Winter
Vitamin Sea Brewing

Type: 16-oz. can
Reviewed as: New England IPA
Glass: Pure Project 16-oz. snifter glass
Price: n/a
From: Darin
Purchased: n/a; Received Jan. 2, 2021
Consumed: Jan. 17, 2021
Misc.: Canned on Dec. 11, 2020 at 10:28 a.m. ET

Thanks, Darin!

Was lucky enough to have this and nine others sent to me by Darin. Had heard of Vitamin Sea Brewing but had never had any of its beers prior to this shipment. Untappd called for an “IPA hopped with Galaxy and Topaz.” Had never heard of Topaz but looking up the hop profile it called for lychee, cloves, grass and resin.

Poured a light golden hazy color with five fingers of rocky white head. Some bubbles could be seen coming up along the sides of the glass. Almost perfect spiderweb foamy lacing. Perfect retention. (Sight - 4.75)

Smelled Galaxy, grass, melon, apricot skin, resiny pine, passion fruit and bitter grapefruit rind. About the same out of the can. (Smell - 3.75)

Tasted a little better than the nose. Got Galaxy, melon, grass, earthy pine, resin, bitter grapefruit rind, apricot skin, passion fruit and peppery spice. (Taste - 3.75)

Medium body. Creamy texture. Lively carbonation. Long, dry finish. (Feel - 4.00)

This was very good overall, close to outstanding. (Overall - 3.75)

3.84 | 86 | B+

Thanks for the hookup Kevin.

A- Pours from the 16oz can into a tulip glass with a very floury and hazy pale yellow body. The head rises up in the glass very rapidly to almost two inches high with great retention and a velvety thick consistency. The lacing is plentiful with thick sheets of lacing coating the glass.

S- Not as pungent as I expected based on the appearance and expecting this one to be chock full of hops to the brim. What I do get is quite nice with ripe, juicy stone fruits, some tropical hints as well as soft citrus and dank hop notes. Mango, peach, tangerine, onion and weed come to mind.

T- Again on the milder side compared to many modern IPAs but that is not a bad thing here as there are plenty of flavors to appreciate. Mango, peach and tangerine supported by hints of grapefruit, melon and dank herbal tones. Slight bit of bready and crackery pale malts as well as oats coming to mind.

MF- Light-medium body overall with a nice silkiness and some puffy/creamy texture. The carbonation is moderately high and it ends with a touch of green bitterness.

Pleasantly light for a NEIPA by today's standards. Lacks a bit of punch but cleanly brewed and a nice mix of stone fruits, citrus and dank hops.