Hazy Orange Tears
Aslin Beer Company

Can dated 3/21:
Pours like white grapefruit juice, though with a little more sustaining bubbles. Somewhere between soapy and foamy bubbles (I'll go with spongy), initial lacing is an interesting ring of spongy residue.

Nose doesn't change the white grapefruit impression - in fact, I would be willing to say no beer has seemed more grapefruit juice/pulp to me than this beer. There's a subtle bitterness in there, as well, but it's very light.

Taste starts off continuing the impression... but is quickly side-swiped by bitter hop flavors. This combination doesn't always work for me, but here it's not as grating as it could be. Grapefruit with maybe a little lemon splash, then pith and grassy bitterness swirl and compete for the palate. An interesting combination walk out the back door, hand in hand. Puckering and drying bitter feel, coutered by a nice level of carbonation.

This beer surprised me a tad. I enjoyed the pure grapefruit aspect of it as long as it lasted. The mix of bitterness was a tad heavy handed initially, but it works out in the end. A little more subtle bitterness I think would kick this up a tad for me.

 

 

L: Hazy orange with a foamy white head that leaves some nice lacing.
S: Orange and clementine with some tartness.
T: Juicy sour orange and clementine flavors followed by grapefrut. The finish leaves you wanting more.
F: Medium carbonation and a nice thin, yet still creamy mouthfeel.
O: A nice sour IPA that tastes a bit like orange and grapefruit juice. Not overly sour.

 

 

 

 

On tap at Churchkey in D.C.

Pours a hazy orange with some wispy head.

Smell is tart with notes of nectarines and lemon.

Taste is tart but with a little hint of sweetness. Notes of guava, nectarines, citrus and just a hint of bitterness on the finish.

Mouthfeel is thin to medium, well carbonated.

Overall,a very nice sour, well balanced and refreshing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can Date: none
Palate Contaminants: other beer

Look is an opaque, dark orange. It's dark, but it still glows. Very fine head that doesn't hang around too long.

Lots of citrus on the nose. Sweet red grapefruit, but I'd really mostly call it pungent blood orange. Powdered sugar and light vegetation. Moderate-heavy intensity.

It's so mellow, and the tastes are so vivid. Wow. The orange is dialed back, but it's maybe more like a concentrated tangerine. It actually makes my mouth water. And it's followed by a sweet flavor that I can best compare to a top-end, fresh rice pudding. (So, I suppose that'd make it mildly lactic.) The citrus hits first, but that second flavor wave is absolutely fascinating. More fruits hit toward the end, including papaya, starfruit, and slightly bitter white grapes. Delicious.

Carbonation is extremely well integrated. I can hardly draw out any with a swish. Alcohol is barely detectable. Most of the aftertaste is the rice pudding.

Normally, if I'm way off from where everybody else is, it's low. For me, this holds its own against anything from Tree House, Trillium, or Tired Hands. Maybe they're just really inconsistent.