Milkshake Series: Peaches and Juniper Berry
Vanished Valley Brewing

 

 

Can. Pours hazy and cloudy. A froth crown rests atop the orange, milky fluid. Aroma isn't very pungent. New England hop nose with some other elements. Lactose? I guess? There is this light pine/evergreen aroma not from the hops. Flavor has a bunch more that I can type on. Peachy flavor comes out. The lactose is there on the back end (where I usually pick it up) but it's dialed in well. Not too much of it, which is fatiguing. I get a berry flavor that is tangy. Sugary. Finally there is the juniper that is more prominent here than in the nose but not the most prominent flavor. Interestingly, it starts to build on my palate after every sip. It leaves a lingering aftertaste that is surprisingly pleasant. It almost tries to clean out the sugary, lactose that I find to be clingy. At first sniff and taste I was not a fan. It grew on me because while it is a Frankenstein beer, it is pretty nuanced and complex.

No canning date.........

L -- Pours a very hazy milky orange body with two fingers of dense, solid white head produced with moderate pour. Good retention and great lacing
S -- Peach, pear, hard cider, orange sorbet, lemon zest, vanilla yogurt
T -- Vanilla milkshake, peaches and cream, juniper bitterness, yellow grapefruit rind, dried pine. The juniper berries impart maybe a little too much bitterness and throw things off a little
F -- Medium mouthfeel, medium carb. Some residual bitterness, not sure if caused by hop or juniper berry
O -- An interesting combo that works surprisingly well although not perfectly (the juniper berries are a little weird). Overall, though, a very nice milkshake IPA from a brewery that is new to me yet quite local

82/100

Taste reminds me of cotton candy big time, juicy and smooth with some creamy lactose, fruity peaches, juniper berry, mild purple grape hints, piney earthy finish, medium thick bodied, really nice

 

On-tap at Europa Black Rock Bar & Grill

Pours a hazy, dirty orange with one finger of white head; good retention and great lacing speckled around the glass.

Aromas of clean piney earth cut by hints of light lactose sweetness, refined and balanced, and with a slight peachy citrus; beautiful, bursting balance of citrus and juniper bitterness.

Taste of peach transitions to piney raw juniper bitterness and a creamy lactose finish, beautiful bursting balance or citrus and bitterness; subtle transitions between flavors in the profile and excellently made.

Mouthfeel is creamy smooth with a light and easy body and balanced carbonation; consistent going down and an all-around pleasure on the palate.

Great example of the style. So balanced throughout, with nuanced flavor and harmony between the bitter, citrus, and lactose notes.