Hilltop Brut IPA
Parker's Hilltop Brewery

32 ounce crowler into tulip glass, filled on 8/18/2019. Pours slightly hazy medium golden amber color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and fluffy white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, mango, honeydew melon, berries, citrus peel/rind, wood, peppercorn, pine, cracker, white bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops and moderate pale malt notes; with big strength. Taste of big tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, mango, honeydew melon, berries, citrus peel/rind, wood, peppercorn, pine, cracker, white bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, peppery bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, mango, honeydew melon, berries, citrus peel/rind, wood, peppercorn, pine, cracker, white bread dough, lightly toasted biscuit, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops and moderate pale malt flavors; with a fantastic malt/bitterness balance, and no astringent hop flavors after the finish. Moderately crisp/clean finishing. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering bitterness and carbonation. Medium-plus carbonation and light-medium body; with a very smooth, moderately bready/grainy/sticky, and lightly resinous/rindy mouthfeel that is fantastic. Minimal warming alcohol for 6.5%. Overall this is an outstanding brut IPA. All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops and moderate pale malt flavors; very smooth, crisp, clean, and pretty refreshing to drink with the mellowly bitter/drying finish. Great soft feel for the style, and not aggressive. Feels like Centennial, Simcoe, and Columbus. Very vibrant, juicy, and fairly dank/earthy hops; with a great clean pale malt backbone. Minimal residual sweetness with crisp dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and outstandingly spot on style example.