Buttrock
New Image Brewing Company

Scored this in Denver at Argonaut last summer. I write this with a mullet hairdo, so understand, these are my people. No can date unfortunately, which could have something to do with the forthcoming score.

Anyhoo, pours an appearance that used to be totally questionable before the hazy ipa gloop glop trend. Comes in a cloudy dull amber color, 1/2" white head. Lucky for them, I'm gonna bump the appearance because of the cool labe and ethos/marketing behind it. Aroma wasn't all that hoppy for something with Sabro and Citra, could have been an old can, but without dating, that's on you New Image Brewing Company.

Taste, the bitterness was there, but the Sabro didn't bring the green hop spice and warmth. Citra just didn't drop much if any citrus notes beyond that grapefruit rind and bitter copper penny twang. Carbonation was fine. I dunno, I suspect I got an old can, but the brewery left no way of knowing.

Cool label and whatnot, but otherwise, nothing really struck me as particularly good here.

16 ounce can into tulip glass; no can dating, but was just released. Pours opaquely hazy deep golden amber color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy off white head with great retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, lime, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, honeydew melon, guava, red apple, coconut, blueberry, gooseberry, citrus peel/rind, cedar, mint, cream, peppercorn, pine, cracker, biscuit dough, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/fruity/tropical/fairly earthy hops and bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, lime, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, honeydew melon, guava, red apple, coconut, blueberry, gooseberry, citrus peel/rind, cedar, mint, cream, peppercorn, pine, cracker, biscuit dough, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, lime, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, honeydew melon, guava, red apple, coconut, berries, citrus peel/rind, cedar, mint, cream, peppercorn, pine, cracker, biscuit dough, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical/fairly earthy hops and bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitterness balance, and no cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitterness. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy/sticky, and lightly resinous/rindy balanced mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 7.8%. Overall this is an awesome hazy IPA. All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical/fairly earthy hops and bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink for the ABV, with the mellowly bitter/resinous/drying finish. Great soft feel, and not aggressively bitter. Awesome Sabro/Citra profile. Extremely juicy, vibrant, and fairly dank/earthy hops; with a great balancing oat/malt backbone. Mild residual sweetness with lingering resin dryness. A really enjoyable offering, and impressive style example.