Short-Lived - Fieldwork Brewing
MadeWest Brewing Company

Type: 16-oz. can
Reviewed as: American IPA
Glass: Pure Project 14-oz. snifter elemental (fire) glass
Price: $3.59
From: Windmill Farms in San Diego (Del Cerro), Calif.
Purchased: Nov. 12, 2022
Consumed: Nov. 27, 2022
Misc.: Collaboration with Fieldwork; Canned on Oct. 27, 2022

Went to Windmill Farms to pick up some stuff for Sam and saw this one. Untappd description was a “West Coast IPA hopped with New Zealand's finest Nelson, Nectaron and Waimea hops. This thiol rich Southern Hemisphere hop combination unleashes tropical fruit aromas with notes of intense grapefruit, passion fruit and guava while the lean malt profile leaves this IPA finishing dry and refreshing.”
*Thiol Boosted*

Poured a medium yellow clear color with 3-to-4 fingers of white frothy head. Could see plenty of bubble streams coming up from the sides of the glass at fairly quick speeds. Almost perfect foamy lacing. World-class foamy retention. (Sight - 4.75)

Smelled dry Nelson, Nectaron, white grape, peach, apricot, nectarine, tangerine, Waimea, pineapple, grapefruit and light melon. Smelled almost as good from the can. (Smell - 4.25)

Tasted almost as good as the nose. In order got Nectaron, Nelson, peach, apricot, nectarine, white grape, tangerine, Waimea, dank pine, pineapple, grapefruit, light melon and some black peppery spice. (Taste - 4.00)

Medium body. Oily-to-creamy texture. Lively carbonation. Long, dank finish. (Feel - 4.25)

Damn. Was surprised at how much I liked this one. (Overall - 4.25)

4.18 | 93 | A-

 

 

@2beerdogs sent this my direction as part of his ninja strike during NBS BIF #16.

Pours a lovely yellow golden colour that's mostly but not completely clear. Soft white head sits atop and shows no interest in dissipating. Sticky, the glass is laced with foam as the liquid recedes.

Nose is an interesting blend of light crackery malts and hops that are at once floral-sweet bordering on nectar and somewhat earthy and citrusy. A quick google search tells me that thiols in a brewing context should enhance the aroma(?), and while this is a lovely smelling brew, if the thiols have been 'boosted' thus theoretically leading to a more intense aroma... I just don't see (smell) that. It smells like a normal, lovely, light IPA.

It's a bit light in its flavour. Creamy grassy and lightly earthy. Actually it kind of reminds me of the lightness and creaminess that comes from serving a beer on nitro. It doesn't carry the same sweet floral/nectar character that I got on the aroma, so maybe the thiol-boosting really did have an effect. This is a gentle beer. One that I think would be really refreshing on a hot afternoon. It's easy to forget that it's 7%, as I think I could mistake it for sessionable if I wasn't paying attention. The finish is as promised: dry and refreshing, and pleasantly bitter.

Honestly, it kind of grows on me the more I sip at it. I said it above, but it's definitely a much more gentle, delicate brew. It's pleasant moreso than it tries to blow you away, despite the description from the brewery. In fact, the beer in my glass doesn't really resemble the beer the brewer describes hardly at all. And I'm ok with that from a drinking experience standpoint.
Thanks Derek for sending this my direction!

One month old, pours very clear, straw yellow, with loose, big bubble sudsy head of short duration leaving a verrry thin film of spotty head. No real lacing. Nondescript smell, not fruity, maybe very faintly pine (?) maybe some really faint papaya(?), but certainly not consistent with brewer’s description.Some hop bitterness in the taste but once again I can’t put my finger on the flavors, but nothing here to compel me to buy more. clean finish, but certainly not one of their better short-lived collaborations.