Stacks In the Park
North Park Beer Company

Type: 16-oz. can
Reviewed as: New England Triple / Imperial IPA
Glass: Pure Project 14-oz. snifter elemental (earth) glass
Price: $27.00 for a 4-pack
From: North Park Beer Company in North Park (San Diego), Calif.
Purchased: April 29, 2022
Consumed: April 30, 2022
Misc.: Collaboration with BlackStack; Canned on April 13, 2022; Split (2/4) with Sonny (1/4) and Kevin (1/4)

Grabbed a 4-pack of this on a recent trip to North Park Beer Co. Was really looking forward to this once since it was a collab with BlackStack, with North Park two of my favorite producers of hazy TIPAs. North Park’s description of this one was “Another one...this time we linked up with our homies from Blackstack in Minnesota to bring you our latest TDH Hazy TIPA "Stacks in the Park". Featuring Citra Incognito, Strata, Cashmere, Talus Cryo and HBC 586 Cryo, this midwestern flavor bomb is packing tasting notes of candied orange, tropical pineapple, juicy mango and guava/nectar jumex juice! It was a true privilege to brew with our friends from the "North Star State" and we gotta say "You Betcha" this one brew turned out great!” Loving that hop combo (and Cashmere).

Poured a bright light golden hazy color with three fingers of frothy off-white head. Could see a great deal of bubble streams creeping up along the sides of the glass. Excellent uneven foamy lacing. World-class foamy retention. (Sight - 4.50)

Smelled Talus, HBC 586, stone fruit, peach, Strata, strawberry, red grapefruit, Citra, mango, guava, Jolly Rancher orange candy and pineapple. About the same from the can. (Smell - 4.25)

Tasted about as good as the nose was. In order got Talus, HBC 586, stone fruit, oak, pine, grapefruit, peach, Strata, strawberry, mango, guava, Jolly Rancher orange candy, pineapple, apricot, hints of vanilla and citrus zest. Somewhat smooth for 10 pct. ABV. (Taste - 4.25)

Medium body. Creamy texture. Average-to-lively carbonation. Long, smooth finish. (Feel - 4.50)

To show you how much I respect North Park and BlackStack, this was a bit disappointing and that is a compliment. Excellent overall, just wanted a bit more. (Overall - 4.25)

4.29 | 95 | A

Canned on 4/18/22; consumed on 5/20/22

Pours a turbid, milky lemon-gold body topped with multiple fingers of dense, sudsy, white foam; good head retention yields chunky islands of soapy cap, a thin, frothy collar, and a haphazard array of webby/spotty lacing dotted around the walls of the glass.

Aroma highlights composted lemon bringing quasi-earthy brightness to dense jackfruit and lingering banana peel, with a fresh grass interlude over the middle guiding toward a citric expanse of tangerine, fresh grapefruit juice, and white grape on the close.

Taste opens to lush papaya and grapefruit smoothie, accented with floral orange oil perfume and fresh mango into the mid-palate; a grassy prickle finds white grape resins on the back end and papaya hovering on the finish.

Mouthfeel shows a medium body with a moderate carbonation, producing slick resins fading to semi-creamy textures through the mid-palate while a juicy pang strikes the back end and the mildest hop twang sparks over a mildly warming finish.

A massive amalgam of hop character yields a ripe symphony of eclectic fruit tones bursting forth, any residual sweetness tapered by resins and a burly, embedded hop twang; a controlled chaos of flavor finds stability enveloped by the boozier weight of this wholly unique NEIPA.