Draw the Line
Vitamin Sea Brewing

This is one impressive NZ hopped (Nelson, Rakau) hazy. Pour into a pint glass reveals a lasting fluffy head that gives way to abundant lacing while drinking. The flavor profile is melt in your mouth delicious with lime, white grape, pineapple, rind, and citrus bergamot with a floral bite that then turns toward a drying dankness with hints of resin. There is a touch of sweetness no doubt from oats in the mix. Could be lactose also. Perhaps it's a bit too sweet, however drinkability is off the charts. This is my first from Viamin Sea, looking forward to trying more from them

 

L - Dark orange... could mistake it for a peach sour maybe?

S - Caramel, peach, and white wine

T - creamy. Not just the three finger head of the beer, mid mouth feel you get the softer, sweet flavors of the Nelson Sauvin hops but not that last, lingering onion-y taste I've associated. Caramel, peach, white wine still... maybe some vanilla along with the caramel

F - great medium bodied beer. It feels like a medium bodied juice bomb but the taste of the sauvin hops seems to disrupt the juice bomb part but not in bad part. I should say it temperaments it a bit.

O - A great beer from Vitamin Sea! Definitely one I'd recommend. The flavor profile reminds me of old school mid west IPAs for some reason - perhaps it's the caramel in it. 4.75/5

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you've pushed your limits of thirst, the line is drawn at Draw the Line, Vitamin Sea's hazy IPA that showcases the best attribute of Nelson Sauvin and Raku hops on a bed of creamy smoothness and fruit flavor.

Draw the Line pours with a muddy peachy taupe casting a soft matte glow on the glass. Its turbid appearance floats a creamy ivory stained froth before soothing the senses with a soft tropical, citrus, vinous and herbal scent that skirts right above the brim. As the taste leads in, the creamy sweetness of vanilla, cream, coconut and shortcake frame a soft maltiness ahead of the hops.

Then as the hops unfold on the middle palate, a full and fruity bouquet soon follows. Tropical fruits lead the way with passionfruit, mango, papaya and pineapple with a nearly banana-like tropical smoothness. Not to be outdone, hints of orange, red grapefruit and yuzu add a brisk and racy flavor that trends quite sherbet-like heading into finish. With a hint of white grape and the tanginess of wine, the finish is tea-like with peppery grasses, herbs, hemp and fruit peels for a botanical gin-like spice to close.

Medium bodied for hazier ale, but somewhat fuller for IPA in general, Draw the Line finishes malty-dry with a smoothly bitter extension of herb, fruit peel and fresh spruce.

Month-old can poured into a tulip.

Beautiful glowing orange-gold body, fully opaque, zero murk, and a little transparency around the edges. Minimal initial head but a few swirls of the glass brings about a full finger of incredibly creamy, scoopable form. Surprisingly robust and sticky lacing for the ABV. Gorgeous beer, and taking the size into consideration (there are certainly more hazy hazies), this one has a quintessential NE IPA look with its coloring and lacing.

Kind of a nothing nose -- definitely wine grape heavy, fairly musky and a little viney (if anyone understands what those attempted references mean). Next level is citrus, but fairly nondescript. A little melon and peach, some damp hay, but very little else. It's certainly not off-putting, but there just isn't very much there. And that doesn't change all that much even as the beer warms.

Taste profile is better, but initially still pretty muted, even considering the ABV. Really dry white wine up front, then some semi-sweet tropical notes flow in. It's an interesting and tasty evolution, but all of it is quite mild. That changes a bit as the beer warms slightly, with notes of orange, grapefruit, honeydew, lemon-lime, underripe berries, firm grapes, and a little currant showing up. There's a pleasant peppery note, which other reviewers have pointed out. Fairly dry, musky, and slightly dank finish that doesn't have much bitterness to it. Drinks easy, and it's definitely dominated by Southern Hemisphere hops. The more I sip on it, the more I'm intrigued by it, as it's very different. But my feelings about it are kind of all over the place. I'm not sure the tasting notes match my palate particularly well. But it's a really interesting beer.

Feel is fantastic, especially when you consider the ABV. Extremely soft, silky, and coating, with a slight chewiness to it. That's pretty rare for a 6-ish% beer. Very Southern Hemisphere finish, with grapes and melon carrying the load.

I think I had this one way too cold to start. It may not be my cup of tea in some of the tasting notes, but if you're looking for a blast of Southern Hemisphere hops, this is a good beer to try.

Canned 1/15/21.

L: Pours a hazy deep orange-yellow with a huge thick fluffy head that stays. Sticky bubbly lacing that's beautiful.

S: Tropical and white wine aroma that's not very strong.

T: More tropical fruit up front, a mellowing melon middle, and a drying white wine finish. Pretty complex.

F: Medium mouthfeel. Well carbonated.

O: A very well made NEIPA. Checks all the boxes except for the muted aroma. Fantastic flavor profile and look.

Pours a dark golden hue with soapy pillowy white head. White wine and grape must on the nose. Maybe a little peach as well. First sip, I already know I am going to enjoy this one. The body has kind of a cantaloupe like sweetness that carries through out. There's that classic Nelson white wine character coupled with some white peppery bitterness. This is good and well made and better than a lot of NEIPAs I've had lately, but it's also missing an element that I can't quite put my finger on to take it to the next level. It is lacking in depth. I do really like this.