Tag Archives: Citra Hops

Gimme Mo by Crux Fermentation Project

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Rating: 5/5

Gimme Mo by Crux Fermentation Project is a 6.2% ABV India Pale Ale.

Label:
Geez—not another IPA! That’s right, this is not just another IPA. Consider it a next generation IPA. A slightly sweet, lower ABV, IPA providing welcome relief from the onslaught of bitter hop-bombs out there. Its complex aromatic layers—suggest mango, melon, pine and berries—are driven by Mosaic and Citra hops which are then balanced by an acidulated and pilsner malt bill. Finally, its silky smooth mouthfeel will leave you asking for “mo.”

==Introduction==

Special thanks to my good friend and homebrew brother, Richard Avila of Avila Ales for donating this beer to the website. This is the first beer I have ever tried from Crux. The claim is that this is not the same IPA as your typical herbal, tropical or citrucy malty IPA. I always love the challenge to try new awesome beers so the fact that this one is said to be different is quite intriguing. While I can see their use of mosaic and citra can definitely bring some fruity tropics to the table, I am more intrigued to see if it really is true about a berry flavor. Let’s have a look, cheers!

Aromas:
Candied oranges, biscuits, Citrus, grapefruit, herbal, dank, piney and grassy hops, toffee, dark fruits, vanilla, lychee, tropical fruit mild notes, vanilla, starburst notes, honey and cane sugar.

Flavors:
Rich Citrus, grapefruit, herbal, dank, piney and grassy hops, toffee, caramel, chocolate hints, wild flower honey, tropical fruit mango, kiwi, passion fruit, honey dew melon, dark fruit blackberries, raspberries, cherries, cranberries, currant hints, maple hints, sweetened condensed milk, flan hints, tangerine gummies, lychee fruit, biscuit bread, candied oranges, rye bread, lemon grass, starburst candies, vanilla, strawberries and pineapple notes.

Aftertaste:
Finishing with nice notes of honey, vanilla, tropics, dark fruit, citrus and herbal hops and rye. No alcohol in the taste, Honey Amber light body, crisp, clean, refreshing and slightly velvety mouth feel along with an easy to moderate drinkability.

Overall:
A very different IPA indeed. Show casing more of a sweeter fruiter side of things while also including some of the best aspects of IPAs like tropics, citrus and even some herbal dankness. The difference was clear in its sweeter flavor, which was fruitier like actual berries than malty sweetness. In that aspect, yes it was very different. It was not a fruit based IPA but however they got those magical flavors from the hops indicates to me that someday, certain breeds of hops will yield an even greater range of delicious flavors. For now, I highly recommend this perfect IPA!

Anime Corner:
Juri Han from Capcom’s Street Fighter series was used in this pairing mainly to pair with the colors of the can but also the flavors of the brew from what I can gather as well as the crosshair symbol. Essentially, the cross hair arrows on the label looks similar to the way Juri has the glimmer in her eyes. Also, the name of the beer is indicative and innuendoes of Juri wanting more! I will leave what the “more” is up to you!

Sources:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/3d/6f/78/3d6f782ad01398ea1c83d67a1b1a0233.jpg

Aurora Hoppyalis IPA by Karl Strauss brewing

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14462760_10103598619324990_180452469865324733_nRating: 5/5

Aurora Hoppyalis IPA by Karl Strauss brewing is a 7% ABV San Diego Style India Pale Ale.

Label:
Okay fine, we admit it, you can’t see the Northern Lights this far south. But San Diego has its own version of Aurora Borealis, and ours has cast a hoppy spell over this city. What the rest of the world calls an IPA, San Diego locals consider pale in comparison. Aurora Hoppyalis is our San Diego-style IPA brewed with Simcoe, Mosaic, Amarillo, and Citra hops. Robust flavors and aromas of tropical fruit, pine, and tangerine linger through a dry, crisp finish. Tonight’s forecast: clear hoppy skies.

==Introduction==
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Released year-round, this is the first time Karl Strauss takes a shot at an east coast style beer with a west coast blend. Or at least it seems like it as this one is a hazy IPA. It has also been a while since I brought a Karl Strauss brew to the website as well. Karl Strauss has been in the business for craft beer since 1989 and as the times have changed, so have they to adjust for certain beer trends. While the West Coast hoppy beers have been the craze for years, it seems the arrival of the East Coast style is definitely having an effect on masses. So as a response they brought this. I have heard great things about this one so when my local shop started to carry it, I was damned if I didn’t bring this one to the site. Let’s take a look, cheers!

