Wake and Lake
Thin Man Brewery

I'm glad there were other reviews on this one because I was starting to think that my tastebuds for beer were off. I had just reviewed an American Stout the day before with an unpleasant aftertaste before it warmed up. This beer had one too, but didn't get any better as it warmed. While I wouldn't go so far as to characterize the aroma as "ants, onions, and gummy peach rings" or one of the flavor components as "cabbage", there was a considerable off-putting aroma and flavor as well as the nice pineapple flavor. I looked this one up to see if it contained the dreaded Summit hops (I am one of those that get a rotten vegetable taste from them). No Summit hops, just a bad taste aspect. The apprearance was OK. standard straw yellow hazy color. The white foamy head faded a bit too quickly. Some spotty lacing on the glass. The bitterness level was moderate, and the mouthfeel was smooth and creamy (probably with a bit of lactose. Not quite a drainpour, but not something I would drink again.

This beer is just OK.

 

From the bottom of the can: "08-JUN-2021"

Appearance: The body of the beer is a nearly opaque with a yellow jello appearance. It lets nothing through save for some abstract shadows. The head is short, cobwebbed, and white. It has a short stature and some nice lacing. It looks appealing in the glass.

Aroma: While pouring from a distance it gave off a grassy aroma with a bit of pineapple skin. Upon closer inspection it smells like ants, onions, and gummy peach rings. It keeps rotating through those aromas like the Wheel of Fortune. After sitting for a while it settles out to a more juice-forward and focused aroma which smells a lot like an Orange Julius.

Taste: Up front there is a bit of cabbage mixed with pineapple skin and grapefruit pulp. These flavors pop and fade while drinking but it dominates on this bright, tropical, and citrus character.

Mouthfeel: Low bitterness but there is a low-key bite to the beer. It feels light and refreshing at the bottom-end and a bit more weighty towards the top of the palate. It has a bit of a meringue pie character. It is a ponderous beer.

Overall: It's a really strange beer with some really awkward flavors and aromas that take the nose and the palate for a trip. The can states that this is a "NEIPA WITH PINEAPPLE" which seems to be a fair assessment. It smells and tastes like pineapple although there are other beers on the market that are not made with pineapple which can boast the same or better flavors and aromas. Even still, as a whole, it is definitely worth buying. The beer has a wonderful bright character and it does the New England IPA Style in a slightly unique way which deserves some notice. I would recommend it and I would drink it again. The can shows a fox and a pineapple hanging out by the water and that's a good place to enjoy this beer.