Vague Illusions
Elder Pine Brewing & Blending Co.

Picked up a can at Cheers. Nice NEIPA. Classic look though head dissipated quickly. Impressed by a burst of aroma when opened. Really fruity and inviting. Taste was good but the notable pine dankness was a distraction vs complement to the fruitier hops and malt bill. Smooth mouthfeel. Not quite pillowy/sea foam like but soft and very enjoyable. Thought beer was well crafted and will look for EP again.

Growler into pint glass. Pours a hazy straw color with a persistent, eggshell-white head. Initial impression is predominantly grapefruit, but with notes of orange, mango, and peach. Mouthfeel is soft and pillowy. Very easy to drink. Finish is clean and soft. Very nice, enjoyable NEIPA.

 

 

 

This DelMarVa (+ DC) adventure of mine has morphed into my latest CANQuest (tm) focus! I really had no idea that MaryCANd, especially, was putting out so much beer. 8=O It seems as though every time I feel like I a close, some more beers from that area Pop! up from out of hiding to surprise me. Further, I am back to work so I CANnot keep up the pace that I set during the Christmas/Winter Break. 8=( On top of all of that, even New Beer Sunday is off-limits due to prior CANmitments. 8=( Inna meantime, a shout-out to my local, in-person trader, @tone77 who inspired my purchase of this one when I saw it in the cooler at Rieker Bottle Works during my most recent visit.

From the CAN: "American IPA".

Once aCAN with these guys, I was surprised by a fingertip spritz during the Crack! of the vent. They must be the kings of the brimful craft CAN! I followed up with a slow, gentle C-Lie Glug into the awaiting glass. It puffed up to form two-plus fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, eggshell-white head with very good retention, slowly falling away to wisps while leaving CANtastic lacing in its wake. Color was a deeply-hazy/lightly-cloudy Yellow-Gold (SRM = 4 - 5). Nose was predominantly grapefruit with a touch of tropical fruit to take the edge off. Mmm. Mouthfeel was medium-to-full, not quite creamy, but on the approach. Some of the credit there CAN probably go to the lactose. The taste was very pleasant, starting out with a grapefruit bitterness, but slowly becoming much more tropical in terms of its fruitiness. I was reminded of Ocean Spray Grapefruit Drink, which is not 100% juice & tends to have this selfsame tropical fruitiness in CANjunction with the grapefruit. Not bad. It was nicely drinkable & while I could have been happy with all grapefruit, the inCANsion of tropical fruit flavors was a nice ChANge of pace. Finish was semi-dry to dry as a result.