Citra + Simcoe 4 Ever
Matchless Brewing

 

Once again, the Tavour service comes through for The CANQuest (tm) is a big way! I may not be buying many bottled beers through them, but you CAN bet your bottom dollar that I am snapping up CANs as they become available. I really enjoyed the OWL last night & I am looking forward to this one tonight.

From the CAN: "Drink Matchless Beer"; "HOPS: Citra + Simcoe MALT: Pilsner, Pale, Flaked Oats YEAST: American Ale DESCRIPTORS: Big, Passionate, Juicy"; "Store cold. Contains no fruit." Candied pine and citrus, mild bitterness and an almost non existent malt softness. That last is from their site.

I began with a Crack! of the vent and a slow, gentle Glug into the awaiting glass. Unbidden, it formed three fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, French Vanilla colored head with very good retention, leaving behind loads of lacing as it fell. Color was a gorgeous Golden-Amber (SRM = > 5, < 7) with NE-quality clarity, leading to a visit from The Gelt Gang of Mammon, Midas & Croesus, all vying for a taste. Nose was great, for a hophead like myself! The grapefruit citrusiness of Citra was offset/balanced by the cattiness of Simcoe the kitty and vice versa. Both were easy to detect while not canceling each other out. Mmm. Mouthfeel was medium, kind of light for this style, but super slick on the tongue, due to those flaked oats. The taste was super juicy, like a blend of orange and grapefruit juice with a bit of alcohol heat thrown in to keep me on my toes. Oh, man, this was just what I was craving. The last few days have been filled with Stouts, Fruit Beers & Pilsners & while that was fine, it also led me to have a hops jones. Phew! Finish was dry, bitter, everything that I like and look for in the style. I am SO glad that I was able to score this one!

Clear golden color with an exuberant foam in the Orval chalice. Deep aromas of citrus and gardenia. Hugely flavorful with a modest bitter finish. I am reminded of my favorite Booming Rollers from Modern Times, which adds Motueka to the Citra. But for a DIPA this is a great combination. It's so lip-smacking malty sweet in the nicest possible way.

Flavors of papaya with a dose of lime peel. So fruity and sparkling mouthfeel, endless aromatics. Well, here's a brewery that is new to me this year and the three beers I've had got some of my top scores this year. Needless to say, a trip to Tumwater is wanted. From the 16 oz can purchased at Central Market.

 

Nice cloudy orange pour with decent head. Nose isn’t terrible, equally isn’t the greatest. Flavor a combo of pine meets orange and tropical fruit. Feel is pleasant, I’d drink again. Cheers.

 

 

 

 

This one pours a clear dark orange color, with a small head, and lots of lacing.

This smells like astringent and chalky/vegetal hops, unfortunately, with orange peel, grapefruit pith, Pine-sol, and booze.

I expected a lot more from this. It's overly harsh, boozy, and astringent. The can describes it as very juicy, but it's mostly dry and chalky, with some floral perfume, and a heavy booziness. There's no real malt character, though, so that's something.

This is medium bodied, slightly syrupy, with a typical level of carbonation.

I wanted to like this a lot more than I did. It was disappointing.

 

 

 

 

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a slightly cloudy, golden amber with a big two finger white head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of mildly caramel malt, citrus hops with a little grassiness and dankness, orange and lemon citrus. Flavor is caramel malt, citrus and lightly piney hops, orange, light mixed tropical fruit and a hint of light stone fruit. Finishes with a nice base of mixed fruit and mostly citrus hops, but with suggestions of pine, dry grass and citrus rind. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess, nice mouth feel. It's nice to get back to a classic Western style IPA after a flood of hazies. This is well balanced and shows off the two hops quite well; citrus with a little pine and grassiness/earthiness from from the Simcoe. The finish is particularly satisfying with hints of stone fruit, mixed tropical fruit, pine and lingering citrus bitterness. Well done.