Beers in 2025

Limitless Light by Pure Project Brewing (San Diego, CA) - Hazy DIPA

Well made hazy IPA with pineapple and orange flavors but also well balanced with dank, piney notes and a dry, lower bitterness finish with a very soft, smooth mouthfeel.

3 Likes

High Country HiLux by Alvarado Street Brewery (Monterey, CA) - Hazy DIPA

Nelson Sauvin hops impart always an unique grape flavor which combined with other NZ hops create an interesting hops profile which covers grape, lime and peach aromas not too far from some white wines. Relatively low levels of bitterness and other piney, dank notes makes this NEIPA quite fruit forward and refreshing

3 Likes

Jai Alai by Cigar City Brewing (Tampa, FL) - IPA

Unusual IPA has it heavily relies on its malt flavor which overall dominates the beer. Short burst of citrus (mainly grapefruit with a bit of lime) before strong flavors of malt, caramel and bread take over and add an unexpected sweetness. Hints of pine in the background and a low bitterness finish. Overall reminds more of some amber ales than an IPA

4 Likes

Fogzilla by Humble Sea Brewing Company (Santa Cruz) - Hazy TIPA

A tropical mix of peach, melon and pineapple starts the beer but goes quite fast more towards earthy notes with pine in the background. Dry, medium bitter finish which is quite short lasting. Very smooth mouthfeel but feels much more subdued for an TIPA than expected

4 Likes

P.O.G. Gelato by WeldWerks Brewing Company (Greeley, CO) - Smoothie Sour

POG is a great addition to fruited sour and the addition of vanilla compliments the fruitiness. The sour ale starts very strong with the pog flavor but when you wait for the sourness to hit in the second half of the sip, hardly anything happens. It is pog flavor throughout the sip with practically no tartness from the sour. It feels like drinking pure pog juice and very unbalanced

2 Likes

I See a Dankness by Cellarmaker Brewing Company (Oakland, CAj and Sante Adairius Rustic Ales (Capitola, CA) - Hazy DIPA

Less dank than perhaps the name might inply but a very well made hazy DIPA with a tropical start (passionfruit, orange and mango) which isn’t too overpowering, followed by nicely balanced dank flavors with hints of white grapes in the background. Low to medium bitterness in the finish - prime example of a well balanced hazy IPA

3 Likes

30,000 Steps by Trial & Ale Brewing Company (Edmonton, Canada) - Fruited Sour

Pineapple is an interesting choice for a fruited sour as it brings a lot of acidity and own tartness but also some moderate fruitiness. This sour is wonderful bold with a strong tart punch with additional acidity from the pineapple but also subtle but noticeable sweetness in the background. Very refreshing and perhaps closer to what sours used to be with a stronger emphasis on the funkiness and sourness.

3 Likes

Some beer from this weekend:

Sante Adairius Little Bit, a helles lager. Crisp, clean, and refreshing.

Cellarmaker Barrel Aged Midnight Silk, a black lager. I’ve had this out of a can before and enjoyed it. The bourbon barrel aged version added some bourbon-y vanilla notes, which made it even better.

Cable Car Kriek `21 from the Lost Abbey out of Vista, CA. This was a really nice wild ale that was flavored with cherries. Very balanced, not too sweet nor too sour.

3 Likes

Freefall by Southern Grist Brewing Company (Nashville, TN) - Hazy DIPA

NE juice bomb without being overly juicy - nice mix with of orange, guava, passionfruit and some lime but well balanced with some piney notes and dry, low-to-medium bitterness finish. Quite thick consistency with a very smooth mouthfeel - excellent NEDIPA

2 Likes

ET Stay at Home 4 (Raspberry, Blackberry, Marshmallow) by Evil Twin Brewing (Ridgewood, NY) - Sour IPA

Excellent example of a sour IPA which captures the hoppiness of the IPA but also the tartness of the sour with the berries as the bridge between both. Well balanced and very crushable

2 Likes

Lurker by Ghost Town Brewing (Oakland, CA) - Pale Ale

Classic example of a pale ale with floral and tropical notes (with some distinct grape flavors) but at the same time a solid malt backbone. Dry and medium bitter finish with a crisp mouthfeel

3 Likes

That can looks like one of my cats.

1 Like

Hidden Gold by Pure Project Brewing (San Diego, CA) - NEIPA

Quite intense melon and citrus flavors from this IPA hopped with Citra Incognito with some grassy, piney notes and a dry, low to medium bitter finish. Very soft mouthfeel.

3 Likes

Keep the Fame by Cellarmaker Brewing Company (Oakland, CA) and Monkish Brewing Company (Torrance, CA) - Hazy DIPA

Very well balanced collab hazy DIPA with tons of fruit (mango, passionfruit, peach, pineapple, orange, lime) before a good hit of piney, dank flavors come through. Hints of malt with some slight sweetness are an overarching backbone. Dry, medium bitter finish - great example of hazy IPA

3 Likes

Oops ! All Biggies by Alvarado Street Brewery (Monterey, CA) - Fruited Sour

Perfect fruited sour on a >95F day with lots of berry flavors (blueberry, raspberry and blackberry most pronounced) which aren’t too sweet but have an inherent tartness which get even more pushed by the sourness of the sour. Very refreshing and well balanced

3 Likes

Laws Whiskey Barrel-Aged Yeti (2024) by Great Divide Brewing Company (Denver, CO) - Imperial Stout

Backbone of a classic stout with notes of dark coffee, caramel and some licorice. Quite a lot of bitterness in the finish which gets smoothed by some sweetness from the whiskey barrels. Slight alcohol burn in the finish. Good stout which grows on you over time as it warms up and the flavors gets more pronounced.

3 Likes

Inversion of Time by North Park Beer Company (San Diego, CA) - Hazy TIPA

This great hazy TIPA drinks way too smooth - well dialed in fruity flavors of pineapple, lychee and mango, followed by grassy, slightly floral and piney flavors with a dry, medium bitter finish. Very soft mouthfeel and the 10% aren’t really noticeable

3 Likes

Super Mt. Nelson by Cellarmaker Brewing Company (Oakland, CA) - Hazy IPA

It’s starts as expected for nelson hops with citrus and grape notes with a heavy dose of dankness before an unexpected and quite strong and long lasting astringency (even in the medium bitter finish) turns the IPA in more unfavorable directions. As the beer warms up the astringency gets even more pronounced.

3 Likes

A Spots and Dots from Sante Adairius Rustic Ales. Unfiltered West Coast IPA with Nelson Sauvin hops. Nice slightly bitter mango like flavor.

3 Likes

Fog of Fidens by Humble Sea Brewing Company (Santa Cruz, CA) - Hazy DIPA

Soft and fruity (orange, melon, grapes) but with a heavy dose of dankness and herbaceous flavors. In some ways it pushes in both “extremes” of hazy IPA but finds a good balance

3 Likes