Winter Haze
Dock Street Brewery - South

 

 

 

You may have guessed by now that my initial salvo of New 4 x 12 Stable Street Dock Hands Beer Sunday (Week 689) CANsists of a Dock Street horizontal. Things are really starting to heat up & cool down here at Chez Woody, where I am wondering when I added this one! Scheiße! I must have been slipping as someone else got the approved photo/pic! I have recently learned my lesson in that regard, but past examples are equally disCANcerting.

From the CAN: "Hoppy Pale Ale"; "30 IBUs."; "The winter version of our seasonal pale ale showcases spelt and wheat malts, orange peel and an abundance of Simcoe hop additions[.]"; "'I forgot what I was going to remember.'"

I Crack!ed the vent & while nothing was special or untoward, I still went with a slow, gentle Glug since it was still a One Pint CAN & I dislike cleaning up a mess. Color was a very slightly hazy Straw-Yellow (SRM = > 2, < 4). Whaaatt?!? It was far too light in color for the style. Spelt, wheat & orange peel smelled like a Wit on the nose! Hmm. Mouthfeel was medium to full, not creamy, per se, but very, very soft. The taste was definitely hoppier and more bitter than the previous two, but it still did not taste like an APA with SNPA as the style's standard bearer. Instead, it was like a highly hopped Wit & while I have to applaud the innovation, if I am to review to style, then something has to give. The orange peel actually worked really well with the Simcoe hops, cutting the cattiness almost completely on the nose and making a real dent in its (occasionally) unpleasant flavor. Wow! Who would have thought that Simcoe the kitty could be tamed? That alone makes this at least worth trying. Finish was semi-dry to dry, but really refreshing, making this a better Summer Haze CANdidate than one for Winter. I am left stunned, astounded & flabbergasted. YMMV.