Mr. Bitter Numb Buds
New Heights Brewery

Definitely an interesting a different IIPA, but a little abrasive and rough around the edges, though perhaps that’s the point given the name.

Starts off well with a golden-auburn body with a slight haze/opaqueness and a light off-white head that drops quickly and provides mild spotty lacing.

There’s a LOT of earthy, semi-sweet malt on the nose, along with an overripe fruit funkiness that I was not expecting. Plenty of sharp pine resin, a LOT of white grape skin and grape musk, a little faint tropical fruit (probably part of the overripe funky notes), but hardly any citrus or traditional C-hop notes. As I go back for additional sips and whiffs the grape musk becomes more and more pronounced, along with the dank funkiness, and that combined with the bready malts make for a really unique (though somewhat non-IPA-ish) profile. Different and interesting but a bit bizarre.

The grape is still there in the tongue, along with strong resin notes, but now a powerful dank berry element enters the picture, as well. There are bitter West Coast IPA elements at play, and this is a malty-sweet beer for sure, but the berry and grape and funky nuances are what linger in my mind over the abrasive bitterness and semi-balancing sweetness. If you have this beer to a inexperienced IPA drinker I’d bet they’d view it as a mess. But for long-time hop heads it makes for an interesting (though possibly not repeated) experience.

Feel is a bit light, body-wise, but there’s a wonderful lingering silkiness and coating, resiny bitterness that I really like. Hard to get it off the teeth. Maybe a slight bite of heat that reminds you this is a big beer, but not boozy or hot in any way.

Very interesting Experience. Glad I tried it but not sure I would seek it out again. Little too much berry in the tongue for me.

On draft into a tulip. A moderately hazy golden-amber color with a modest white head. Nice floral aroma with berries, oranges, and some resin. The taste followed - this was old-school bitter throughout, punctuated by resin, orange, and blueberry. A clean bitter finish but with some aspirin as well. Slightly sweet from the ABV and medium-to-full bodied. Overall a more fruity take on the old-school bitter bombs. I enjoyed it.