Techtonic
Yards Brewing Co.

 

 

 

It's a pour to quickly reduce expectations. A large foamy stark white mess sits on the top of a decent looking ale. But, this sort of head almost always indicates a shortage of barley malt, thus a likely disappointment for those that love traditional IPAs. No way the contents of a pint can could fit into a clear glass Imperial pint mug. The foam recedes quickly, unevenly and by some sort of chemistry, seems to have picked up a hint of the color of the brew. The beer itself is attractive, once past the foam. It's a dark and rich amber, mildly hazy and more translucent than opaque. The aroma is also appealing with a bread dough like sweetness and solid hops, somehow earthy and citrusy. The mouthfeel is light as it brings as much taste of the alcohol as it does the hops. In combination, the pair contribute most and it gives this a sharply bitter flavor, far more than the sweetness from the starches. Drinkers that like the bite more than anything shouldn't find this problematic. Those that enjoy a balance of poignant hoppy with a supple malty body will be at least mildly disappointed. True to this new style of an IPA, there's almost no glass lacing, although the foam eventually becomes a sustaining head. High grades it doesn't deserve because of the imbalance of the alcohol with its body. This brewer does that much better with its Cape Of Good Hope. Accepted that a nine percent ABV is considerable, there are many other IPAs with the same potency that do it better.

Yards Brewing Co. "Techtonic"
16 fl. oz. can coded "062122 1064 01:03"
$4 @ Kunda Beverage, King of Prussia, PA

Notes via stream of consciousness: The Techtonic has poured a very hazy golden body beneath a two finger thick head of off-white foam. The aroma is citrusy, resinous, herbal, and woody. interesting. The flavor follows, and apart from the basic, sweetish & grainy malt it's fairly complicated. It's got tropical fruit as well as non-tropical fruit (tangerine, pineapple, apple, pear) but there's also an almost minty side to it. Am I getting some coconut as well... Yes, I think so, which suggests Sabro hops. There's more to it than that, and now I'm finding the cedar which is obviously what gave me that woody note in the aroma. It's got a firm bitterness, and an alcohol presence, and combined with the mint and cedar notes it finishes dry and menthol-like. In the mouth it's medium bodied and crisp. The head has held up quite well and I still have a solid and thin but creamy surface covering. The lacing is quite nice as well with a wide ring that's an inch or so tall all around the glass above the liquid. Above that it's faded a bit but there are plenty of spots and splashes. Sabro is a tough hop to work with but if you get it right it can be rewarding and this is a great example of that. It's unusual, compelling, and ultimately refreshing.
Review #8,199