Hop Tarts (Pineapple Milkshake IPA)
DuClaw Brewing Co.

 

Pours out hazy with sediment swimming all around until it settles to the bottom. It's a dirty blonde color and offers features a thick, frothy, off-white three finger head with heavy lacing. The initial aroma includes honey, orange, pineapple, lemon grass, and citrusy hops, with additional caramel here and there. There’s also a hint of pine, floral citrus.

The flavor is a mix of IPA bitterness and heavy pineapple, followed by milkiness, which is a welcome characteristic often sought in milkshake IPAs. This is complemented by more pineapple and hops, along with heavy sweetness clashing somewhat with moderate bitterness. Additional notes of orange, butter, and possibly vanilla are detectable, with a noticeable alcohol burn.

The mouthfeel is enhanced by the lactose, providing a creamy, frothy carbonation that contributes to a nicely rounded texture, somewhat reminiscent of soda mixed with a little milkiness. The beer has a medium to full body and a dry finish, with low bitterness and moderately high sweetness. Overall, Hop Tarts Pineapple Milkshake IPA offers a complex and enjoyable drinking experience, and despite some odd flavors, it stands out for its pronounced lactose presence and creamy texture. This is a beer worth recommending and revisiting, along with exploring others in the Hop Tarts series.

Hop Tarts Pineapple Milkshake IPA has a very thick, off-white head, with extremely frothy foam and heavy lacing. The aroma is of turned fruit and white bread crust. The flavor is of that element, with low bitterness and moderately-high sweetness. Hop Tarts Pineapple Milkshake IPA has a high-medium body and a dry finish.

RJT

Somewhat rank aroma…but upon tasting, it seems like it stems from some inherent yeastiness. There is a strange flavor I can’t identify. Dad thinks it’s cardamom. Some strange white powder in it…is it lactose? Piney, floral hints of citrus. Fruity. Almost like bitter lemons.

16 oz can acclimated to 46°F and poured into an IPA glass.

Pours hazy with sediment, a lighter tangerine color, with a foamy 2.5 finger slightly off white head, leaving about average lacing.

Initial aroma is honey, orange, pineapple, more citrus, and citrussy hops. After agitating I'm met with some caramel notes and more hops.

Initial taste before swallowing is IPA bitterness with heavy pineapple. After swallowing I find a lot of milkiness, a welcome taste as I usually struggle to find this in milkshake IPAs. This is backed by more pineapple and hops, heavy sweetness clashing somewhat with moderate bitterness. Notes of orange, butter, and maybe vanilla can be found. Alcohol can be noticed, burning somewhat.

Mouthfeel is helped a good deal by the lactose, which, considering I taste clearly, I suspect is used heavy handedly. There is definitely a creaminess to be found, and a frothy carbonation. These combined with a relative smoothness contribute to a nicely rounded mouthfeel, somewhat like soda mixed with a little milk without curdling.

Overall I definitely enjoy this, my favorite thing being your clearly I can taste the lactose, which I've struggled to in the bay majority of other beers that utilize it.

Will probably buy again eventually, and will recommend, but will definitely buy the others in the hop tarts series if I find them.