Tangerine IPA
London Brewing

Nov 23 2024

473 mL can from the brewery; dated Dec 27 2023 and served slightly chilled.

Pours hazy but translucent, with countless flecks of sediment lazily hovering throughout its golden amber-hued body. Gathered atop is roughly one finger of loose, foamy white head that dissipates within a couple of minutes, swiftly worn down to a frothy collar and filmy cap; good lace deposition after a sip or two. I'm mostly getting mandarin orange on the nose, with added notes of orange juice, lemon zest, and maybe a hint of grapefruit. It's a very bright, juicy aroma that I found highly inviting, if not exactly complex.

I genuinely like how this tastes, but I'd be lying if I said it amazed me. What I mean is, the tangerine flavours are superb - juicy, citrusy and a little tangy - but it feels like a shallow experience, as there isn't much else going on. Hints of wheaty grains, maybe some floral hops and pithiness on the back end, but other than that it's all orange. Finishes with a twang of tangy orange juice sweetness, followed by a mildly grassy aftertaste. Medium-light in body, with lively carbonation that adds a good, firm, crisp bite to this brew's somewhat juicy mouthfeel. Great drinkability, and the abv is low enough where you could feasibly have a few of these in a row.

Final Grade: 3.94, a B+. London Brewing's Tangerine IPA delivers exactly what it advertises on the tin. You could argue that this is more akin to a New England IPA, given its juicy flavour profile, haziness and low bitterness. You could also argue that it isn't, because it doesn't appear to contain oats and the juiciness is mainly due to the added fruit. I'm totally overthinking this: it's just a tangerine IPA, and further classification is nothing more than pointless, nerdy bookkeeping. If you like citrusy IPAs, this is one I'd recommend.