P.I.P.A. Long Hopping
Rustic Leaf Brewing Company

 

16 ounce crowler into tulip glass, filled on 6/30/2019. Pours crystal clear deep orange/amber/light copper color with a 1-2 finger dense and rocky cream colored head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Dense foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big juicy, lightly tart/tangy pineapples, tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, peach, pear, apricot, mango, honeydew melon, citrus peel/zest, wood, light peppercorn/pine, honey, caramel, white bread dough, toasted biscuit, light nuttiness, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/fruity/fairly earthy hops, pineapple, and dark/bready malt notes; with big strength. Taste of big juicy, lightly tart/tangy pineapples, tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, peach, pear, apricot, mango, honeydew melon, citrus peel/zest, wood, light peppercorn/pine, honey, caramel, white bread dough, toasted biscuit, light nuttiness, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Light pine, citrus peel/zest, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, peppery bitterness; and fruit tang/tartness on the finish. Lingering notes of tart/tangy pineapples, tangerine, red grapefruit, lemon, peach, pear, apricot, mango, honeydew melon, citrus peel/zest, wood, light peppercorn/pine, honey, caramel, white bread dough, toasted biscuit, light nuttiness, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/fairly earthy hops, pineapple, and dark/bready malt flavors; with a solid malt/bitterness, and tart/tangy fruit balance; with no cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering bitterness and tart/tangy fruit. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth, creamy/bready/grainy, fairly sticky, and lightly resinous/rindy/acidic/tangy mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 7.7%. Overall this is an excellent fruited IPA. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/fairly earthy hops, pineapple, and dark/bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink for the ABV with the mildly bitter/tart/tangy/drying finish; great soft feel. Feels like Centennial/Amarillo. Very juicy hops/fruit, with light dank/earthy notes; and a great balanced clean dark/bready malt backbone. Light residual sweetness with lingering resin drying. A very enjoyable offering, and well made Midwest style example as expected. No complaints.