Aromas:
Tropical fruit, mango, pineapple, guava, dragon fruit, passion fruit, lychee, strawberry, biscuit bread, green tea ice cream, pears, sweetened condensed milk hints, stone fruit peach, honey, Citrus blossom honey, orange peel, grapefruit, piney, garlicky, oniony, herbal, dank and grassy hops, lemon starbursts, basil, Eucalyptus honey, lemon grass and agave hints.

Flavors:
Honey, Citrus blossom honey, orange peel, grapefruit, piney, garlicky, oniony, herbal, dank and grassy hops, lemon starbursts, basil, Eucalyptus honey, lemon grass, tropical fruit pine apple, dragon fruit, passion fruit, guava, lychee, strawberry, mango hints, tangerine gummies, biscuit bread vanilla hints, agave hints, mint, green tea ice cream, pears, sweetened condensed milk hints, stone fruit peach and apricot.

Aftertaste:
Finishing dry with honey, green tea, grassy, citrus and tropical hops. No alcohol in the taste, pale golden clear to hazy body, crisp, clean and refreshing mouthfeel along with an easy drinkability.

Overall:
A perfect IPA resembling an east coast style with the massive tropics but still giving it the old heave-ho garlicky dankness found in the west coast style. They somehow got all the flavors to meld well and then this honey and citrus taste that’s very unique. It does seem a lot like an East Coast in some aspects especially with the haze. While I haven’t had some good Karl Strauss beers in a while, this one was super damn impressive. Definitely another pickup from me and I recommend you pick this one up online or local.
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Anime Corner:
Ragyō Kiryūin from Kill LA Kill is the antagonist of the series. I won’t spoil who she really is if you have not seen the show but the reason I chose her for this beer pairing is because I wanted to pair the play on the name of the bear. Aurora Hoppyalis is a play on Aurora Borealis or the Northern lights. The lights they are created by sun’s particles that collide with the Earth’s atmosphere in the north creating these very beautiful and colorful lights. Since Ragyō’s hair is a rainbow of colors and she is always surrounded by immense light, it makes sense to use her in a beer that centers around the colorful variety and complex flavors that come from the hops which mimic the different fruits, citrus, sweets and herbs. She maybe evil in term of who she is but her light is as casting as that of a god!

Sources:
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GKVD8sSuCD0/maxresdefault.jpg
http://img1.joyreactor.cc/pics/post/Anime-Kill-la-Kill-Kiryuuin-Ragyou-yand-1181849.jpeg

Stone 20th Anniversary Citracado IPA by Stone brewing

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14484714_10103596384553490_3937893536958866357_nRating: 5/5

Stone 20th Anniversary Citracado IPA by Stone brewing is a 9% ABV Double India Pale Ale brewed with Citra hops and Avocado Flower Honey.
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Label:
Fortune Favors The Bold

For 20 years our passion for brewing and our obsession with hops have challenged traditional styles and expectations for beer. So it’s only fitting we commemorate this momentous occasion by crafting a liquid ode to bold brewing that satisfies your hop thirst and pays homage to our flagship San Diego brewery, located on Citracado Parkway (which itself pays homage to the citrus and avocado agricultural history of the region).

“Citracado” also teases the two key ingredients of this beer. “Citra” refers both to the juicy gem of a hop and its citrusy (and tropical) aromas and flavors. “Cado” inspired us to utilize wonderful, native avocado flower honey. Combine the two and the result pours like silk and abounds with enough hops to match our excitement for reaching this 20-year milestone. We thank you sincerely for the years of support and pledge that we will, as always, strive to live up to the reasons for your loyalty!

It seems like we started just yesterday, and at the same time, our early days feel like some distant, surreal parallel universe. Still fresh in our memories are the countless hours of intense work to get things started in a near vacuum of popular acceptance. Plus the camaraderie of early supporters and fellow craft brewers in those nascent days. While being told countless times in the late ’90s and early 2000s that our beer was too bitter, too strange, and that “this microbrew thing was just a fad, kid, and sorry to be the one to tell you, but it’s over now” has largely faded from memory.

