Hollywood
Lone Oak Brewing Co

 

473 mL can received in a trade - thanks ewpass! No canning date; served slightly chilled.

Pours foggy golden-amber, topped with two fingers of soapy, foamy white head that lasts for a little over five minutes; it splatters several swaths of lace across the glass as it drops down to a generous collar of suds. Fruity aroma with hints of honeydew melon, mandarin orange, cranberry and orange peel; minor notes of spicy, earthy, piney hops and something tropical, perhaps papaya.

Mellow, fruity flavour profile that I'd describe as relatively balanced; there's some bitterness, but it's restrained for a West Coast IPA. I'm tasting bready, slightly biscuity malt sweetness, paired with flavours of honeydew melon, berries and orange peel; an earthy, piney hop bitterness asserts itself on the back end. Spicy, piney conclusion that persists into a resiny aftertaste - slightly warming, as the abv is reasonably well-integrated. Medium-bodied, with moderate carbonation that prickles the tongue as it rolls along the palate; smooth/slick mouthfeel. As drinkable as can be expected for a 6.7% IPA.

Final Grade: 3.82, a B+. Lone Oak's Hollywood is a solid West Coast IPA that would make a welcome addition to my usual IPA rotation. After drinking this, I cracked open a Lagunitas IPA for comparison - because you can't get much more 'west coast' than Lagunitas. While I wouldn't necessarily call this a 'better' IPA, it held its ground admirably and I think they're at least in the same neighbourhood in terms of quality. I'd like to thank ewpass one last time for curating a selection of PEI brews, all of which I thoroughly enjoyed. Cheers!

 

Hazy copper with a thick, strong head. Fresh citrus nose. Firm malt body matched by a strong pine hop finish. Well-balanced.