Yojo | Moonraker Brewing Company

4.28/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours a hazy dark yellow with fine, soft head.

Smell is juicy with notes of pineapple, orange juice and peach puree.

Taste is juicy and hoppy with notes of citrus, peaches and pineapple. Mild bitterness, and very crisp and refreshing.

Mouthfeel is medium, soft and well carbonated.

Overall, a very good, refreshing IPA, without the sweetness many NE IPAs have.

 364 characters

4.39/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Canned 1/2/19, consumed 1/28/19

Poured hazy & lightly cloudy bright yellow straw color, small head, decent retention, and a little bit of spotty lacing.

Bright blast of tropical, stone, and citrus fruits for the aroma and taste. Really a juicy focus; just a little bit of the floral/herbal/grassy hop notes to complement.

Feel is smooth, soft, and easy. Good carbonation and low bitterness. A bit lighter body for a 7% IPA.

Overall, a standout. Easy to see why this is Moonraker's main single hazy. Easily recommended.

 527 characters

4.54/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From the looks of it, I think I have deciphered that it was canned 10/20/18.
L: Ahh, my favorite NEIPA color. The beer pours out a vibrant yellow color. It is hazy in appearance but by no means murky. Little head formation with minimal glass lacing. The look is appealing to me simply based off the color alone.
S: Pineapple is the first fruit that comes to mind when I smell the beer. Next, I think of oranges and apricots. There is a grassiness to the beer which to my best guess represents the hops profile.
T: I haven't tried many beers, but the flavor ranks amongst the best in the single NEIPA category. Full of fruit flavor with a hoppy bitter finish. The fruit flavors are mango, orange, pineapple and apricot. The finish is piney with moderate bitterness, at least for a NEIPA. The aftertaste lingers of citrus and hoppy goodness.
F: Light in body and somewhat medium in weight. Carbonation is moderate to high, but done appropriately so. It isn't full nor pillowy, but it makes for an easy drinking offering.
O: This might be my favorite offering from Moonraker that I have tried. I am an avid fan of single IPAs, mostly due to the lower alcohol content. This beer is so loaded with flavor it is unbelievable. I might even slightly prefer it to the double version Dojo. Anyways, this is an amazing beer that I am very grateful to have tried. Cheers!

 1,364 characters

4.69/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Wow! A wonderful, gold-standard of hazy IPAs! I had this on tap at Moonraker Brewing Co. in Auburn. I was really impressed with this IPA...it has a great nose with wonderful depth for a single IPA. Whiffs of tropical-hoppyness! An extremely smooth taste of pineapple-hops with a citrus/grapefruit finish that hits you with some IBUs. Moonraker does it again!

 364 characters

4.31/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I find this beer more ripe than the day is long. Wake up and want it. I dream. Dream and believe. I can for as long as I can see. Believe, drink... Drink, believe... I take another sip, can I last in reality? Is reality more real than me? I drink. I believe. Yes, I believe.

 274 characters

4.45/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Thanks, Chris!

A hazy orange witha dense, off-white head with excellent retention and lacing, this looks solid. The nose is a riot of juice and hops, a blend of tropical peaches, grapes, a little passionfruit, honeydew melon and a touch of mango and papaya. Unlike other hazy IPAs, this one is clean - the hops are focused, bright and for a change, not vegetal. The palate opens with a clean and bright juiciness, mildly sweet with peach, passionfruit, Meyer lemon and caracara oranges. Green grapes, peaches, a little papaya are also present. A faint honey note along with a moderately creamy palate make for a great beer. I can't stress how clean this is - for the first time, i feel that haze actually adds to the beer in a positive way. Finishing fruity with kiwi notes, this beer is medium-light in body and mildly bitter. Quite exceptional.

 847 characters

4.7/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

First one from moonraker. I’m an instant fan. It hits on every note. Easily crushable. Extremely well balanced throughout. Look forward to more from them.

 157 characters

4.71/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Had this on tap at the brewery. Such an amazing beer! An easy drinker, lots of depth and isn’t overly juicy or bitter. Lots of citrusy orange, soft pineapple, grapefruit, and a touch of stone fruit.

 200 characters

4.4/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Lots of people will tell you in the "Saa-kraa-menn-O" area that this is the best of this style we have around here. And while they are right me personally am not as big a fan as most , a definite must buy if you see it or drive to Auburn and taste it yourself. You will appreciate this beer more if you had some wack ones of this genre. I'm not a person that's crazy about the haze.

