as it settled as perfectly as possible. Most of the lacing left behind was in the form of a few thin rings near the top as there were enough spots most of the rest of the way down. Lots of melon, nectar, Amarillo, and exotic tropical fruit flesh in the nose as the taste followed suit. Quite heavy and syrupy, I wish this had more carbonation to it as it felt a bit too much weighted down although it was still fun to quaff. This just didn't quite seem like a New England IPA to me but thankfully, the booze was *somewhat* kept in check by the hops and apparent use of Sweet Malt.

I did feel a bit of warming by the time I finished this off as this was indeed a DIPA, as stated on the can. It was smooth an held up well for it's apparent date of 5/18 that was stamped on the bottom. No, this wasn't quite a winner but it was a decent first impression as I could get my hands on the other iterations of this series. For now, I'll be grateful for this and the strong mango, jack fruit, and deep tropical feeling that this left me with as the last mild days of the year slowly slip away...

 

Served in a teku glass from the can.

Appearance: Amber with a heavy haze to the body.

Smell: bland hops and not much too it. Slight creamy and that about it after that.

Taste: Feels like an imperial marzen, creamy and rich of hops with a creamy cantaloupe rich undertone.

Mouth: Sticky with a malty finish. Not super bitter but comes off a touch dry.

Overalll: a new england IPA meshed with a west coast IPA adding it's on melon dew sweetness to the brew. Good brew but definitely my least favorite in the Abuse of Powder series. I personally prefer azzacca, mosaic and especially sabro.