Hovered Ridge
Ten Bends Beer

Picked up a single can at Curtis Liquors in Cohasset, Massachusetts for about four dollars. My third brew reviewed from these guys. Canned on date is smudged. Not great. I suspect that this is an old can.

Drinking out of a medium snifter.
Pours a hazy light orange with a full foamy head.
Smells of tropical fruits - tangerines.
Nice mouth feel.
Tastes of tropical fruits. Tangy. No bitterness.

 

16 oz can acclimated to 51°F and poured into a tulip glass.

Pours hazy, the color of peach flesh or diluted orange juice, nice color. Produces a 1 finger very slightly off white head that dissipates quickly, leaving very little lacing.

Initial aroma is somewhat soft, fruity, and fuzzy. I get grapefruit pith, and what seems like some peach juice and pineapple juice, again, soft and fuzzy are the words that come to mind, like juice with pulp, it's gentle and very nice. Some pine is present, and with it some acidity. I get some hops, which seems to be dry grassy and light pale green, makes me think of green olive momentarily. After agitating I notice the hops come forward, but moreso a cooling clarity United with a fuzzy funk.

Initial taste before swallowing is sweet with pineapple, a bitterness, arriving midway through, and later, cocoa powder and Greek yogurt notes!?? Maybe not, maybe that's just what it made me think. After swallowing I first find sweetness that soon gives way to a dry bitterness that builds with time, climaxing in the aftertaste where it's not metallic, but suggests the same intensity and feeling of something metallic, very mineralic and sort of olive green, almost. Present through the majority of the experience is a grapefruit pith taste, between mild and moderate, a desirable level for me, given that many IPAs feel dominated by grapefruit. (Not a negative, I think it tastes great and pairs excellently, just doesn't lend itself to variety.) Having bested more than half, it's hard to notice the sweetness, as whenever I drink a 16 oz beer, it becomes more bitter the further I go (I drink slowly). In addition the alcohol starts to burn on the tip of the tongue, although before, the alcohol was not evident at 8.7.

Mouthfeel is actually a tad bit sub par for what I expect from a hazy IPA. Not at all bad, but I have come to expect over the top fuzzy and pillowy feelings. Those were present, just note in the quantity I've experienced before, although it makes sense given that the flavors were milder than other double IPAs I've tried. Still good!

Overall I like this one, it's at a level that feels quite comfortable. I can handle a double IPA, and do drink them, but they're not what I choose to drink regularly, and they can be intense, if not harsh sometimes. This one felt easily approachable every time I went in for another sip. The flavors I tasted performed nicely together, and I believe a key piece of that was the overall mellow nature of all tastes present (considering the style).

Not terribly likely to buy again to be honest, however, this is honestly not the negative it seems. I absolutely enjoyed it, but double IPA is just not what I want to drink very often. Although I enjoyed it, I'm almost always wanting to try something new. Given that I enjoyed it, it's absolutely possible that I will buy again! I'm just more likely to buy a double IPA I haven't tried. I will recommend it, though!

 

 

 

 

 

Onsite #2 of 6

 

16 oz can.

Pours a hazy pale gold color with a finger of effervescent white head. Moderate retention with some splotchy lacing.

The aroma is very muted. Getting some mild notes of citrus and white grape. Not much else.

The flavor definitely pops, bringing notes of orange, tangerine, grapefruit and faint lemon zest. Lots of fresh berries, pineapple, and white grapes. Just a touch of rindy bitterness on the finish.

The feel is medium bodied with soft carbonation. A little slick. Alcohol is well hidden.

Overall, this is a decent NEIPA. The aroma was barely existent, but the flavor was a solid showcase of the hops that were used.

Ten Bends has quickly become one of my new* favorite breweries with righteous IPA's

Juicy fruit style hop flavors, that pretty much sums it up here! Citra>Pacific Sunrise>Nelson Sauvin brings the unique fruit flavored hop profile: Sweet orange, white grape puree and dried strawberry chunks. Definitely a unique, bright, sweet and colorful fruity hop effect.

Aromatics are dense and highly sweet, old school DIPA style hops. Fruit candy and booze.

Mouthfeel is a bit relaxed, totally clean and slightly smooth.

I'm having a fun time with this one, as the hop flavors go on and on and on. Very complex. A fruit candy DIPA!

 

 

Fantastic, qwik pik. Loved it.

 

 

Pours a very hazy yellow/orange color with a big white foamy off white head which lingers for a couple minutes before turning to a frothy lacing. Tropical fruit on the nose especially pineapple, lemon, tangerine. Taste follows the aroma and is wonderfully balanced with some grapefruit and hops bitterness to finish. Excellent brew!

Tasted in a Spiegelau IPA glass from a one pint can on June 27, 2021.