 382 characters

5/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Phenomenal beer. Highest recommendation. Look at the line around Moonraker when this beer is released and it should convince you I’m not alone in my rating. My wife was a Coors Light fan but Yojo has changed her life. She never liked the taste of any IPA and she absolutely loves Yojo.

 289 characters

4.45/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A glass of cloudy white grapefruit juice with a fluffy white head that fades but leaves a wind band of lacing. Bubbles continue to rise from the nucleation site of the glass throughout the drink. Nice scents of flowers, grapefruit, sweet malt and pine are noticeable. The taste is mostly bitter grapefruit pith and pine up front with a nice wave of mild sweetness and flowers at the end. Nice body and creamy mouthfeel in this beer. This is a really fine beer.

 461 characters

4.49/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Canned 7/7/17; drank 7/21/17 @ the Yarchives.

Opaque yellow/orange appearance.

A rough pour yielded a nice white head; frothy tree-rung lace.

Grapefruit, dry wheat, mild cane sugar & faint dry grass notes in the nose.

Soft, medium mouthfeel.

Grapefruit & faint cream flavors up front; dry wheat & faint grass notes on the finish.

Balanced & easy to drink, but with a satisfying flavor. To me, this is what a session NE IPA should aim for.

 450 characters

4.37/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

My first offering from Moonraker poured into a TH goblet glass.

L - Cloudy light orange haze. Very little froth with pour
S - So powerful. Grapefruit, apricot, pineapple etc
T - Just like the nose with a good handful of hop bitterness
F - Great carbonation with a full-boded flavor

 282 characters

4.85/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Pours a hazy turbid bright straw yellow.nice frothy white head that laces the glass the whole way down. The nose is like a fruit basket! Fresh cut pinnaple, peaches, apricots and ripe mangos. The taste is spectacular! Extremely bright and extremely fresh. Fresh pineapple juice, peach and apricot nectar along with ripe mangos and grasses. Not overly sweet like the nose and taste might suggest but nonetheless you do pick up a solid amount from the fresh bouquet of fruits. Bitterness is just right, not extreme but enough hoppy kick to keep things interesting. Mouthfeel is smooth, rounded and somewhat creamy. Finishes crisp and very clean on your palate. You almost need to take the next sip as the flavor explosion that happens with every swig disappears quickly. This one can be dangerous as at 7% she is extremely drinkable. I absolutely love Yojo! This beer is my Jam! Cheers

 883 characters

4.46/5  rDev -0.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: cloudy straw yellow haze. medium white bubbles.

S: Apricots. hops. resin. peach candy, tropical bouquet of fruit..sweet pineapple. fresh cut mango. wow

T: See above- it tastes as it smells.. a smidge more bitter on the finish than the nose suggests

F: soft and creamy- crisp finish

O: blown away- Being from the North East im a big Tree House/Trillium/ etc. guy.. Now living in Nor Cal Cellar Maker has been my go to spot,... but I think im falling in love with MoonRaker.. So far everything ive had is amazing.

 522 characters

4.64/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Like James Bond, this beer is all smooth flavor and good looks. Dank with tons of floral and stone fruit flavors, finishes cleaner than a Walther PPK.

 151 characters

4.36/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

This is pretty much the beer that put Moonraker on the map. Pours a shady yellow NE ipa broth with a thin 1/5" white head. Aroma is pungently tropical and citrus. Plenty of stone and tropical fruits here, with a soft exterior on the nose.

Taste, wow, amazing delivery of fruity hop flavors and very mild for style bitterness. The malt body is barely there, very smooth and luscious. Peach, mango for days, lesser pine and pineapple. Good price, good convenient format. What this does best is impute tons of hop flavor without any heft or bitterness. The drinkability is insane. Downside is this stuff seems to sell out same day already.

 650 characters

4.9/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

pours a hazy yellowish orange, reminds me of a Mimosa.
The smell is something I really can't put into words but it made me thirsty.T
The taste was creamy and light at the same time.
The feel....I feel as though I'll take another my friend.
Overall, I highly recommend w/o a doubt

 280 characters

5/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Tropical tropical tropical. Muted yellow in appearance, sweet nose full of fruits, tastes of citrus rinds with grapefruit and mellon, unexpectedly great mouthfeel.

