Kia Ora
Spyglass Brewing Company

 

 

Good beer, but not an American IPA. Looks like a NEIPA, Smells like a NEIPA. Tastes like a NEIPA. The can even says "A New England-style IPA....." Poured from a 16 oz can into a pint glass, this beer features the standard NEIPA hazy straw yellow color and foamy white head. Head retention is about average and there is some patchy lacing on the glass. Aroma and taste feature some citrus (mostly grapefruit and tropical fruit and grapes. Overall, a slightly different but tasty NEIPA. Mouthfeel was crisp and slightly bitter. No alcohol harshness to speak of. Quiteenjoyable!!!

 

Poured into a 20 oz tulip glass canned on 6/28/22. Pours a hazy yellow with a 2 finger sticky white head that leaves thick streaks of lace with nice retention. 4.5

Aroma is mango, peach, honeydew, lemon drop, and apricot. 4

Taste follows mango, peach, honeydew, a little lemon, and apricot. 4

Mouthfeel is medium, soft gentle carbonation, not sticky or dry, and at 7.1% plenty of flavor and easy going down. 4.25

Overall not one I would get again, but still worth a shot. They make to many better beers to go back to this one. 4

Obtained Fresh from the Brewery on 6/30/22 sampled in two flights in tap and cans to bring home. Bottom of can stamped 6/28/22. "Happy 4th" .

Look: Milky white haze to the straw gold color. Creamy white foam cap sits high, settles down marginally with big cover and lace.

Nose: A very fresh New Zealand hop aroma. Much like freshly picked hops with sticky Lupulin. If you've ever picked your own fresh hops of the vine, you know what I mean. Pineapple and corn husks, dry, earthy lemon zest and sweet tropicals underneath. Creamy maltiness in a subtle way.

Feel & Flavor: Super soft and silky Mouthfeel, maybe a bit Watery. Very light and gentle body.
The Nelson Sauvin and Motueka hops from New Zealand bring forth flavors of: cucumber, kiwi, earthy tang and cantaloupe.

Overall: one of the silkiest, yet light Mouthfeels I've experienced in the NE style. Fresh tasting hops make the flavors complex and the aromatics are unreal. Rather easy drinking at 7.1.

 

Can from tfontana, thanks for the trade.
Lightly hazy dark yellow with a frothy white head that slowly dissipates. Earthy spicy with tropical fruits and light sweet bready maltiness.

 

16 oz can.

Pours a muddy pale gold color with a finger of creamy white head. Good retention. Leaves a nice crown of lacing. This brewery definitely knows how to make great looking NEIPA's.

The aroma has lots of ripe gooseberries, white wine grapes and lime zest. There's some lighter notes of lemon. Not much going on but definitely a showcase of the NZ hops.

The flavor follows the nose: Sweet, ripe gooseberries, white wine grapes, lemon and lime, as well as some lighter tropical fruit notes.

The feel is medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Creamy and surprisingly drinkable.

Overall, this is a great NEIPA that beautifully showcases the two New Zealand hops being utilized. However, Nelson is usually pretty dank, and often gives off a weedy/sweaty onions vibe. Not with this beer. This beer squeezes out all the grape and citrus notes with almost no dankness at all. I think I'll love this beer more over time.