Pine Tree (Summer)
BKS Artisan Ales

(review from July 2024) Yep, it's another great, well balanced BKS Pine Tree variant w/good aroma/mouthfeel; thick haze; medium hoppiness; this version with much more grassiness up front along with piney/slightly melony-earthyish-herbal notes & a lovely, lingering aftertaste and yes, it's very quaffable indeed!

Canned on 6/21/25; consumed on 7/21/25

Pours a turbid, milky pale golden body topped with a cascading multiple fingers of sudsy, white foam; great head retention leaves a comprehensive wall of chunky, webby lacing along with a slight collar and modest cap atop the surface.

Aroma brings a piney foundation coursing beneath grapefruit potpourri, an earthy opening soon turning to limeade meeting strawberry creme over time.

Taste opens to grapefruit zest and a bready malt balance; lime spritz revisits citrus underpinnings as dank white grape details the back end of the profile into a musty grass lingering on the finish.

Mouthfeel brings a medium body and moderate carbonation; a taut structure and malty backbone prevailing, the palate remains bright with a clean hop sheen: slick, vague, yet gentle as a bittering eases through the finish.

A generously hop-saturated IPA, sporting fine detail while maintaining a rounded, refreshing drinkability.

Pours a pale orange with an opaque translucency. Head is two fingers of white foam and retains decently well. Aroma is thick citrus with a touch of pine behind. The storyline is hops. Flavor profile is thick tropical fruits - papaya, guava, and a squeeze of orange juice. Pine hops come on later and linger after the initial sweet-leaning hops fade. All hops throughout. Slight grating green hop burn at end. Mouth feel is medium in thickness. Texture is soft at first, but turns a little more abrasive at the finish. Overall, hop forward with some hops that strike a good balance between sweet and bitter.

Draft. Reviewed from notes.

Had Pine Tree (Summer) at BKS Tasting Room, Kansas City, Missouri, on draft into nonic (American) pint.

Pours pulpy light, tangerine-gold, with huge, near-white, bubbly head, with excellent retention, leaving splotchy rings of lace down the glass. A lot of piney dry-hopping resin aroma off pour, then some berry aroma, sweet citrus and hop spice, and even a little straight-up pepper as warms, before competing aromas devolve into a funky, still piney dankness. Begins sweetly malty and citrusy, then big herbal and citrus skin bite, over a lovely, palpable (pulpy), malty mouthfeel, with sweet citrus carrying into a big, piney, resiny, yet dank and sticky finish.

Looks New England hazy and juicy, but drinks (mostly) San Diego pine blast and Humboldt dank.

L: Pours a light, cloudy gold. Off-white head that quickly collapses; moderate, delicate lacing.

S: A mix of pine and citrus, with a little alcohol astringency when opening up the nostrils.

T: Citrus, a little resin, some black pepper, and a green onion-like earthiness. Even though it’s only at 6.8% ABV, a little alcoholic heat at the end.

F: Light and effervescent - leaves a lingering tingle on the palate.

O: This beer is a mix of West Coast and New England IPAs...and works quite well. This summer version of BKS’ winter seasonal is refreshing.

Can purchased from the brewery 6/27/2020.