Zen Lupulin
Kings County Brewers Collective (KCBC)

 

Picked this at KCBC at the beginning of this year, as I loved the Zed Lupulin and wanted to review this since it was done in collaboration with Magnify - they're the closest brewery to my neck of the woods and although I haven't had much from them in recent months, this was a dynamite effort on both parts as it was effortlessly enjoyable, full-flavored and full-bodied, and went down as easily as could be for something with this much heft!

The pour to this was good as the liquid had a dank hue like orange juice with plenty of head topping it off and no sediment to be seen floating around or settling at the bottom. Deep, webbed rings of lacing covered much of my pint glass for near the top as it was as extensive as anything that I've ever had from KCBC. Lots of orange juice, oats, tangy hops, and sticky papaya in the nose as the flavor was just as deep and enjoyable from the first sip onwards. Juicy, dank, and full from the oats and barley. Hard to pick out the wheat but it was probably because it blended in with the Cryo Citra to give this a nice slickness on the teeth as the Mosaic and Ekuanot had a dank forest and vegetable feel that really emerged in the aftertaste once this fully warmed up. Deep peach and tropical fruit rind held this together throughout as the carbonation was just present enough to be felt, while allowing the flavors to linger for a long time.

Don't be fooled - this was a beast of a beer and I felt the alcohol kick in long before it crept up on my tongue. Canned on 12/29, this was an absolute winner and a great example of what an Imperial IPA should be without overdosing on the hops. Plenty to love here, as this warmed me up nicely on one of the coldest nights of the year! Fabulous job by both breweries!

Canned on 12-29-20.

A - Opaque dark golden tan color with a one finger frothy white head. Lacing sticks to the glass like cotton candy.

S - Tropical fruit, pineapple, spicy fruit rind, red grapefruit.

T - Spicy, peppery fruit rind, pineapple, lemon, lime, berry, mango, and light herbal pine bitterness.

M - Big, chewy, and slightly frothy. Dry on the back of the palate with some slight warming on the way down. Citrus coats the mouth with a hefty lingering layer.

O - This is a fantastic T-IPA!

Had this as a 10oz draft pour and it looked like orange juice with a thin head that left some lacing.
Tastes citrusy with only a hint of all that alcohol.

Big and juicy 10% beer!

 

The appearance is exactly what you want from a NE Hazy IPA, orange juice with fluffy head that did not last very long. Aroma was also spot on, big and aggressive. Tropical with a bit of floral and grass. Nice combination of aromas. The taste followed and was also very balanced. Nice full mouthfeel. Overall I felt this was an outstanding and aggressive monster of a beer. Nice job, my first KCBC.

poured from a 16oz can dated 12/27/19 and purchased at the brewery 1/11/20.thick apricot color with a solid inch of foam that sticks around nicely. Mild peach on the nose, but strong pineapple, pine and peach to the taste. Some alcohol from the 10% abv. Smooth citrus finish. A little over the top for me , but definitely a beast of a beer!