While we’re remembering all the good times and accomplishments along the way and celebrating those who stood with us, we welcome the past skeptics to join us as well. After all, the detractors often gave us as much energy as our die-hard supporters, although it’s gratitude. THANYOU from the bottom of our hearts for believing along with us in this thing we call Stone Brewing. It is with true joy, humilty and appreciation that we present to you this special celebratory beer.

Greg Koch
CEO & co-founder

Steve Wagner
President & co-founder
==Introduction==
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It is finally here, stone turns 20. Since the year 2010 and the introduction of Arrogant Bastard, stone has been one of my favorite breweries aside from The Bruery, Lost Abbey and many others when I first started tasting many beers. Arrogant Bastard was the first time I tried a beer that was so damn bitter, that I eventually fell for it. As the many years went by, many more awesome beers came and they have really been showcasing some great beers. Today, Stone is known worldwide and even has beers in Europe thanks to the new Brewery in Germany. With the release of this IPA, they mark what will a representation of what they have worked to be and what they will become in the future. Here’s to 20 more, Cheers!

Aromas:
Herbal, citrus, grapefruit, floral, piney, grassy, garlicky, oniony and earthy hops, tropical fruit mango, prickly pear, guava, lychee, papaya notes, dragon fruit, passion fruit, honey, oregano, basil, citrus blossom honey, stone fruit peach, tangerine gummies, sweetened condensed milk hints, lemon starburst and vanilla.

Flavors:
Italian Basil, Oregano, Avocado, honey, wild flower honey, biscuit bread, citrus, grapefruit, floral, piney, grassy, garlicky, oniony and earthy hops, caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, peppercorn, cherries, tropical fruit mango, prickly pear, guava, lychee, papaya notes, dragon fruit, passion fruit, cane sugar, lemon starburst, rye bread hints, stone fruit peach, tangerine gummies, sweetened condensed milk hints and citrus blossom honey.

Aftertaste:
Finishes dry with rich citrus, grassy and herbal hops, oregano, avocado, honey, tropical fruit hints and starburst. No alcohol in the taste, Amber Honey clear body, crisp, smooth, refreshing and slightly creamy mouthfeel along with an easy to moderate drinkability.

Overall:
Perfect IPA showcasing many great flavors of tropical fruit with honey which the herbal notes taste somewhat like avocado. There are still the dank resinous flavors of a great IPA as always from the palate ruining hops that made many people’s dreams come true. As I sip the beer it still crazy that in only a few years since Arrogant Bastard, that Stone is still coming out with great recipes. Definitely worth a try and highly recommended.
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Anime Corner:
Flootier and Cyda from Summon Night were used in this pairing to go along with the gargoyle mascot that has been around since the beginning of Stone brewing. Flootier from the picture is synonymous with the story of stone. In the beginning, the gargoyle was summoned and graced the people (Cyda) with such magical liquid arrogance that soon the masses fell head over heels for the brewery which has redefined what the true king of beers really means. After that, people could not get over the great beers and for many years, may the gargoyle keep giving more and more to the people. Stone (Flootier) works really hard to make people happy :).
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Sources:
http://img.moeimg.net/wp-content/uploads/archives6/6283/30_1bjyzewe76.jpg
https://lolibooru.moe/image/fc4691c7ea3301f9f26349fbea97772f/lolibooru%2043469%20amachi_(ageha0214)%20black_sclera%20cyda_afrarn%20demon_horns%20detached_sleeves%20multiple_girls%20purple_hair%20summon_night%20summon_night_5%20very_long_hair.png
http://kurge1m.web.fc2.com/illust/samon2.jpg
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CGlaHAVUAAEJMzZ.jpg

(Homebrew Project#25) Frontier Tropics At Mirage Sunrise by Nubis Sanctum Ales

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14379789_10103559179837040_7433726519403536685_oRating: 5/5 
 
Frontier Tropics At Mirage Sunrise by Nubis Sanctum Ales is an 11% ABV Tropical Double India Pale Ale Brewed with, Citra, Cascade and Summit hops, Toasted Coconut, Strawberries, Kiwis, Mangos, Oranges, Grapefruit, Limes and Coriander.
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Label:
Tropical Double India Pale Ale Brewed with, Citra, Cascade and Summit hops, Toasted Coconut, Strawberries, Kiwis, Mangos, Oranges, Grapefruit, Limes and Coriander.
 
