Largemouth
Wallenpaupack Brewing Company

 

Canned 12/21/23

I'm not crazy about the body on most hazies and this one is no exception, but the head hangs out FOREVER. At this point I'm convinced that it's not going anywhere. It has taken up permanent residence in my glass. Clearly, some solid craftsmanship went into this. Smells... frankly, like a host of other hazies. I think I'm experiencing serious citra hop burnout. I'll try to be fair, though. *sniffs again* Yeah, I can't. It just smells like raw citra pellets to me. Maybe some grapefruit? I'm trying here, but it's tough to get past. Whatever, it's far from offensive on the nose; just doesn't do much to distinguish itself from the pack. Tastes like maybe it was better two weeks ago. There's not a whole lot there. It's pleasant enough, though. Tangerine and mild stone fruitiness. Drinks thin, but is also possessed of a certain softness on the tongue that is quite pleasant. Could be a lactose addition? Or water chemistry voodoo. Either way, I like it. The can says 51 IBUs so I anticipated at least some bitterness, but it's not really there. *shrug* I'm tempted to call this hazy-by-numbers, but it's legit one of the prettiest beers I've ever seen and so deserves props for that. I'm going to have to drink the other three pretty quick, though, because this ain't going to get any better.

 

 

 

 

Largemouth from Wallenpaupack Brewing. 16 oz can purchased from Wallenpaupack Brewing, Hawley, PA (21/10/21). $ 7.42 (including tax)/can ($0.464/oz). Stored at reefer in store and at 40 degrees after purchase. Reviewed 20/04/22. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Stamped on bottom of can “CANNED 09/22/21”. Served at 47.8 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. Final temperature 48.9 degrees.
Appearance – 4
First pour – Straw (SRM 3), slight haze.
Body – Pale Gold (SRM 4), hazy, precipitate covers the inside of the snifter. When rear-lite, same.
Head – Large (Maximum 6.5 cm, aggressive center pour), white, low density, and average retention, diminishing to a 0.2 cm crown fed by moderate carbonation and a heaped cap, leaving lacing on the inside of the glass as the head retracts
Lacing – Good. Much torn curtain lacing left as the head retracts, little as the level drops.
Aroma – 3.75 – Grapefruit zest, malt, no yeast.
Flavor – 4 – Refreshing. Follows nose. No ethanol (6.5 % ABV as marked on label) taste or aroma. No gastric warming occurs. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 3.5 – Medium, approaching full, soft but lively carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 3.75 At seven months old, a lot of the hops character is probably gone. But this is still a tasty IPA, albeit a bit subdued. Yes, I sucked this one down rather quickly. And yes, I like an IPA with its malt backbone showing.

 

Had this on 2021-10-09 near Pittsburgh, PA from a 16oz canned on 2021-09-22

A - Hazy golden-orange with a massive 3.5 finger white head as poured into a 20oz goblet

S - Moderately-dank hops, very ripe apricot, light malt and slightly herbal

T - Mango, papaya, plantain, white bread. Pine, honey and lemon zest. Less bitter than typical for an IPA and it works well here.

M - Medium body and light-medium carbonation.

O - A enjoyable twist on the IPA style with the plantain flavor. Worth a try for sure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

my first from these guys, a somewhat well refined hazy ipa with some familiar hop varietals, a well made beer for sure, but it would be better if it were fresher, i didnt catch a date on my can, but it tastes like its been sitting a little bit, no fault of the brewery it doesnt seem, and its still fairly easy to appreciate this for its full potential. not as heavy or dense feeling as a lot of these get, frothy feeling and nice and carbonated, but cleaner in the finish too, and rather dry. i like the increasingly common use of chinook hops in a dry hop setting, i feel like they were long relegated to a bittering role, but have recently began to be appreciated or rediscovered as fruity in a dry hop context, to me their place here is well defined, lemony and resinous, some pine too, up front in the smell and taste before the citra and simcoe have their moment. the citra is the most robust of the varietals to me though, its soft, sweet, lemony goodness is all over the back half of this, and overall its the malt that seems fading, not the hops, this citra still pops. some lemongrass and a little bitterness at the end, strong carbonation washes it clean, and if this was fresh, it would be on point. ill look to find it a little closer to the source next time! still enjoyable, and i wont be too harsh on it.

 

Pours a hazy yellow color, small head. Tropical fruit aromas. Flavor is sweet and dry, tropical fruit flavors, and a slight bitter finish. Good body and finish. Overall, a very good sweet ipa.