Bon Chovy
American Solera

Poured from 16oz can into my 8th Wonder chalice. Stamp is really hard to read, but it seems like it was canned 7/17/25 — OK, so not mega fresh, but maybe for an imperial non-hazy that’s okay. (Looking at the next review, this probably actually says 7/3/25 but is all mangled).

Appearance: medium golden hue with a moderate haze and a thick head of frothy ivory foam, leaving a good lace on the glass.

Smell: quite sweet, but with a hop aroma that has passionfruit, earthy guava, and maybe even a little pineapple character. It’s not exactly juicy and bursting with aroma, but for this beer’s age, it has held up damn well.

Taste: much like the aroma, it’s darn sweet. That sort of earthy tropicality persists; even without any real juicy tang it’s still quite good. Bitterness is moderate, and it doesn’t have all the telltale signs of an “old IPA”. I’d say maybe the aftertaste is a little rough; like the bitterness outlasts the sweetness, but still, it’s not too bad.

Mouthfeel: medium-rich body with a good carbonation and a rich, smooth, lovely creaminess. The texture is really super delightful.

Overall: I don’t think I would intentionally age a beer like this, but this one seems to have matured in an interesting and pretty attractive way. It doesn’t really taste at all like what the earlier review of this beer describes — so I imagine those extra months did indeed have an effect. In any case, for the most part, I’m pleasantly surprised.

Clear amber brew with a modest foam in the goblet. The aroma is intriguing with berries and strawberry jam somehow. Hints of citrus in the nose. Quite bold flavors. Fairly bitter aftertaste with lemon and grapefruit peel. This is one for the hop enthusiast to try. I wish someone would use some restraint and try Anchovy hops in a Pilsner without dialing it up so high. Overall this is quite interesting and well worth a try. But sharp and bitter so a short glass is more than enough for me. From the 16 oz can purchased on the West Coast. Dated 07/03/25.