Lost Vision
Buttonwoods Brewery

 

Citra? This beer has not of the taste profile of a beer brewed which has a strong fruit tastes

Mostly funk. Funky aroma, funky taste.

Hmm…

 

This is my first beer from Buttonwoods, a fairly-small operation based in Rhode Island that opened in 2016. I picked this up along with a new triple IPA from them to give 'em a fair shake. Also, the art is right up my alley, so that didn't hurt. Full disclosure: this is about two months old, so it may not be the best example of an IPA by these guys given its age. Hoping they are talented enough at brewing to make a DIPA that doesn't fall off right at the six week mark.

Pour is a hazed-over orange color with a slightly darker bent than some others in this style category. It's a little bit dingy in a sense, though the head does build up with about three fingers of suds that fade away over the course of about five minutes, leaving behind spotty suds without much consistency. It's kind of a give-and-take affair here, appearance-wise, and I have to say it doesn't really impress aesthetically.

This is a Citra-focused (potentially single-hopped?) DIPA, which is tough to do wrong, and the first sniff leads me to believe this will be pretty solid. It has a yeasty kick to it, though there are big tangerine and papaya elements jumping out along with some light herbal undertones and some melon or stone fruit. It's a little more complex than some other, brighter Citra IPAs, but that could have to do with its relative "oldness." I don't think it's fair to not give this one the benefit of the doubt, to be honest, as it seems to be well-brewed and well-rendered without any real issues. Hope it follows through on the palate.

Yeah, it's solid. I mean, nothing about this is really blowing me away, but I've been around the block and have had my fair share of Citra-dense IPAs, and this does the job well. Up front, you get a nice wave of orange marmalade with some solid fruitiness. Flavors of peach, tangelo, and mango with aspirin-like chalky bitterness in the swallow. It's pretty par for the course, but there isn't really anything wrong with that. I enjoy the drinkable texture and feel of this one, as well... it's kind of deceptively lighter and more sprightly than I expected, which gives it some extra points. Again, this would probably be a lot better fresh, so I'm rating it to reflect that belief. I would drink it again if I saw it with about a month (or less) on it.

Served in a plastic cup. Color is a dull orange with a slight milkiness or the clarity and a consistent slick of a head. Nose is lovely - melon, citrus and pith (present without being overly bold and in your face). Taste is somewhat consistent with nose; however, there’s also a bubblegum quality as well as an earthy/herbal character that cuts through the middle. Mouthfeel is light-medium in body with a hint of creaminess. Carbonation is mild and even. Overall, solid, but not my favorite offering from this brewer.