Fourth Orbit
New Trail Brewing Company

 

 

Poured into a 13 oz Teku glass not sure when it was canned but as always coming from a master trader like @jzeilinger I trust with in the month. Pours a very attractive hazy orange with a 2 plus finger sticky white head that slowly settles leaving thin streaks of lace. 4.5

Aroma cantaloupe, mandarin, peach, mango, and apricot. 4

Taste follows melon stands out, mandarin, peach, mango, and apricot. 4

Mouthfeel is above medium, not sticky or dry, soft gentle carbonation, and at 11% it drinks big, but still very approachable. 4.25

Overall this is really nice, a tad sweet I am sure for some but I am digging. Thanks @jzeilinger for this can as always. 4.25

Poured from a tallboy can into a Dogfish Head tulip

L: Hazed golden honey pour. Big foamy white head leaves great sticky lacing.

S: Sweet and fruity. Citrus, honey, and tropicals.

T.F: Just like it smells. Honey hop candy. Loads of citrus and fruit... mango, grapefruit, peach, and pineapple. Some bitterness for balance... booze is dangerously hidden. Medium bodied and smooth/creamy. Fruit finish.

O: An outstanding TIPA. Delicious... and the 'orbit' anniversary brews never disappoint.

No date, c'mon NT.

Dang this drinks easy for 11%+
Soft body and airy carbonation are a nice vehicle for robust white grape, pineapple, and grapefruit. Low bitterness and moderate sweetness, nicely balanced overall. Good stuff!

 

 

Pours a hazy pale orange with a white head that leaves trails of lace,

Tropical fruit mango and star fruit with floral pine and citrus notes.

Taste is mango star fruit grapefruit and orange with floral and pine nut backed by a slightly sweet malt.

The start is good and bad. There's plenty of carbonation, but the head resultant from the pour to empty a pint can into a clear glass liter mug shows a problem. It's a big fluffy white head which most often means an IPA has been over-starched. As unattractive as it appears, thankfully it recedes quickly. Hopefully, the extra starch is courtesy of oats and not wheat, a true detriment to almost any IPA. The beer is a dark and opaque honey-amber. An aroma that smells more like oats than wheat, barley or hops is what comes out of the vessel. Overall, it's a lightly wet hopped comparison to be had, with virtually no hint of a high ABV. For something that rings in an 11.4 % ABV, this drinks incredibly smoothly and softly. Just as with the smell, it's obvious that there are oats in this one. Wheat alone can't provide this much body. Another byproduct of the oats is the sweetness produced by their combination with the alcohol. This ale is remarkable for providing such a sizeable amount of alcohol without any burn to the tongue or esophagus. Of course, the alcohol is noticeable, but it's not detrimental. Visually, this recovers from the ridiculous head by leaving stratified glass lacing. It's missing a nice bitter hoppy counterbalance to the overall sweetness. It does have some hop flavoring at the finish that isn't dry, nor biting. But, this is an amazing concoction because it drinks so smoothly for its potency. With an example like this, let's look forward to the fifth orbit.

Poured into a shaped, wide mouth glass: color is hazy, nearly murky gold, head is very light tan and presents a scant 1/4 inch then dissipates to nothing a thin ring.

Smell is resin and tropical fruits, some pine, fruit notes are stone like, maybe some honey and candied sugar, boozy fruitiness as well and a hint of ethanol.

Taste is quite similar with resin, tropical/stone fruits, honey, candied sugar - all with notes elevated from the aroma; finishing flavor is boozy fruit and esters.

Mouthfeel is low carbonation, a drier for NT but still moderate sweetness, bitterness is lower and drying/burn from booze is notable.

Overall a really big brew that seemed subdued on the aromatics and the flavor seemed nearly cloying sweet but the strength/booziness brought it back.

A finger's worth of dense and lush light khaki colored froth... Solid retention... color is a slightly hazy dark honey... Nose is bursting with intense tropical fruits... Perhaps a touch a candied sugar and light booziness as well... Great flavor profile that is an exact match for the nose... On the fuller side of medium bodied... A bit sticky with a touch of sharp carbonation... I'm always happy to see this beer ever orbit... Everything I love about New Trail wrapped up in a neat tidy package...

Many thanks to Knapp85 for this Anniv Beer!

A - Dark peach gold color.

S - Big pungent papaya, mango, pineapple, and spicy citrus rind.

T - Papaya, mango, spicy pineapple, and citrus.

M - Thick and silky on the texture.

O - This one really shines and well worth checking out. Period.

 

Undated (WTF) can into pint glass. Pours a murky honey-gold color, with a surprisingly robust off white head. Great lacing, which is also surprising for a high-ABV beer. Initial impression is very juicy, somewhat sweet pineapple, pink grapefruit, mango, berry, and caramel. Mouthfeel is soft and fluffy; alcohol is quite well hidden. Finish tends toward the sweet end of the spectrum, but not cloyingly so. Overall, New Trail did themselves proud with this anniversary brew. I bought a 4-pack today; I'm gonna go back tomorrow and buy ANOTHER 4-pack!