First Draft: Cryo Pop Madness 003
Yards Brewing Co.

 

Seemingly rarely used, Yakima Chief hops give any brew a nice bitter and earthy character. It begins with a pour from a pint can into a clear glass Imperial pint mug. That doesn't start too well, as the head is overly foamy, a character of wheat in the wort. No matter how tasty the hops, a wheat heavy IPA just isn't going to recover for those that love a traditional barley malt based ale. As the head recedes, it does so unevenly. The visual has become concerning. The brew itself is a light golden amber and straddles the opaque- translucent line. It smells nice, but with no specific character, just like a typical IPA, with hops, some malt, some yeast and some alcohol. Ready for a letdown, we move to the taste. It's only OK. There's no malt body and only thin malt sweetness. The hoppiness is disappointingly tame. Because it's light across the tongue, very mildly hopped and remarkably devoid of any taste of alcohol, this is easily quaffed. That may not be what everyone would be willing to trade for a DIPA with some character.