Saving townsfolk comes at a high price. Even for the noble outlaw duo like Franco il Nero and Donne Anonime who’s good deeds don’t go without punishment. Like the lost oasis of indigenous lore, Licuados Alets, the duo has never been captured. Only fools waste their search on such legends. Although, tales told that during sunrise, while in search of the duo, off in the distance, the tropical oasis has been seen with the deceiving eyes of the dessert heat. An illusion of the cowgirls can be witnessed but even the thirstiest of pursuers will never reach them…Until today, the water from that lost oasis, was given by the sexy outlaws to the few. You are, but the few…
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==Introduction==
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Project #25 was technically a last minute creation for the end of spring 2016. You see, I cannot brew beer in the summer as the temperatures in my room are not viable for brewing. However, since my friend Richard Avila of Avila Ales gave me a birthday present, basically the ingredients to make a cascade and summit double IPA, I decided to take my own crazy and twisted approach to the base recipe and create something awesome. Since I always wanted to make a more tropical IPA ever since last year’s IPA I made, I decided to buy all sorts of fruits that would not only compliment the citrus and grapefruit flavors of cascade and summit but also the tropical fruits in citra which is the other set of hops I added. The origin of the name really came from the use of hops like Summit like in the mountains of the Frontier of the old west. While many are stuck in the dessert in the old west, they desire water and often would find an oasis in the distance only for it to be a mirage. Hence if they ever got to the oasis, it would be like reaching a tropical beach full of delights. The water would also trickle form the mountains into this paradise tropical oasis, hence the use of the cascade. So all and all, the name came to be, Frontier Tropics At Mirage Sunrise. The sunrise part is all the citrus added since it would also remind one of drinking orange juice for breakfast, Nevertheless, this beer came to be. There was a lot of trial and tribulations since I had not used toasted coconut before and so this would be my first attempt. So let’s take a look at the final beer that was made at the end of spring and ready to drink in the summer time, Cheers!
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Aromas:
Rich toasted coconut, piña colada, macaroons, Tropical fruit pineapple, kiwi, mango, dragon fruit, honey dew melon, vanilla, biscuit bread, agave nectar, honey, kiwi jelly, Oranges, orange juice, limes, lemon peel, tangerines, grapefruit, piney, grassy and herbal hops, coriander hints, strawberries and sweetened condensed milk.
14324298_10103559179717280_4878994497619442482_o
Flavors:
Rich Piña Colada, toasted coconut, macaroons, rum notes, tropical fruit kiwi, mango, dragon fruit, mild passion fruit, pineapple (even though there isn’t any added to the beer), strawberries, strawberry cream pie, sour hints of lemon peel, Oranges, orange juice, limes, tangerines, grapefruit, piney, grassy and herbal hops, hint of coriander spice, stone fruit peach, apricot, earthy hops, flan hints, sweetened condensed milk hints, caramel hints, vanilla, biscuit bread, agave nectar, honey notes, honey comb hints and kiwi preserves.
 14524463_10103586804342310_8397508240260283130_o
Aftertaste:
Finishes with hints or strawberry, orange juice, toasted coconut, sour lemon, tart grapefruit hints, piña colada, macaroons and herbal hops. No alcohol in the taste despite the ABV, Golden Amber and brown medium to full body, crisp, refreshing, and smooth mouthfeel with a moderate drinkability
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Overall:
Damn perfect fruity and tropical IPA. My only gripes would be that since this is my first time toasting my own coconut, it changed the color of the beer to a brown color but other than that it was awesome. I think the fruit may have over taken some of the hops but the hops really did compliment the fruit and the bitterness is there with a hint of tart from the citrus fruits and kiwi but then rounded off by the delicious and pleasant coconut. Overall, I think it came out great but I think next time I would probably add more hops just because and buy already toasted coconut as toasting the coconut by baking it in the oven changed the color which then changed the color of the beer. This toasting though would work great for darker beers and even if it is a browner IPA, still taste perfect to me. One of my best!
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 14435336_10103586804926140_8765915958620446701_o
Anime Corner:
Franco iL Nero and Donne Anonime from Nitroplus series, Outlaw Django Tre Donne Crudeli were used in this pairing as I wanted to have not just the colors of the different ingredients complement as well as the flavors, but the theme of I was going for when I came up with the name revolved around the images of Franco and Donne at the beach which was pretty damn creative. Thus, the story beer complements the art, the other side of the pairing viewpoint!
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Sources:

