Everglow
Hellbent Brewing Company

 

 

16oz can. Bottom stamp is 'THE SPRUCE IS LOOSE 10/21/24', about five weeks in the can.
Mostly clear, deep gold colored body. Two fingers of dense white head, but this collapses to thin pillows. Leaves behind partial walls of lacing.
Aroma really reveals the spruce tips, along with orange and pineapple.
Taste is heavy with ripe fruit, with flavors of mango, orange, pine resin, and blackberry. The spruce tips expand from the middle to the end. The aftertaste reveals more of the toasted malt base.
More than medium mouthfeel. Very soft and smooth texture. Hop bitterness is low, but there is some herbal bite. Excellent carbonation.
Vibrant fruit and evergreen expressions. Widespread lacing coverage on the glass.

 

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a medium golden amber with a two finger white head great retention and solid lacing. Aroma of pale malt, citrus and piney hops, pine needles, tangerine and a little mixed tropical fruit. Flavor is pale malt, piney and lightly citrus hops, pine and spruce needles, mixed light citrus and tropical fruit. Lingering fresh piney finish with light tropical notes. Medium bodied with light creaminess. Now this is what I hope for in a Winter ale: lots of pine character and this delivers. They got such authentic spruce notes from the hops I surprised to see they don't have spruce tips listed in the ingredients. I checked the website and sure enough, they were used. Oddly, their "All Spruced Up" winter ale states "a subtle addition of fresh local spruce tips". I remember liking that one a lot too, but this is spruce heaven, like walking through a forest. The light fruit flavors meld well and mellow the piney character. This is my favorite winter ale so far this year. Nicely done. I hope this is an annual treat.

Canned 10-19. Purchased at Hop n' Grape in Longview, WA. A light amber, slightly cloudy pour. A finger or so of thick head. Aromas of pine notes, some fruit, a whiff of roasted grain. Tasty beer, a good malt bsse provides body and a bit of sweetness. This is a good candidate for a cool weather IPA, hence the can's description of "Winter India Pale Ale". A healthy 7.5% ABV helps it along. Seek it out.