Southern Lights
Equilibrium Brewery

Southern LightsSouthern Lights
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From:
Equilibrium Brewery
 
New York, United States
Style:
Hazy Imperial IPA
Ranked #1,818
ABV:
8%
Score:
89
Ranked #14,238
Avg:
4.06 | pDev: 7.39%
Ratings:
17 | reviews: 5
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 29, 2023
Added:
Dec 08, 2021
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
Fluctuations from the sun hurl particles of plasma towards earth and create the dramatic display known as the Aurora Borealis. The same effect happens at the South Pole producing Southern Lights or Aurora Australis. We took our beloved Fluctuation recipe, turned it upside down, and hit it with all our favorite Southern Hemisphere hops: Galaxy, Enigma, Rakau, and Nelson. Southern Lights pours a vibrant yellow and has aromas of candied papaya, white grape, pineapple, and melon. With bold flavors of citrus, papaya, white grape, lime, and green apple, it pours like a liquid fruit salad. Its body is thick and luscious with a bright #EQjuice forward finish. This beer should transport you to the Southern Light show in just a few sips.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of mactrail
Reviewed by mactrail from Washington

3.13/5  rDev -22.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75
Pours a hazy amberish brew with modest foam in the tulip. Aroma of orange juice with a splash of lemon. Taste is juice, old oranges, and cider. Sometimes these NEIPAs benefit from some fading of the harsh murkiness, but this one seems to be developing off flavors. I am thinking of moldy oranges too distinctly. Thick mouthfeel with the gunky finish. Not as acidic as most other hazies, but few redeeming qualities. From the 16 oz can purchased on the West Coast. Dated 03.20.23.
Oct 29, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by 322wingedfoot from Pennsylvania

Jul 10, 2023
 
Rated: 4.31 by craigbelly from Iowa

May 27, 2023
 
Rated: 4.5 by Jcal2023 from Pennsylvania

Apr 20, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by Abe_Froman from Massachusetts

Apr 14, 2023
Photo of defunksta
Reviewed by defunksta from Wisconsin

4.23/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Canned 2/22/23 (1.5 months ago)

Appearance: Pours a mostly hazy (20% clarity) bright golden to orange color with a strong white head that lingers and laces the glass. SRM of 7. (4.50)

Aroma: Relatively moderate aromas of rich lemon citrus, pineapple, and tropical mango skins underneath. (4.00)

Flavor: Moderate flavors of rich and sweet lemon, pineapple, with a mango skins and mango flesh flavor underneath. Somewhat clean. (4.25)

Feel: Medium body. Average carbonation. Slightly heavy and clean on the finish. (4.25)

Compared to The Veil Merciless Merciless 4/2023: Pours clearer and brighter, larger head. Similar aromas. More rich lemon, papaya, mango. Less orange citrus and cantaloupe melon.

Compared to BlackStack Aptitude Test 4/2023: Pours darker, similar head. Similar aromas. More green mango skin and papaya. Less sweet tangerine and melon. More green and less heavy and sweet.

Compared to BlackStack Purely Decorative 4/2023: Pours similar. Slightly milder aromas. Less ripe tangerine, orange, sweet melon and mango. More lemon citrus, creamsicle, and mango skins. Dryer, softer, and cleaner.

Compared to EQ Cosmic Proportions 4/2023: Pours identical, stronger head. More green mango skins and flesh. Less orange, green grape, and apple. Slightly cleaner and dryer.

Compared to EQ mc2 4/2023: Pours lighter, similar head. Similar aromas. More orange citrus, grapefruit citrus, grape juice, juicy mango flesh. Less green citrus, guava, mango skins. Juicier and leans sweeter, but very similar overall.

Compared to Other Half Southernhopalistic 5/2023: Pours darker, similar head. Milder aromas. More tropical pineapple and mango. Less green grape, gooseberry, green melon, and lime.

Overall: Pretty good one from EQ. Classic EQ juice that focuses on the sweet mango flesh with some hints of juicy grape. Some rich lemon and mango skins to support but ultimately it drinks like sweet mango flesh and grapes. Rich, but just a touch sweet . Great haze from EQ. (Rating: 4.20)
Apr 08, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by Shenk87 from Pennsylvania

Apr 03, 2023
 
Rated: 4.12 by RJD422 from Pennsylvania

Apr 01, 2023
 
Rated: 4.19 by BKotch from Texas

Mar 15, 2023
 
Rated: 4.08 by Timfromthemainland from New York

Mar 10, 2023
 
Rated: 4.02 by hockeypuck from Maine

Mar 05, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by Orrin04 from New Jersey

Mar 04, 2023
Photo of Scotchboy
Reviewed by Scotchboy from Idaho

3.91/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Juice-like golden opacity in the glass with a large foamy off-white head. Strong tropical juiciness abounds, that Galaxy working strongly with honey-like fruit aromas and flavors...mango, apricot...minor dankness, some grassy citrus...thicker mouthfeel and malt backbone reminds you its a double IPA for sure...decent enough offering with a strong hop profile.
Jun 27, 2022
 
Rated: 4.23 by Limazulu from Idaho

Jun 26, 2022
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

4.24/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
In a colorful display of hops, Equilibrium turns to the hops of Galaxy, Enigma, Rakau and Nelson for a kaleidescope of flavors, aroma and mystic character.

Southern Lights arrives pale gold with a stern nod to straw. As a frothy eggshell crown pulls from its turbid haze, the IPA greets the nose with a bevy of tropical, vinous, melon, citrus and orchard fruits. Sweetened with the creaminess of cereal, floral honeysuckle and pastry crust, the full grain profile adds plumpness to the hop flavors to come.

Juicy with papaya, passionfruit and pineapple, the beer's middle palate shifts toward the hops. Following with a hint of wine, honeydew, lime and orange peel, a full fruit cocktail starts to emerge. Not to be outdone, the lightness of apple, pawpaw and light mango add to the complex hop profile before turning snappy with a peppery spruce, tea and botanical bitterness to close.

Full bodied, creamy and rounded, the hazy IPA finishes bittersweet with a drying linger that favors the herbal flavors of hops and their bitter resins. Their EQJuice is alive and well in this well balanced imperial New England-styled IPA.
Jun 03, 2022
Photo of snaotheus
Reviewed by snaotheus from Washington

3.78/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
2022-05-28
16oz pour at Chuck's Hop Shop in the Central District. Served in a little jar-shaped glass with a handle.

Pours opaque murky, small head. Smell is surprisingly muted, but mostly tropical juice.

Taste is super juicy, mostly tropical with a little orange, moderate dankness, fairly boozy.

Mouthfeel is thick and smooth with a gritty/dry finish. Overall, it's good, but not worth the $14 I paid for the pint.
May 29, 2022
 
Rated: 3.75 by toast9 from New Jersey

Dec 08, 2021