Tangerine Soul Style IPA by Green Flash

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14138250_10103494896191980_5969253786494613664_o 14114945_10103494897055250_4241611875515062724_oRating: 4.75/5

Tangerine Soul Style IPA by Green Flash is a 6.5% ABV India Pale Ale brewed with Tangerines, Citra and Cascade hops.

Label:
Enjoy a SoCal summer year-round with Tangerine Soul Style IPA. This delectable brew is a one-way ticket to taste bud paradise. Relax and take in the brilliant, golden color and fresh aroma of effervescent tangerine. Tangerine zest carries throughout, accented by bright, floral, tropical flavors and a juicy finish. Brewed with American malts and a blend of Citra and Cascade hops, this is a beautiful brew to behold.

==Introduction==

Obtained this brew thanks to my friend Neal Lemons. I had not heard of this one before and I had not had a chance to try much of Green Flash beers aside from Silva Stout. This one looks very promising especially since it was recommended by my friend. This brew was released for the summer in many places where the Green Flash beers are sold. Let’s have a chug at this shall we? Cheers!

Aromas:
Citrus, Grapefruit, floral, herbal, piney and dank grassy hop notes, tangerines gummies, tangerine zest, tropical fruit mango, kiwi, strawberry, honey dew melon, passion fruit, dragon fruit, pineapple, starburst candy and biscuit bread.

Flavors:
Lots of tangerines, tangerine peels, tangerine gummies, oranges, orange peel, lemon peel, lemon candy, herbal, piney, grapefruit and floral hops, tangerine preserves on biscuit bread, mild cane sugar notes, coriander, stone fruit peach hints, tropical fruit kiwi, honey dew melon, passion fruit hints, dragon fruit, mild mango notes, strawberries, pineapple notes, papaya hints, cherry hints, starburst candies and wheat bread.

Aftertaste:
Finishes dry with lots tangerine notes, hoppy citrus, and tropical flavors but mainly herbal and grassy hops. No alcohol in the taste, gold pale yellow clear body, crisp, refreshing and clean mouthfeel as well as very easy to drink!

Overall:
A very delicious beer whose flavors of citrus are definitely amplified by the tangerine addition. Tangerines are sweet citrucy fruits so I think with the addition of the tangerines, citra and cascade makes for one ridiculously citrucy and tropical IPA. This one did not have a lot of malt back bone which many people may love in their IPA. A definite recommendation.

Anime Corner:
Yang Xiao Long from the RWBY series was used in this pairing as I wanted to pair with the color of the label, ingredients such as the tangerines, body and even the palate bite in the form of her strong punches. The name Tangerine soul also applies to her as her power resonates with that of the colors presented in this beer. Her soul burns with passion like the tangerines forward in this beer. The more you drink the sweeter she seems but the palate ruining will ensue like the fires of hell. You’ll be back for more.

Sources:
http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11112/111127451/4348449-yang_xiao_long.jpg
http://pm1.narvii.com/5821/b05b9f8b7305c851dba3c4bc73e430ffa1b04ed1_hq.jpg

Lil Citra by Pipeworks Brewing

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13880277_10103439827170740_2444972681996993239_nRating: 4.65/5

Lil Citra by Pipeworks Brewing is a 4.9% ABV Session India Pale Ale brewed with Citra Hops

Label:
None.

==Introduction==
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When I first saw this can, I definitely wanted to bring it to the site. Pipeworks brewing has been brewing lots of awesome beers but have also been doing lots of great art work with their beers. So whenever I see something that catches my eye, I definitely want to bring it to the site. This brew while light, it packed full of citra hops. Let’s see what it has to offer.

