Focal Banger India Pale Ale | The Alchemist Brewery and Visitors Center

4.51/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Tried side by side a can of Heady

L — Pours a somewhat hazy golden straw body with a three-finger white head produced with moderate pour. Great retention and good lacing. Some small floaties are visible
S — Has the same citrusy, piney dankness as Heady, but much more tropical fruit-forward. Getting a little blueberry, cattiness, and honey as well
T — Quite similar to Heady. Leads with a good amount of pine resin, grapefruit pith, bready malts, and rich tropical/herbaceous overtones
F — Soft, mildly creamy, fluffy mouthfeel. Medium carb. Biting yet not overpowering bitterness
O — In my opinion, Focal Banger is just as good as Heady. While Heady smells better, Focal has a better mouthfeel, and both have a rich, complex hop character on the palate

91/100

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5/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Better than Heady. Didn't think that was possible. It is dank and funky.

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4.5/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

4.48/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

4.86/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

4.45/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Look - transparent light golden color with very sticky lacing and a good white head
Smell - good balance between malts and hops. Grainy, Citra, pineapple, Mellon.
Taste - Well balanced, not overly hoppy but definitely has a ton of fruitiness to it but with that good malt backbone.
Feel - Medium body with a medium light carbonation
Overall - Fantastic fruity well balanced IPA

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4.42/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

4.5/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Thank you, Devin.

Decanted, this beer is a mostly clear light orange with a dense, off-white head with good retention and lacing. The nose is _excellent_. A perfect balance of pungent and bitter hops and fruity and refreshing hops, there's layers of pine, grapefruit, some peach, melon and papaya. A little bit of honey and a little bit of weed are also present. The palate opens clean and bitter, resiny, pine-heavy with some grapefruit pith and fruity mango and peach. Malt character is minimal, though a touch of honeyed toast is present. Oily and resiny with a touch of dank weed on the finish with a clean, bruising bitterness, this beer has a truly breathtaking hop expression. Despite the heavy bitterness, this is remarkably drinkable. Excellent.

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4.53/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear golden color with lots of floaties and a well retained one inch white head that left some lacing. Smells and tastes of sweet pink grapefruit, a little grapefruit pith, pineapple,cantaloupe, pine and a sweet malt backbone. Medium bodied, well carbonated, clean and crisp.

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4.94/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

4.58/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

4.61/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

2.87/5  rDev -37.5%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

4.68/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

4.25/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.25/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.44/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Look: clear golden straw with a nice white head.

Smell: tropical fruit, mango, pineapple, dank overall.

Taste: great balance of malt and hops, tastes like loads of pungent Galaxy hops. Tropical flavors of mango, pineapple, grapefruit pith.

Feel: crisp and nicely carbonated.

Overall: excellent beer. Just as good as HT or Crusher, just a little different.

10/12/17
16 oz can (not at brewery 9/20)
4.5 rating

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4.29/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

4.75/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

4.49/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

4.75/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

4.3/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

4.5/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

4.5/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

4.31/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Pours hazy and amber colored with a one finger head; splashy lacing here and there

Smell: Ruby red grapefruit and blueberry with sugar cookie tones; cantaloupe, passion fruit and apricot underneath

Taste: Sugar coated ruby red grapefruit with blueberry, cantaloupe, passion fruit and apricot tones adding to the mix; the pithy bitterness explodes, through the middle, with the pungent citrus and sweet malt tones bringing home the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation

Overall: Sugary sweet and powerfully bitter, this beer has a nice range of fruit flavors to complement the two extremes

Thanks, marcrgrenier, for the opportunity

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