Yoda’s Blend (2019)
Short's Brewing Company

 

 

12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 10/9/2019. Pours lightly hazy/cloudy deep golden/orange/amber color with a 2 finger dense and rocky cream colored head with amazing retention, that reduces to a large cap that lasts. Thick foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation. Amazing appearance. Aromas of big mandarin orange, red grapefruit, lemon, peach, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, honeydew melon, guava, berries, citrus peel/rind, wood, mint, peppercorn, pine, cracker, toasted biscuit, nutty, light caramel/chocolate/coffee, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops and bready/toasted/light roasted malt notes; with big strength. Taste of big mandarin orange, red grapefruit, lemon, peach, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, honeydew melon, guava, berries, citrus peel/rind, wood, mint, peppercorn, pine, cracker, toasted biscuit, nutty, light caramel/chocolate/coffee, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness. Light-moderate pine, citrus peel/rind, herbal, floral, woody, grassy, peppery, roasted bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of mandarin orange, red grapefruit, lemon, peach, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, honeydew melon, guava, berries, citrus peel/rind, wood, mint, peppercorn, pine, cracker, toasted biscuit, nutty, roast, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops and bready/toasted/light roasted malt flavors; with an awesome malt/bitterness balance, and no lingering hop/roast astringency after the finish. Light-moderate increasing dryness from lingering bitterness. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready/grainy, sticky/resinous/rindy, and lightly chalky balanced mouthfeel that is great. Mild increasing warmth of 8% after the finish. Overall this is an outstanding IPA. All around awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical/earthy hops and bready/toasted/light roasted malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the modestly bitter/resinous/drying finish; not overly aggressive. Feels like mostly Columbus, Centennial, Amarillo, Mosaic, Mandarina. Extremely juicy, vibrant, and fairly dank/earthy hops; with a nice sized toasty malt backbone. Mild residual sweetness with lingering resin dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and outstanding style example. As with last year, this is a blend of blend of 5 different IPAs from the super hoppy holidays pack. Liked it more than last year's rendition. The roast comes from Good Humans brown instead of Goodnight Bodacious Black IPA.

 

I got two bottles of this beer from a mixed 12pck that I bought at my local meijer store. The beer poured a hazy copper with white head that is leaving some lace. The scent had faint citrus notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with sweet malt base and bitter hop finish. The mouthfeel was medium in body with good carbonation. Overall its a decent beer.

 

 

 

This year's Yoda’s - a blend of the other Hoppy Holidays brews - is a bit of a different animal than last year's by nature. A little lighter amber color than last year, with a bit of a haze and an off white head. Juicy, tropical and citrus aromas are complemented by herbal and bready notes. Lots of sweet and syrupy goodness in the flavor with a nutty, slightly toasted backbone and citrus finish. ABV at 10% is hidden too well.