Aromas:
Grapefruit, citrus, floral and grassy hops, Stone fruit peach, apricot, tropical fruit mango, prickly pear, papaya, dragon fruit, kiwi, passion fruit, lychee, kumquats, biscuit bread, tangerine gummies, orange peel, orange zest, lemon candy and starburst hints.

Flavors:
Lots of Oranges, orange zest, orange peel, tangerine, Grapefruit, floral and grassy hops, lychee, kumquats, tangerines, tropical fruit mango, prickly pear, papaya, dragon fruit, kiwi, passion fruit, biscuit bread, Stone fruit peach, apricot, crab apples, honey dew melon, starburst candy, tangerine gummies, lemon candy, strawberries, green tea ice cream and honey.

Aftertaste:
Finishing dry with lots of citrus and tropical fruit notes, herbal hops and stone fruit. No alcohol in the taste, Clear golden honey body, smooth, rich, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel along with being ridiculously easy to drink.

Overall:
A very delicious session IPA. Pungent Citrus juices with a mix of tropical medley from the Citra hop awesomeness. Not a lot of malt but as you drink a great deal of it, the hops and fruit flavors just seem to gush out but with the dry finish leaves you wanting more. It is definitely on the light side and people for a light beer palettes may like. A recommend if you can get this one.

Anime Corner:
Pururun/Polly Esther from Samurai Pizza Cats and Starfire/Koriand’r from Teen Titans were chosen in this beer pairing since I wanted to pair with the cat and the colors of the beer. The orange and greens pair with the flavors of the beer but also Starfire. Polly Esther, although a Samurai, she is still knowledgeable of the ninja arts and can pair well with the cat in the label.

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/euR6nYY.jpg
http://img07.deviantart.net/3db4/i/2016/143/a/6/starfire_by_alex_malveda-da3i7xp.jpg

I’m So Honey Right Now by El Borracho Homebrewing

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10339263_10102978463472290_25571042429433349_oRating: 5/5

I’m So Honey Right Now by El Borracho Homebrewing is a 7.8% ABV India Pale Ale brewed with extra Citra and Wild Flower Honey.

==Introduction==

My friend and Homebrew brother, Will Carranza, created another awesome brew and requested I’d give it a shot. He used some Wild flower honey which was given to him and extra citra to this concoction. The results were this honey based and orangey IPA. With many brews on his profile, I think Will is definitely moving up the ranks of the greatest homebrewers. Let’s take a sip and see what this one has to offer, cheers!

Aromas:
Rich citrus, grapefruit, tropical fruit mango, papaya, biscuit hints, honey, biscuit bread, caramel hints, wild flower honey, stone fruit apricot, peach notes, kiwi, strawberry hints, passion fruit, dragon fruits, lemon grass and floral notes.

Flavors:
Lots of tropical fruit, papaya, mango, guava hints, honey dew melon, kiwi, strawberry hints, passion fruit, dragon fruit, floral, grapefruit, grassy, piney and herbal hops, tangerine candy, lemon peel, grapefruit peel, biscuit bread, caramel hints, wild flower honey, stone fruit apricot, peach notes, lychee, peppery notes, lemon verbana, minty hints, toffee hints, and starburst.

Aftertaste:
Lingereing tropical fruit, wild flower honey, citrusy and grapefruit hops, biscuit notes, and toffee hints. No alcohol in the taste, golden honey crimson medium to full body, smooth, crisp, refreshing and frothy mouthfeel and easy to drink

Overall:
A perfect IPA. A great job to my Homebrew brother for pulling this one off. So much candied hops and honey. While the color is a little darker due to the wild flower honey, the color is not offsetting to show that this is an IPA. I think is one of Will’s best IPAs so far. However, with the variety of hops out there and the passion for homebrewing experimentation, there is no limit to creating more brews like this one and maybe more exceptional ones.

Anime Corner:
This original character was used in this pairing as I wanted to pair with the name of the label. I am so honey right now showcases the seductive nature of what is sweet and temptation. A representation of honey and being covered in it almost to the point of implying that she is sexually active leaves a lot to the imagination.

