State of Mind
Empire Brewing Company

Empire Brewing Co. "State of Mind"
16 fl. oz. can coded "01/27/22 LV #6 08:53"
$3.79 @ Total Wine & More, Cherry Hill, NJ

Notes via stream of consciousness: A very hazy amber colored body is capped by a short head of off-white foam. The aroma is limited for a NEIPA but it's citrusy. Unfortunately it's a little bit yeasty as well. On to the taste... the malt is bready, biscuity, and sweetish. The hops are softly citrusy, otherwise tropical, berry-like, and there's even a note of coconut. I'm now thinking that they're using Sabro hops and I'm picking up some cedar. Is there any mint? Yes, I think there's some in the finish. None of it is really that strong though and that works for Sabro; if you use too much it gets too heavy and the notes distract from each other. It's got a median bitterness but it still finishes mainly dry. Some tropical fruit fades rather quickly but the coconut remains and then the herbal/minty character comes out and lingers for longer. In the mouth it's medium bodied and smooth with all of the extra proteins and a moderate, fine-bubbled carbonation level. While this isn't really anything new, and certainly doesn't raise the bar, it is fairly unique AND at the same time quite accessible. Some NEIPAs can be really intense and leave you kind of wiped out after one but that's not the case here. There are some production issues (yeast in the nose, lack of head retention and lacing) but overall it's a solid beer.
Review #8,132

Pours a hazy orange. Thick foam. A hoppy malt aroma. Now this is what a NEIPA should taste. Big tropical fruit body. Juicy with a little sweetness. Some hop bitterness with a little malt kick in the end. Very refreshing. I could drink this all day.

an outstanding IPA in a world of substandard IPAs

Real citrusy. Tastes stronger than it is. Great for a single glass, but might lose its flare if you drink it too often.

 

16oz can. Poured out a slightly cloudy, amber color with golden highlights and a small, off-white head of foam. It smelled of grapefruit, mango, guava and sweet caramel. Sweet tropical fruitiness with a citrusy bite and toasted caramel backbone. Medium bodied and smooth.