Hilltop IPA
Parker's Hilltop Brewery

 

 

32 ounce crowler into tulip glass, filled on 1/2/2017. Pours crystal clear deep orange/light copper color with a 1-2 finger dense off white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice dense soapy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, apricot, papaya, mango, lemon/orange peel, citrus rind, light pepper, pine, caramel, toasted bread, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of citrus/tropical/pine hops and moderate dark/bready malt notes; with solid strength. Taste of big grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, apricot, papaya, mango, lemon/orange peel, citrus rind, light pepper, pine, caramel, toasted bread, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Moderate pine/citrus rind/spicy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, apricot, papaya, mango, lemon/orange rind, pepper, pine, caramel, toasted bread, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/tropical/pine hops and moderate dark/bready malt sweetness; with a nice malt/bitterness balance, and minimal lingering hop astringency after the finish. Moderate dryness from bitterness; increasing through the glass. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, moderately sticky/resinous/rindy, and creamy/grainy balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Minimal warming alcohol as expected of 6%. Overall this is a very nice IPA. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/tropical/pine hops and moderate dark/bready malt sweetness; very smooth and easy to drink. Nicely juicy and pretty dank on hops; with a nice sized malt backbone. A bit fuller bodied for a 6% IPA, but never overly sweet thanks to the aggressive/drying bitterness. A very enjoyable offering.