Big L's
Bugu Brewing

Brewery tap-filled can, poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a medium golden amber with a half finger white head with great retention and slippery lacing. Aroma of pale malt with a little biscuit, citrus hops, orange and some floral elements. Flavor is pale malt, citrus and piney hops, orange, pine, a hint of mixed non-citrus fruit and light floral. Finishes with piney and citrus rind moderate bitterness. A solid, if somewhat mellow West Coast style IPA with good citrus and pine character and hints of other interesting fruit notes mixed in. Pleased to see that after the description of this having "just enough bitterness….", it had good bitterness in the finish. Nothing exciting, but well made and quite drinkable as promised.

 

Poured from 16oz can into a dimpled mug. Can filled today at the brewery.

Appearance: medium golden hue with a light haze and a nice apparent effervescence. Head is a finger of forthy tan foam. Lookin' good!

Smell: sweet malt and a piney, resinous hop aroma. This is billed as a West Coast IPA, so that makes sense. Not bad, though not especially complex.

Taste: malt is a bit on the sweet side with a little bit of toasty character. Hops are piney, and bitterness is moderately high but the piney character seems to accentuate it. Not totally to my taste but a decent westy.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a good carbonation and creaminess for the style.

Overall: a solid West Coast IPA, if not entirely to my personal taste.