Brut Suit
Farnham Ale & Lager - Vermont Laboratory

Can: 12/19/18 opened on 2/28/19

A yellow gold with a white haze within, effervescent, bubbly but frothy white dome has sustainability. A fine layer of constant coverage featuring big clumps of lace.

The nose has a certain effervescent quality, with some sour citrus hop notes, cucumber, dried golden wheat and earthy grains, shallots, pineapple and an earthy/sour malty scent that makes this aroma intetesting and complex in a strange way.

I must comment on the mouthfeel first, due to the fact that is seriously sharp, light and crisp. The malt just snaps and pops, once again...effervescent! Finishing delicate and very dry. And very nice indeed.

The hops...(I mean this is an IPa style right?!? ) are very tasty, but mostly dry-earth tones of spicy wheat and dried grains. There is a subtle sour edged citrus bite but the crispy and golden style malt brings it all back around to exactly what a "champagne" beer should.

I wouldn't mind a bit more hop kick, perhaps a slight fruity thing, not tropical but maybe some sweet fruits currents or just a bit more than 25 ibu's to finish hoppy bitter...but regardless this "ipa" brings me back to some excellent golden belgians minus the rad and funky yeast flavors.

So, overall...A highly drinkable, fun and rather complex brew...not sure it gets into IPA territory but I'm not looking to get technical in terms of style but its worth commenting on. Fun stuff though.

Can from CBC Waterbury. First foray into this style... Love the pillowy head. I can see the "champagne IPA" description. Not quite my thing though.

First time trying a Brut style IPA. Wanted to see what all the hype is about. Not a huge fan of juice bombs we New Englanders seem to love so a Brut IPA appealed to me.

Really refreshing beer. Very low bitterness (I think like 22IBU), super smooth. A bit grassy, but not necessarily dank. Bit of a lemon/citrus to it but not juicy. Bit of sweetness from the alcohol. Dry and refreshing. This seems like a good beer after a hike to me. Hope this isn't too out of place but this beer reminds me almost of a Pilsner for some reason- especially with the head. Pilsner malt maybe?

Overall, an interesting take. For those who love the juicy stuff or the extreme stuff, this probably isn't your thing. Feels like an IPA grew up and mellowed out. A nice change of pace. Good stuff!

 

Canned 12/19/18. Pours a slightly hazy golden/blonde with lots of bubbles and a thick, frothy head. Dry with a slight citrus effervescence. Juicy, buttery malt explosion that finishes a touch dry. Dryness feels scattered but overall, I feel that it contains enough hallmarks of the Brut IPA style. Pick it up.