By Way of Synthesis
Woodstock Brewing

 

 

When I see Woodstock Brewing I can't help but think of the original WBC in the space Keegan Ales has been brewing for 17 or 18 years in Kingston NY. I peddled Woodstock beers in the mid 90's for Brewer Nat Collins' distributor - Hudson Lager (6%), Big Indian Porter (8%), Ichabod Crane Pumkin Ale @11% back before "extreme beer" drinkers were even old enough - Braveheart Barleywine came in at 12% if I remember.
But I digress.....
This beer can is a trippy red swirl of liquid fire in front of a flame to midnight blue background, that shows no date of production or best by.
The color is a cloudy pale amber - looks like suede as so many murky IPA's do. Initial head is bright white and dense with clotted sheets of lace.
Up front, aromas of tangerines and grapefruit ( yawn) but some yeasty, malty notes come through - a rising dough sort of thing with a whiff of your neighbors flower garden.
It's hard to knock the flavor here since I'm pretty sure this is exactly what the brewer was shooting for. Personally, I'm just tired of dominant citrus flavors in my IPAs - I get plenty of citrus elsewhere - I eat ornages and tangerines, I enjoy lemonade year round and I have never ordered a screwdriver so I'm not looking for citrus in my beer.
But I digress yet again...
This beer has some balance - good, medium mouth feel with sensible hop bittering, and a hefty dose of mid boil flavor ( can you say citrus?) hops that takes charge but falls thankfully short of beating the malt over it's sweet head to make it's point.
Finish is peppery and dry with a nutty. toasty character I applaud. Alcohol presence is subtle and adeptly woven into the brew, making it very session friendly.
Well done.