Solar Winds
No-Li Brewhouse

 

On tap at the brewery.

A - Light orange with a thin head due to being filled to the top of the glass.

S - Nice bright citrusy aroma with a bit of an acidic element to it.

T - holy shit this is a fruity beer. Tastes like a citrus cocktail with a little bit of weediness in the background. I like it, it's awesome.

M - Fairly light bodied with a medium-high level of carbonation. Carbonation gives it a bit of an acidic finish.

D - Very drinkable, very good. The best beer I've had from this brewery.

Northern Lights brews are starting to show up with a little more regularity around here and they are a welcome addition. This is pretty much an average Single Hop Pale Ale. It poured a typical pale yellow, with about an inch of white head that had OK retention and minimal lacing.

The aroma was very muted, nothing noticeable really. The flavor was somewhat more bold, there was a good malt foundation and a tangy hop finish.

The body was typical for a Pale, and drinkability was nice, if not spectacular. Overall, a pleasant enough brew, worth a try if you see it.

"This spring seasonal features one hop: The Amarillo. This is the 3rd year we have used this hop in this ale to show the bright tangerine, and citrus aroma and flavor that are so characteristic of this variety. A subtle nutty sweetness brought on by Munich, and Caramunich malt provide a nice light backing to show the distinctive character of the Amarillo. Grown by only Gamash Farms in the Yakima Valley the Amarillo is one of the rarer hops in the world."

On tap at the Dog & Pony for thier Brewer's Night, served in a shaker. Solar Winds is a chil-hazed dark gold with a small off-white head that leaves scattered lace.

Smell is pure amarillo hops, nice pungency from the dry-hopping, resiny grapefruit. Wow, that is what I call a serious PNW pale right there, rivals most IPAs.

Taste is similarly in your face hops, and I love it. A great showcase of the Amarillo, and I particularly appreciate that the extra maltiness beyond the 2-row doesn't come from crystal!!! Resinous and bright citrus hop flavor, moderate bitterness, some lightly toasted bread notes and lingering hoppy finish. I'm loving this beer, it reminds me a bit of Hop Stoopid, only it's a pale ale under 6%!

Mouthfeel is a bit oily, with a nice creamy carbonation, medium body and dry finish. Not quite chewing on a hop cone, but it if tasted as good as the beer, I'd do it again...but chewing on a hop cone doesn't taste anywhere near as good as this beer, trust me!

Drinkability is super high. This is my favorite style of American ale, and why I love living in the PNW. Huge hop flavor, not overly bitter or strong, just enough malt. Love it. I should note that I'm sure this beer is best the day it's kegged, and being it was brought in for Brewer's night, that was probably yesterday or today - lucky me!

I had this one at the brewpub, served in a pint glass

Pours a rich gold color and is clear. A tight foamy white head forms, is resilient, and yields good lacing.

The smell is faint and fruity. There are some pine notes and sour citrus aromas.

The taste is good. A sweet juniper flavor dominates with some citrus grape fruit flavor. There is not much of a malt presence. A slightly bitter finish.

Mouth feel is smooth and buttery. A lot of diacetyl.

This is a very drinkable beer and nice accompaniment to the spring season. The flavor may be a little one dimensional and uninteresting, but a very drinkable pale ale just the same.