Stay Out Of The Forest
Central State Brewing

 

 

 

16 ounce can into tulip glass, canned on 3/13/2019. Pours opaquely hazy deep golden/amber color with a 1 finger dense and fluffy white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big blood orange juice, tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, lime, peach, pear, pineapple, passion fruit, mango, honeydew melon, guava, gooseberry, citrus peel/rind, wood, peppercorn, pine, cream, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of citrus/fruity/tropical earthy hops, blood oranges, moderate lactose, and bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big blood orange juice, tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, lime, peach, pear, pineapple, passion fruit, mango, honeydew melon, guava, gooseberry, citrus peel/rind, wood, peppercorn, pine, cream, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, woody, floral, grassy, peppery bitterness; and light fruit tang/tartness on the finish. Lingering notes of blood orange juice, tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, lime, peach, pear, pineapple, passion fruit, mango, honeydew melon, guava, gooseberry, citrus peel/rind, wood, peppercorn, pine, cream, wheat, cracker, white bread dough, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical earthy hops, blood oranges, moderate lactose, and bready malt flavors; with a nice malt/bitterness and tart/tangy fruit balance; with mild lingering hop/fruit astringency after the finish. Moderate increasing dryness from lingering hop/citrus bitterness after the finish. Medium carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/grainy/sticky/resinous/rindy, and lightly acidic/tangy balanced mouthfeel that is good. More resinous/drying than expected, but not overwhelming. Minimal warming alcohol for 5.6%. Overall this is a very nice fruited milkshake NEIPA. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical earthy hops, blood oranges, moderate lactose, and bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink, despite the increasingly bitter/resinous/drying finish; not overly aggressive. Great Citra/Simcoe profile. Very juicy, vibrant, and fairly dank/earthy hops/fruit; with a nice balancing lactose, and wheat/oat/malt backbone. Minimal residual sweetness with lingering resin dryness. A very enjoyable offering, and nice style example. Was hoping for more lactose sweetness to bump up the body for the ABV.