Oblivion Rhythm
Ruse Brewing

a clear ipa with simcoe, sounds simple and samey, but its not, its super well executed, and this gives me a real stoke about these guys, who came to prominence in my mind with the fort george collaboration. this is excellent beer, and its proof that sometimes less is more. clear and golden in color with an airy white head almost an inch high from the tap, looks like a million others. a simple grain base, pale two row and perhaps a light crystal addition, but mellow as can be. its a softer side of simcoe in the nose as well, not short on intensity, but the edges are more gentle, and as bold as this is, its also approachable, less bitter and green that it often is, less wet pine to me, its orangey and clean. the flavor agrees, great balance and simplicity to this. dry but with some body, fresh and flavorful on the hops, tons of citrus, but not all that bitter, still west coasty in feel with some oils and such, but its definitely not as dominating as simcoe can often be. super clean fermentation profile too is a nice touch and gives the beer a real professional vibe. nice carbonation and a round mouthfeel, close to gone on the swallow. great restraint in the right ways here, not all good ipa has to be tasted for hours after its gone. i think they did a nice job with this, less dramatic and maybe less interesting than i thought i wanted from these guys at first, but by the end of the glass i was fully stoked on the quality and purity. great pint of beer.