 163 characters

4.47/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Can shared by jc1762. Thanks Jon.

Pale yellow body, medium haze, tight pockets of bubbles scattered throughout. Aromas of peach, vanilla. Malty backbone in support. Tons of fruit character to include peach, mango, melon. Tropical fruits abound. Tasty.

 252 characters

4.15/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Type: 16-oz. can
Glass: Beer Nerd tulip glass
From: Beer Advocate’s DoubleBogey
Price: N/A
Purchased: N/A; Received on Nov. 11, 2016
Consumed: Nov. 15, 2016
Reviewed as: New England Style
Misc.: Canned on Oct. 13, 2015

Thanks, Chad!

Was lucky enough to receive one of these bad boys and a bunch of others from Chad. Was probably looking forward to this one more than any of the five. He was raving about this place in a recent stop and reading the can it just sounded good, so summarize pungent, juicy and tropical. Can’t wait to try it.

Poured a medium yellow-to-straw/gold yellow hazy color with 2-to-3 fingers of frothy white head. Some light bubbles coming up on the sides of the glass. World-class circular lacing. Excellent retention. (Sight - 4.50)

Smelled Simcoe, Galaxy, Citra, orange blossom, peach, apricot, nectarine, hints of mango, cantaloupe and a touch of Mosaic late. (Smell - 3.75)

Taste was much better than the nose. Very juicy as expected. Got orange juice, peach, cantaloupe, apricot, nectarine, Simcoe, Citra, Galaxy and toned-down Mosaic. Also persimmon, pineapple, orange blossom, orange creamsicle and melons. (Taste - 4.25)

Medium body. Oily texture. Average carbonation. Long, fruity finish. (Feel - 4.25)

Still not a huge fan of the style, but this was one of the better ones. Liked it a lot. Was going back and forth on a few of the ratings, but happy with where it ended up. (Overall - 4.25)

4.15 | 93 | A-

 1,450 characters

4.6/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

The beer comes in a hazy medium gold color, completely murky.

The aroma hits of yeasty bubble, loads of pineapple, citrus, earthy dried herbs, sweet citrus.

The flavor follows with juicy pineapple flavor, loaded with juicy yellow orange, some sweet grapefruit, a bit of grainy malt, onto an earthiness, spicy dried herbs, vegetal green bitterness, while still dry.

 366 characters

4.68/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Had cans from both batch 1 and 2, both are fantastic. Golden hazy color with a bright tropical aroma. Definitely get the juice up front plus a nice mellow hop bite, super full body with a soft finish. Top tier NE style IPA, totally on par with anything else being put out around the US.

 286 characters

4.38/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a large cabernet glass.

Appearance: Beer pours an hazy orange yellow, similar to a traditional mai tai however more opaque. Decent head at first but retention reduced quickly to a thin, 1/16th inch at best in a glass without nucleation.

Smell: Classic New England character but a bit more subdued than anticipated. Pineapple dominates the nose, with an unremarkable stonefruit present that developed throughout the tasting session. In the back there is a bit of honeyed character to the fruits, lending a relaxed character rather than the aggressive fresh character typical of a west coast IPA.

Taste: The taste of this beer is incredibly balanced. Immediately there is a solid, complex backbone to this beer that is extremely pleasant and supports the flavors extremely well. The taste opens with pineapple again, but within 3 seconds apricot takes over and smoothly rounds out the finish. This is a tropical IPA without a question.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel on this beer is fantastic. It fills the mouth with a plush sensation that does not take away from the flavors but instead enhances them. Perfect for the style!

Overall: Fantastic beer. The only thing holding this back from world class status is that the flavors are pretty straight forward. If Moonraker continues to tinker with this style and develop more complexity in the aromatics and taste I am certain they will be well known nationwide in under a year. Excellent beer and I am looking forward to their future!

 1,493 characters

4.83/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

L: Hazy orange, apricot, and honeycomb hues with an ample white head
S: Pineapple, mango, and tangerines
T: Tropical fruits including oranges, pineapple, and melons with minimal malt
F: Medium bodied and moderate carbonation
O: Juicy, sweet, and bursting with tropical flavors. Thus far this is the best NE-style IPA I've had from a west coast brewery - very well done and expertly crafted.

 390 characters