Fuego
Tonewood Brewing - Barrington

Never heard of this small brewery. Surprisingly fantastic local brew.

Hazy, yellow color. Nice, white head. Mango, citrus, and melon are in the aroma. Juicy, soft taste with low bitterness. Another decent crowd pleaser.

Pours a light golden hazy. A little papaya, mango on the nose. That fruit carries through as you sip it. Thoroughly flavorful for a SIPA. Some bitterness, which I like. Quite enjoyable.

12oz can into a pint glass. Canned 5/2/25, so 6 weeks old.

Hazy pale yellow body. Persistent foamy white head, scattered lacing. Aroma is weedy and dank. On tasting, certainly a more pleasant taste than the odor suggested, dry herbal hops, very light sweetness. The hop profile persists through the finish without drying out.

Overall, though dank, herbal, and weedy are not my favorite words to describe an ipa, this one is a decent drink.

 

 

This has been my favorite beer since 2016/2017. It’s a phenomenal IPA. A beer of the people. A few years ago I hosted an impromptu party and everyone brought a 6pack of Fuego. It was amazing. 4 families came over and the dad walked in carrying a 6 pack of Fuego. 5/5 beer IMO.

 

 

 

 

 

My interest in NEIPAs has not kept up with their impressive ability to hold market share after starting as a fad. Yet, I still drank more than a few in the last two years. And Fuego is in the top half of those few. A good recipe and it is a suitable flagship. Sufficiently fruity with balancing hops, I was treated to a 19 ounce can. Not just the volume worked well with Indian food. Fuego was not as hot as the food and, in truth, should be named Calm when compared to the food. I would have this again... with Indian food. A gentle NEIPA brings a gentleness to that kitchen.

My first from Tonewood, their micro-review is relatively short because they are only eight years old and seem like a typical micro. But they have opened up another taproom in a larger production house and have distribution in native New Jersey and now Eastern Pennsylvania. So their business is doing well enough to survive. Now over time, maybe develop a niche. How about brewing for Indian food? (Just kidding.)

 

Fairly generic stab at a hazy IPA with ubiquitous hops: Citra, Simcoe, Mosaic. Not the freshest, this one is about 3.5 months out, but I can't see a fresher can being very much better as the hops are there. Lightly creamy and pillowy. It does what it's supposed to do, citrus profile with some bitterness (simcoe), just not noteworthy or interesting enough to revisit unless one is handed to me. You have to really bring it in this category, this one falls a bit short

 

This is one of the worst beers I have ever drunk. The hops add an overpowering citrus flavor. The body of the beer is thin and cloudy. The carbonation level is one of its few saving graces.

Poured from a 19.2 oz stovepipe can, into a 12oz snifter glass. It says on the can: Modern India Pale Ale. Citra/Simcoe/Mosaic hops. 2 row Pilsner Rolled Oats. 6.2% abv. It looks like sunshine in a glass, with a frothy, white 2/3 finger head, that quickly dissipates. Could pass as a Lemonade Radler/Shandy, in appearance. Smell, is bright/hoppy. But not hopped to the enth degree. Taste, Is a familiar NE IPA, yes, a modern one. There is a difference. The modern varieties, tend to lean on the citrus profile. I don’t think I could drink more than 3 of these. Not sessionable, but certainly utilitarian. Great with a burger, salad, or any comfort food. Or in my case, just the tall can. Gotta get these kind of brews FRESH. The taste, falls off drastically, with IPAs(of any style) luckily, I live in NJ, and The Fuego, is always FRESH. Muy Bueno!