Death Ripper Vol. 10
Akademia Brewing Company

Who knew that ripping death could be so... bright! Slathered with Nectaron and Mosaic hop, It's taken ten attempts but Adademia's IPA sees new life.

Pale and hazy with burnt orange hues, Death Ripper Vol 10 lays a dense white blanket of foam before shedding juicy aromas of stone fruit, citrus and tropical fruits with a spicy herbal scent. As a cereal sweet taste coats the tongue, flavors of honey, caramel and shortcake pronounce early and often.

As the hops rise to brighten the session, bold orange flavors come with notions of blood orange, mango and peach with the juiciness of cantaloup and papaya. Hints of lime, currant and passionfruit ebb and flow throughout the session before the ale balances with a soft herbal bitterness of verbena, cedar and hemp.

While the fruit impressions from hops seem overripe and even stale, the session remains pleasantly fruity, closing with a bittersweet balance and a tilt toward the juicier side of malty-dry. A hint of gin-like spice pulls from the bitterness for a slim measure of alcohol warmth.

I am trying this beer off the tapper at the brewery as part of a four sample flight. It poured a slightly hazy golden with thin white head that is leaving a nice lace. The scent had mellow tropical fruit notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with semi sweet malt base with mild ripe mango and apricot presence. The mouthfeel was medium in body and had good carbonation. Overall it is a solid beer.