Rift
Central Waters Brewing Co.

 

 

Picked up a solo bottle on my Wisconsin 15th reunion trip in 2019.

Pours a light amber to copper color, Midwest always seemed to have an extra SRM point or two on their hoppy beers, this follows that trend of looking like an ibu wars ipa. 1/3" white head. Aroma was mostly bittering hop and maltiness. Light caramel effect.

Taste is much to the same, absolutely predictable and underwhelming, which is about the opposite of everything else they make. While the bitterness wasn't super amped up, seemed to have that Simcoe meets crystal malt recipe take all over it. Grapefruit, pine, caramel, standard bearer stuff. Weighed heavier than I like my ipas. Definitely a chewy and not dry mouth feel. I couldn't imagine wanting this on a humid day on the links. Maybe near water, but then you presume its even hotter. Maybe those early spring or late fall chilly ones. Really stretching to help think of when this might be what you want to reach for.

Oh well, their other beers are routinely scoring 4+ for me.

Rift pours a copper color, with a large, long lasting, lacing head. Aroma is earthy. Flavor is easy, crisp, lots of earth, some floral notes as well, and a mild bitterness. Feels a little flat. Overall, a pretty clean crisp, easier drinking IPA, with hints of earth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appearance: Pours a darker, bronze, amber colro with a small, just slightly off-white head. SRM of 15. (4.25)

Aroma: Strong aromas of rich mango, papaya, melon, and guava. All dark and ripe fruit with a sweet toasted bread sweetness. (3.75)

Flavor: Flavor is much different than the nose. Here I get a lot of grapefruit, pine, and florality. It is follows by a strong dark tropical fruit and toasted bread, caramel sweetness. Finishes rather sweet. (4.00)

Feel: Heavier-bodied. Medium carbonation. A moderate syrupy characteristic that lingers on the palate. (3.5)

Overall: A great northern midwest IPA. Modern tropical hop flavors with a strong and heavier malt backbone. It's sweet, heavy, and delicious. It's probably even more heavier and sweet than Founder's. It's a thick and rich, wintery IPA. (Final Rating: 3.98)

 

12oz bottle, date stamped 34018. A thick and frothy ivory head coats the glass with thick foam as it slowly fades atop a copper colored ale. Aroma is bold citrus, pine, and earthy hop; bready caramel malt, and a bit of skunk in the nose as well. Old school IPA flavors meld very well on the palate creating notes of grain & sweet caramel malt, grapefruit and orange zest, pine, and earthy/grassy fresh hop pellet. Medium body, resinous hop oils stick to the palate, bitter and semi-dry finish. Solid beer but I doubt I'd get it again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12-oz bottle into Belgian ale glass

A - 1 finger of white over a somewhat cloudy body of golden amber; almost no visible carbonation; leaves patches of lace

S - tropical fruits, citrus, pine

T - bright citrus, honey-sweetened biscuits, touch of pine, hint of pepper

M - chewy medium body, medium prickly carbonation

O - a rather pleasant IPA

 

 

 

Decanted from a 12 oz (355 ml) bottle into a conical pint glass; no production information.
A: Pours a rather cloudy amber color with a one half inch, white cap, spotty retention and soapy lacing.
S: Aromas of lemon citrus, cocoa, molasses, and pine.
T: Flavors of lemon citrus, caramel, and biscuit predominate. Bitterness nicely complements the flavor pallet.
M: Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Chewy.
O: A very enjoyable and well constructed American IPA. Would certainly have it again.

 

 

 

L: hazy amber gold under a 1" white cap with fair to poor retention

S: smells like a wet pine woods with some citrus

T: Fruit, citrus and biscuit lead the flavors finishing with a moderately high citrus pith and rind bitterness

F: The body and carbonation are medium

O: a very drinkable, bitter, yet enjoyable, IPA

A - Slightly hazy orange-amber color with mild head and nice lacing
S - Citrus, Tangerine, slight pine, mild sweetness and balanced malt
T - same as above with a dry feel on the finish
F - Nice slick mouthfeel with low-mod carbonation
0 - very nice and balanced IPA. Just the right amount of bitterness. Very enjoyable!

Rift IPA has a thin-to-medium, white head, an opaque, gold-orange appearance, and a bit of glass lacing. Aroma is heavy on tropical citrus fruits and white bread. The taste is hop forward, with bitterness, apricots, resin, and white bread crust. Sugary sweetness is strong, too. Mouthfeel is high medium, and Rift IPA finishes mostly dry.

RJT