Smuggler
Magnify Brewing Company

 

 

Traded for this recently and finally got around to it tonight. I like the design of the can with the "contraband" reference on this but the real appeal of this beer lie in the Southern Aroma hops. Like some of the beers that I've had from SingleCut, the hops from the Southern Hemisphere gave the brew a soft but appealing nature to it that took a while to decipher. Smooth, floral, and intriguing, this had me guessing from the get-go but was so easy to drink and enjoy throughout my session!

The pour to this was good as the liquid was straw-hued, hazy, and mildly dank. A perfect white head topped it that wasn't thick but proportional and long-lasting, which was good enough for me! Not a strong aroma here but there was some mild citrus, dankness, and soft, tropical fruits that served as this beer's hallmark. The mouthfeel was juicy with some hints of tangerine but tricky to distinguish, as the Southern Aroma felt like thistle or wild grass. A nice and soft mouthfeel made this go down easily as the Simcoe manifested itself as some earthy dankness. Thankfully, there was enough Citra here to provide a mild burn to accompany the juiciness and citrus rind the lingered well into the aftertaste.

Not a lot of booze here but there was a bit of booze that could be felt as I finished this off. No burn, no warming effect, and no sense of excess as the influence of the Southern Hemisphere came through in the gentle but persistent potency of this brew. I wish more beers would feature these instead of Cascade or Amarillo, as there was the body and neutrality of wheat present to keep this even-keeled. A fun beer that wasn't like most IPA's that I've had - this was one that I'd easily reach for again!