Eighth Anniversary
Thin Man Brewery

From the probably a little warm can, it pours a hazy, almost milky, amber color with a nice white head that diminishes to a thin layer and leaves lacing. The nose gets some sweet citrus, primarily grapefruit and pineapple. The mouth gets hit with a citrusy bite, followed by a lingering slightly bitter and maybe a touch of sour malt that is pleasant to drink. Mouthfeel is medium and it has a lingering mild aftertaste.

 

Picked up two cans while volunteering at the Eighth State festival on 7-27-24. Canned 7-15-24; consumed 9-25-24.

Beer poured a cloudy deep gold with a nice white head.

Nose initially was strawberries, citrus, and floral hops.

Taste is a large malt base that is heavily hopped with beta hops. Getting strawberry, orange, grapefruit, and some peach. Finishes with a muted pine bitterness; 6/10 on my scale. Despite all the hopping this is very sweet.

Mouthfeel is old school West Coast, which is large, creamy, and smooth.

Overall, it is a pretty good, the hop combo results in a sweet beer with a fruit salad flavor profile. Not sure if the brewing team was aiming for a DWCIPA or if this is an East meets West DIPA. Glad to have tried.

 

In terms of a modern American IPA, the pour that emptied the contents of a pint can into a clear glass liter mug went well. Although generous, there was an off-white head, not some mass of foam produced. The brew is dark amber, on the tannish side and hazy. The aroma is good with its solid malt and a slightly complex hit of hops ranging from citrusy and piney, to earthy. That's true of its taste. There's some sweet biscuit like starches in good measure, but the complexity of the hops and their bitterness gives even more flavor. All this comes delivered by a body so rich and smooth, it defies the level of alcohol it provides. This has it all, a starchy backbone that provides a counterbalance to the sharply defined hops. It also softens the mouthfeel and gives it great body. Still, the hops star. They combine to provide some citrus, some pine and some earthy characteristics. The head sustained, but the glass lacing was surprisingly sparse for a brew with this much body. This should have every American IIPA lover looking forward to a ninth anniversary.