Rating: 5.25/5
Points Unknown IPA collaboration by Stone, Ecliptic and Wicked Weed brewing companies is a 9.5% ABV Double India Pale Ale blended with a Belgian Tripel that was aged in barrels that had wine and then had tequila in them for 4 months.
Label:
In creating our latest collaboration beer, It wasn’t easy deciding how best to pool the resources of brewers from three spatially distant points within the brewing universe: Portland, Oregon brewing legend and Ecliptic Brewing founder John Danis, and Luke and Walt Dickinson, the hop-and-funk brewmaster duo behind Asheville, North Carolina’s Wicked Weed Brewing. It seemed no single beer could adequately convey all that they and Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele bring to the brewhouse. So, this veritable triad of power opted to brew TWO beers: a traditional Belgian-style tripel and a West Coast imperial IPA. Doing so allowed them to work within the parameters of all styles while taking things in interesting directions, adding a touch of Southern Califomia style and petting into the spirit! The tripel was transferred into barrels that originally housed red wine before finding a second life as vessels for aging tequila. Four months later,that beer was excavated, then blended at a one-fifth to four-fifths ratio with the freshly brewed double IPA to create the beer you now hold: a hind of the traditional and the new, presenting a variety of diverse flavors that coalesce into something more unique than any one beer our trio could have conceived. Its eventual flavors were a mystery to even the group of master brewers who created it, but now they await the palates of those thirsting to venture to points unknown within the rapidly expanding craft beer galaxy. In other words: You.
“It’s been sweet to work with these fine brewers and take this beer out of sight!”
John Harris // Founder & Brewmaster, Ecliptic Brewing Co.
“Creativity is at the core of how my brother and I approach craft beer John and Mitch have been laying this foundation for years, and getting the chance to work with them has been truly inspirational.”
Walt Dickinson // Co-Founder & Brewer, Wicked Weed Brewing
“What a great experience, combining two of my favorite beer styles while brewing with two of my favorite breweries!”
Mitch Steele // Brewmaster, Stone Brewing Co.
==Introduction==
Another interesting release that will see national distribution. Based on the information given, this is probably some IPA that came by to visit this reality from like the 9th dimension of craft beer existence. It really intrigued me especially since it is a Belgian Tripel IPA but also aged in wine and Tequila. Go figure the complexity. Either way, Lets hope we can make it back to this reality at hand as it seems this buzz trip is headed where no palates have gone before. It’s On! Cheers!
Aromas:
Citrus, phenolic, Belgian candi sugar, grapefruit, herbal, grassy and floral hops, Peppercorns, wine, tequila, mezcal hints, stone fruits like peaches, apricots, mango hints, exotic fruits like passion and dragon, oak , vanilla, caramel, strawberries, caramel, vanilla, lemon peel, pear, honey dew and Danish cream.
Flavors:
Citrus, grapefruit, herbal, grassy and floral hops, Peppercorns, Wine grapes, tequila mezcal hints, oak, Belgian Candi sugar, Stone fruit peaches, apricots, mango hints, dragon fruit, passion fruit, apples, starburst candy, caramel, vanilla, lemon peel, pear, peaches, banana notes, pineapple, honey dew melon, biscuit bread, honey, raspberries, strawberries, white grapes, Danish cream, bubble gum, rum hints, clove spice and tangerines.
Aftertaste:
Tequila mezcal, sangria hints, wine hints, citrus, stone fruit peaches, herbal and floral hops peppercorns and candi sugar linger. No alcohol in the taste, golden brown clear body, moderate to sipping drinkability, crisp, refreshing smooth yet creamy.
Overall:
An exceptional IPA that pretty much takes what you believe an IPA should be (Hoppy) and turns it into so many different flavors that it is all over the and yet supremely enjoyable and reminding you that the hops it does have are different for sure. It seems to be more of a tripel than it is an IPA but still an IPA and the Tequila and Wine…. damn it was a mission to cover this beer. Very enjoyable and something beyond a regular IPA. Find this one!
Anime Corner:
Hikoujouki, Senkanseiki and Wo-Class from Kancolle/ Kantai Collection were used in this pairing as the points unknown as not only represent three freaky creatures but also the colors work with the beer artwork. First, the girl on the left is Ecliptic as her hair curves with the phases of the moon. Stone in the back with the girl having horns is synonymous of Stone’s gargoyle and finally, Wicked Weed on the right having a big bug. Bugs live in weeds. Anyways, they are wicked (As in Awesome). Yeah they totally look like they aren’t of this world, complimenting the beer perfectly.
Brewerianimelogs (Anime and Beer Lore) 