Arctos
Great Notion Brewing

Rather hazy amber brew with dissipating foam in the big Duvel tulip. Aroma of citrus peel, lemon and grapefruit. Sharp and fruity. Woody with a touch of pineapple. Finish is verging on acidic and then it is distinctly bitter. The flavor of old flabby oranges seems to take of the aftertaste. There is not much reward for this over-hopped concoction. From the 16 oz can purchased at the Co-op market.

 

The notion that new hops can only make hazy beer is a fallacy and Great Notion is challenging this notion by assigning the aromatic, juicy and fruitier hops to a bitter role in true West Coast fashion.

Pouring a cloudy lemon yellow color, Arctos releases a fluffy stark-white froth and an aromatic collection of citrus, tropical fruit, botanicals and herb in a fruit forward citronella character. As its taste hits the tongue, a lively sweetness of powdered sugar, light bread and wafer brings a fairly light sweetness to set the tone.

But a quick dissolve of malt leaves room for the hops to billow. Strong impressions of lemon, under ripened orange, passionfruit, kiwi, gooseberry and honeydew brings a sassy blend of tangy, racy and almost winey flavors with a bright, peppery and herbal bitterness of sassafras, green tea, verbena and lemongrass.

Medium-light in body and trending dry, the decidedly bitter beer carries a fruitiness that's best associated with the haze, but its arid body and cleanly bittered finish suggests otherwise- a rare success among beers that attempt to merge the different hoppy styles.

Color is a cloudy yellow. Nice white head leaving some super lacing. Nose is the typical piney, lemongrass smell. Taste was citrus, pine with a white pepper dryness....initially then the bitterness follows across the entire palate.

 

 

Above average west coast style IPA. Pours a pale fully translucent straw gold with a finger of fizzy white head reducing to a thin ring, no lacing. Nose is grass, earth, sweet corn, dank and bitter hop. Taste follows suit. All the earth hop notes mingling with a sweet malt undertone. Feel is crisp and refreshing. Good beer.