Q1 2023
Bull N Bear Brewery

Reviewed four days after canning. Poured into a shaker glass. It pours a dense, opaque, pastel straw yellow with a full finger of creamy, milk-white head and lots of soapy lacing. A big, fruity nose featuring lemon, grapefruit, orange, peach, honeydew melon, and woodsy pine. The initial taste is dryer, and more tart, than the smell would indicate. As it settles and warms a bit, however, the sweeter fruit becomes more evident. The Citra and Vista hops work well together and add subtle tastes of ripe honeydew, peach, and maybe a hint of pear. The brewer stated that the Pacific Sunrise hops are used for bittering and contribute dry, herbal, grassy, piney notes. In the end, the modest tropical sweetness never overcomes the dry, clean bitterness, which makes the ale particularly refreshing. The mouth feel is creamy with appropriate carbonation and the 7.3% ABV gives it good substance without overpowering. It drinks easily. Overall, Q1 2023 is a great introduction to Bull n Bear's series of small batch, hazy IPAs. It's a very solid NEIPA.