2021: Spruce Odyssey
Best of Hands Barrelhouse

 

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a very hazy, medium golden amber with a fine, two finger white head with great retention and solid lacing. Spruce evident on pour. Aroma of lightly caramel malt, spruce, piney and citrus hops, light orange and lemon; cheerful. Flavor is pale malt, piney and citrus hops, spruce needles, orange, graperfruit, vague mixed tropical fruit; resinous spruce and citrus rind finish with moderate bitterness; lingering evergreen. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. The base IPA is one of the increasingly popular hybrids between soft, hazy NE style and classic Western hopping. The bitterness is subdued at first, dominated by the (great) fresh spruce character, but leaves a solid lingering hop bitterness that melds well with the even longer lingering spruce needle notes. An IPA like this reminds me even more of winter than most spiced winter warmers. The hops are well chosen to complement the evergreen sap. Very enjoyable and hopefully an annual production. (Is the name a prediction?).