Stormrage
Calusa Brewing

 

 

Another great NEIPA. It hits all the marks of a great NEIPA. Well done Calusa.

 

 

Originally had this back in 11-2020 fresh from brewery. Almost perfect NEIPA and was the best of many that i've tried form them since then. They seem to always get my money when i'm passing through Sarasota, money well spent. 7-2023 update: Just picked up a fresh crowler on the way to the everglades. Again an almost perfect example of style. Perfect balance of sweet and spicy with slight hint of grapefruit burn. 8.4% are you kidding me, well disguised. Looks, smells and tastes on par with Trilium, Treehouse, Parish etc.. BEST NEIPA BREWED IN THE SOUTHEAST!

 

 

Okay... I am practically giddy to review this beer. Apparently, the ABV has changed to 8.4, since the last review. This beer has the look! Poured from a 16 oz can, it's yellow-orange (most of Calusa's IPAs, though very murky and appealing, tend more yellow) with the signature tropical murkiness and a smallish quarter inch head (I poured down the side of the glass). It smells like all their beers, citrus/Citra out the ass! The look and the taste is what has me giddy. OMG, this thing is awesome. Some East Coast IPAs tend to be too much like a citrus soda for some. That's not necessarily a bad thing to me, but I acknowledge some can lack the traditional IPA punch that many of us desire. This one does not and I believe it's because of the more traditional Centennial hops sprinkled into the mix. Amazingly, this beer has an extremely light body relative to the 8.4 ABV and I wish it was even more sticky. It is kind of scary how sessionable this beer seems. I'm going to proceed with caution, because there is zero alcohol burn here! Lil' ol' Calusa Brewing continually cements itself as the Babe Ruth of the 'grapefruit league' IPAs! They almost always seem to have 3 to 7 varieties available, but you have to go to the brewery... there is no distribution.

 

 

 

 

Amazing.

 

 

16oz can from great BA, friend and beer trader jloomis.

Thick, haze, orange elixir poured into DFH chalice leaving a thick lacing as the tasting proceeds.

Huge, tropical fruit burst from the chalice. Oranges, pineapple, kiwi, grapefruit.

Taste follows with a nice mellow hop bitterness, tropical fruits and tang.

Medium body, crisp, dry finish, hop forward.

This hits on all cylinders. Well done Calusa Brewing.

10/10 would smash again and again and again.