Invisible Wings
Phase Three Brewing Company

 

We're off to a bad start here. Emptying the entire contents of a pint can into a clear glass liter mug became problematic because of all the stark white foam produced. Albeit at cellar temperature, this was a gentle pour. Below the foam, a liquid the color of dull and dense grapefruit juice color sits. None of this suits the character of a good traditional IPA. There's sort of a mild orange juice aroma that takes some effort to find. The taste is bolder, with a sharply citrus bite from start to finish. There's a sweet enough backbone that works, although it's obviously barley malt deprived. As the foam reduces to a head, it leaves a decent lacing inside the glass. Even without any/much barley, the mouthfeel is acceptable the style. The ABV is nicely incorporated into the overall taste. This is good, much better than it seemed it would be, starting out from the initial pour, look and aroma. No Heady Topper here, but it's not that bad.

 

 

 

 

 

Tasted in a Spiegelau IPA glass from a one pint can on October 18, 2019. Double India Pale Ale brewed with Galaxy hops. Notes of passion fruit, citrus, peach, pineapple and tropical fruit.

 

 

Seems like a New England style to me. Very cloudy, minimal fluffy lacing, pale gold. Smell of grapefruit, passion fruit, mango, and a couple other beach fruits. Tasty citrus, mango, and passion fruit notes. Light and fluffy, mouth watering, considerable boozy presence. Not their best, but another pretty darn enjoyable offering from Phase Three.

 

Pours a very hazy bright yellow with a white cap. Smell features lemon, lychee, mango, flowers, hemp, and grass. Taste starts pleasant with the flavors from the smell, grass and hemp dankness crescendo in a dry way but then there is considerable green hop burn and booze. Just falls apart after a good start, also very arid. Feel is hazy, bright, dry, frothy, and has burn. Not my favorite p3 to say the least

16oz can, no apparent freshness date. Opaque yellowy colored body with a thick & frothy ivory colored head. Juicy & tropical aroma of passion fruit, lemon, and grassy green hops. Full flavored with notes of green hops, tropical passion fruit, guava, and stonefruit; orange and pine come through later in the taste with some mildly nutty oats. Full creamy body, ample carbonation, modestly bitter finish. Good beer here; not sure I'd get this one again, but I will try others from this brewery if the opportunity arises.

Everyone dreams of flying, but few of us actually get to do that without being trapped in a can of stale air. That is unless you're with Phase Three Brewing; they'll have you sky high in no time even if no one can see your wings. Their IPA is something quite heavenly relying on Galaxy hops for its full, fruity and floral effects.

A dense lemony brightness is the departure for Invisible Wings, building a fluid crown of foam just above. As its scent captures an herbal and fruity array of vinous fruit, citrus and tropical perfumes, they're wrapped in a cloud of spicy vegetation, hemp and fresh woodsiness. A gentle and creamy sweetness greets the palate with cereal, light pastry and an overall simple sucrose flavor early in taste.

As the hops unfold on the middle palate, the malts slowly recede and the tangy uniqueness of Galaxy hops reveal flavors of passionfruit, lime and yuzu with hints of white wine and blueberry in the backdrop. As hints of white grapefruit, under ripened berries and grape continue their subtleties, the ale develops into a slow and spicy late palate of sassafras, verbena, green tea and geranium.

Medium bodied and lingering into a medium length aftertaste gentle wafts of chive, hemp and spruce deliver a smooth and spicy bitterness with elements of citrus peels and gin spice in tow.

A: Gold and hazy. No floaters. Soft white foam head of normal retention. Looks appealing.

S: Fresh clean aroma, Notes are lemon, grassy, and tropical fruits.

T: Really well balanced. The malt sweetness, citrusy fruitiness, and hop bitterness are the perfect trifecta...none more pronounced than the other. As I drink farther into the tallboy can, I kinda get a pineapple like lingering taste. The abv at 7.8 is on the low side for a DIPA, and no issue with too much alcohol in the taste.. Both mouthfeel and carbonation are fine.

O: This is the first brew I've had of Phase Three, from this Chicago brewer with a solid social network buzz. Right now the markets filled with hazy NE IPA beers infused with lactose, vanilla, and a rainbow of fruit purees. So it's good to have a clean hazy brew without the flash. I believe it's a single galaxy hopped beer. It proves that a really well made beer shines above the flash and flood of a bandwagon style. I know why folks chase this brewers output.