The Hermit
Moonraker Brewing Co.

 

Moonraker continues to impress. This hazy, what I'm thinking is kind of a mashup of a NEIPA and a west coast, is juicy, has very tasty tropical notes and goes down super smooth

 

 

 

Damn file this under Moonraker beers I've had a dozen times but yet to write a review for on the back half of 2019. Pours a slightly darker gold (golden promise) color. Nothing obscured or hazy really, although the big hop additions might be keeping it from being brighter than it would be otherwise.

Its almost like at this point Amarillo and Citra dry hopping = old school-ish. I mean, Citra is still relatively new, but Amarill is the OG and it drops that kind of nose on the beer, dropping lots of the older school C hop citrus notes, grapefruit, bitter orange, rind, thereby complimented with Citra giving lighter citrus and some of the tropical sweetness.

Body is still nice and light if slightly heartier than some of their more simple 2 row or pale toasted malt kind of bases. Carbonation on point, I've had several batches and they're consistently excellent. Bitterness in the average range. Wouldn't describe it as a hazy ipa, but it has a softness and deft sense to make you think such a thing. Just another total banger from Moonraker. Only down side is the price (about $4 per can at brewery).

16oz can. Poured out a hazy, straw-yellow color with a small, white head of foam. It smelled of melon, orange and sweet caramel. Nice fruity taste with sharp bitterness and a toasted caramel backbone.

 

S: Notes of melon and orange, but this beer is not as aromatic as I expected it to be, especially considering that its big brother, The Holy Hermit, brings quite a strong smell, but the aroma is delightful.

T: Again, melon is the dominant flavor with some sweet citrusy notes on the back end. I will say that the taste here is pretty unique for a beer hopped with such common hops as Citra and Amarillo. Interestingly, again, it’s very different from The Holy Hermit. I’m having a bit of trouble accurately describing what I’m picking up, but it tastes “fresh” in some sense. There’s also a tiniest hint of bitterness on the back end. I’m enjoying this beer quite a bit

F: Light to medium body, no discernible alcohol, medium to light carbonation. Spot-on NEIPA feel.

O: Moonraker makes some killer IPAs, and I think this is yet another winner. Put simply, for single, it excels, and I would gladly keep drinking more and more of these.

Can poured into a Russian River Brewing Co pub glass

A: Pours super hazy golden peachy amber with a frothy off white head that settles to a firm layer and laces very nicely.

S: Ripe citrus, tropical and stone fruit, slight floral notes, biscuity malt, and caramel sweetness.

T: Juicy citrus, orange, lemon lime, and pink grapefruit, ripe tropical and stone fruit, mango, passion fruit, peach, apricot, guava, and a hint of melon, a bit floral, subtle spicy grassy notes, biscuity malt, and caramel sweetness.

M: Medium body, moderate carbonation, soft on the palate.

O: Really freaking good, but the imperialized version, The Holy Hermit is still a notch above.

2024 Revisit: Just as good as I remember it being.

On tap at Moonraker...heard a lot about this and maybe my expectations were a little higher than it should have been. A good tropical citrus nose in which the taste follows...nice finish, but is not close to Yojo in which it has been compared to with just a little different hop profile.

Murky, orange beer with a small dense white head. A few bands of lacing left on the glass. Smells very tropical with mango, melon and some grassy, earthy hops. Sweet and tropical with citrus, mango and melon. Nice creamy mouthfeel.