Milk of the Murder Hornet - Strawberry
Hubbard's Cave Brewery

 

 

16 oz. Can
PK 021622

Poured into a Trillium glass a pretty nice cloudy reddish color, pretty nice carbonation, with a pretty nice thick/creamy one-finger pinkish head, which also leaves a pretty nice small island, and some nice sticky lacing behind. The nose is hoppy, malty, with a pretty nice citrus complex (orange, tangerine, guava, strawberry, mango), pretty nice touch of vanilla bean, tangy/kinda tart, nice little diesel like. The taste is pretty nice hoppy, malty, with a pretty nice citrus complex (orange, tangerine, guava, strawberry, mango), pretty nice touch of vanilla bean, tangy/kinda tart, pretty nice diesel like. Medium body, ABV hidden very nicely, with a nice little dry/bitter finish. Overall, this is a pretty nice beer. Orange Julius! Addictive! MilkShake!

 

Well we can ascertain there's strawberry included here. Popping open a pint can at room temperature resulted in a carbonated overflow. Strawberry and the now familiar smell of added lactose dominate the cleanup. Most of it now inside a clear Imperial pint glass, an orange-amber color is viewed. There's also a thin but lasting white head. The smell is no different from what flowed over. It drinks like many a milkshake beer, still not a distinct category at Beer Advocate. The lactose makes it somewhat smooth and undeniably sweet. Sure, it may be an IPA, by definition, but the lactose and strawberry dominate here. If you're not a fan of true IPAs and you like sweet and fruity drinks, this one is for you. There's not much glass lacing and there's also not much notice of an 8.5% ABV, which is probably its best attribute. One and done for most hop heads, in fact, a warning that one might be one too many.

Served from the can in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Does it have, like, nipples or teats or something...? Anyway, this stuff pours a slightly hazy sunset amber topped by a finger of light cream foam. The nose comprises strawberry puree, vanilla, and perhaps a hint of cherry deep in the cracks. The taste brings in more of the same, the vague notions of tropical hops and low-key cereal grains reminding that this is, indeed, a beer after all. The body is a lithe medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a fluid feel. Overall, a tasty milkshake, indeed, one whose strawberry accents actually work for once (it's rare, okay?).

 

 

 

 

 

Tasted in a Spiegelau IPA glass from a one pint can on November 23, 2020.