Hop Belly IPA
Lancaster Brewing Company

 

 

 

This doesn't look so good. A couple of twelve ounce cans are tediously poured into a clear glass liter mug, as the foamy billows delay the process. It's a cloudy faint blond color that really doesn't look appealing. The big foam subsided into a normal sized head that seems to be enduring. There's almost no aroma, just a bit of a hoppy smell. This really has no quality worth mentioning, save a slightly bitter and dry finish. There's no body, no flavor, save the little bit of bitterness and without any malt character, it makes some of the adjunct American lagers seem appealing. This isn't worth the limited calories it provides. Even if you want to reduce alcohol and calories in your beer choice, look elsewhere.

 

L: straw color with light head and lace
S: hoppy up front with citrusy back end
T: interesting, you get the citrusy hit first then a back end straw taste
F: lightly carbonated penetrating tongue
O: refreshing crisp clean

 

-Spiegelau glass.

A: Pale lemon-straw coloring shows a feverish pitch of macro-bubbles. Soapy, porous head is an off white at two fingers high, displays a strong stance. Small, soapy dabs are loosely scattered on the vessel.

S: Wet citrus flowers, breakfast fruit of melon and green jolly rancher. Fruity herbal hops, average intentions per style.

T: Fruity flavor, watermelon, dank citrus first, notable oranges. Creamy caramel base malts interlude with some pear highlights. More flavor forward then bitter, moderate levels, with moderate complexity.

M: Crisp bite of carbonation upfront, creamy malts fade off the tongue with a nice fullness.

O: Overall a fruity-herbal hopped ipa, leans towards flavor rather then bitter, with a moderate complexity, and doesn't really stand out. Moderate drinkability, soft relaxing feel, finishes smooth and creamy and session-able at 4.5%.

10/20/19...bright clear gold with foamy white lid. Spicy, with straw notes. Crisp taste. Very clean, modest and bittering. Light bodied. Slight pepper. Temperate. Pretty good for a session.

 

 

 

 

Pouring from a 12 oz. can into a snulip glass, this beer pours out a light golden color and forms a pinky worth of eggshell colored crown. Not perfectly clear but definitely not hazy.

The nose boasts a dank pine and some tropical and citrus notes. Lemon, mango, orange. Almost a smoke layer in the back, maybe a burnt resin presence. It almost reminds me of a bbq brewery, if that makes sense.

The taste comes in with that lemon before turning to that kind of dirty, Smokey, resin layer. Not really understanding that. And even the flavor it brings could be brought with more pronunciation, even being a session ipa.

The mouthfeel is way too thin, even for a session ipa. It’s really watery.

Overall, this could bring a lot more to the table than it does and be still stand to be smoothed out. Just doesn’t smell, taste or feel clean. It just seems dirty all the way through to me.