Hopedemic
Cross Keys Brewing Co (CKBC)

Cross Keys Brewing Co. "Hopedemic"
16 fl. oz. can without production codes or freshness dating
$3.99 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ

Notes via stream of consciousness: This is a double IPA at 9.1% that's hopped with Mosaic, Citra, and Amarillo - right up my alley! I'm hoping that the Mosaic is listed first as that's what they've used the most of. It's poured a hazy yellow gold body with some visible particles in suspension. I'm guessing that's hop matter. The head is a large rocky mass of white foam. Oh yeah, that's at least two fingers thick! The aroma is sweetish and fruity, and it has that berry-like note that I'm looking for from the Mosaic. Beyond that there's some orange, and I think, a spritz of lemon. Ahh, I think I'm getting some pine as well. On to the taste... the malt is fairly basic and just lightly sweet. I'm getting more orange from it than anything else, although the berry and lemon and pine remain. I kind of thought it would be fuller give the hops used but that's not the case. There's a little bit of spiciness to it which is weird. That can't be the alcohol, can it? The bitterness is median and it has a dry, spicy finish. I can't figure out that spiciness; is this brewed with rye? In the mouth it's medium bodied and gently crisp with a fine-bubbled, moderate carbonation. Looking back, the head has held up marvelously and I still have a rocky surface coating of fluffy foam. Given that, I'd think the lacing would be better but it's not that great - very good but not great. So, once again I let my expectations and hopes get the better of me. This is a solid double IPA that has some decent fruity hop flavors to it and a spicy dryness but it's not fascinating.
Review #7,890

 

16 oz can, doesn’t smell great, taste is slightly bitter, floral hop lingers, average beer overall