Sources:
http://img0.joyreactor.cc/pics/post/Няши-в-еде-Anime-Няши-Anime-Anime-Adult-2182333.jpeg

Tropical Day Dream Pale Ale by Avila Ales

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11952859_10102810038562160_4813084693664417412_oRating: 4.25/5

Tropical Day Dream Pale Ale by Avila Ales is a 5% ABV American Pale Ale brewed with Citra Hops

==Introduction==
Partial base wort was brewed using brewing equipment at Monkish for the “Monster Home brew Event” back in June 2015. The idea was to create a base pale wort using the equipment at Monkish brewing. Each person would get 5 gallons (or 10 or more depending on how much you would pay) from this concoction you would take it home add to the wort to change the style completely to more than 10 different styles of beer. My friend Richard Avila and I went to Monkish on that day to buy 10 gallons of wort each. This is the first custom batch he made using citra hops. Thanks to my friend Richard for sharing this one with me and as a tribute, I was able to bring this beer over to the website.

Aromas:
Grapefruit, lemon juice, lemon peel, passion fruit, tart apples, Stone fruit hints like peach, tropical fruit like mango, peppercorn and green tea.

Flavors:
Lots of grapefruit, citrus, lemon peel, rich passion fruit, guava, prickly pear, grassy hops, floral hops, mango, peppercorn, honey dew melon, tart apples, stone fruit peach hints, green tea, herbal notes, grape hints, papaya, pineapple and biscuit bread.

Aftertaste:
Leaving a dry finish in the taste with some residual tropical fruit notes. No alcohol in the taste, Hazy yellow medium body, crisp, clean, refreshing mouthfeel and easy to drink.

Overall:
A very good pale ale. While there maybe some off flavoring due to the original wort being from Monkish, I think the control in the brewing and addition of my friend’s own ingredients to the beer made it a great style. Definitely rich in the tropical aspects including the rich grapefruit and tropical fruit. The only off flavors maybe the bit of lemony tartness or the green tea or tart apple hints but overall making it a pretty wonderful experience overall for being a pale ale. It definitely surpasses the first Pale Ale I made. I think my friend definitely has a great amount of experience to get next batch the way he likes as he will have more control of the wort.

Anime Corner:
Original artwork by Yuuza of DeviantArt was used in this pairing as I wanted to pair the flavors of the beer with the name. The colors representing the vast majority of tropical fruit goodness but alse the aspect of day dreaming which the mind uses to create figments of the imagination. This beer is like a dream in the sense that it tastes so rich and juicy like tropical fruits even for such a low ABV. Even in the artwork, you can see how the day dreams come to life as they are created upon the stroke of the pain brush the mind wields.

Sources:
http://orig12.deviantart.net/be4b/f/2014/023/e/1/painting_the_world_by_yuuza-d64n3cv.jpg

Hop Squeezed Tropic Hunter by Nubis Sanctum Ales

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11209405_10102705674518540_6521462536723157215_n 11701078_10102705675566440_2156771401235513723_n 11705364_10102705676769030_5161456622611351380_nRating: 4.95/5

Hop Squeezed Tropic Hunter by Nubis Sanctum Ales is an 11% ABV Double (Triple) India Pale Ale brewed with Mango Puree, Arizona Wild Flower Honey, Citra, Mosaic, Amarillo and Simcoe.

Label:
The Last Mango is in Captivity. The Galaxy Hops, are at peace… as they were not harmed in the making of this beer…

Tropic Hunter S.A.M.U.S (Savor Analyze Monitor Unite & Save)
Log OG:1.100 FG:1.020…
Login METROIPA…Accepted…
Transmitting Data—->
“My name is SAMUS. I first encountered the Mango-troid colony on their home Planet Citra Zest. It was there that I was introduced to the rich delicious Nectar these creatures produced. These creatures though harmless had offered me something I’ve never seen in all my visits through the Galaxy of Barley way. The Mango-troids, after pollination which would involve squeezing sugars from fruits and hops, would then leave behind a secret bitter sweet liquid that was gold in color and aromatic like the tropical fruits of the Planet 4U2EAT. My mission… To collect a sample of this ambrosia and present it to the lab for analysis. Here is what this liquid is composed of:

Ingredients: Water, Malts, Amarillo, Simcoe, Mosaic & Citra Hops, Freshly made Mango Puree, Arizona Wild Flower Honey, Candi Sugar and San Diego Super Yeast.

As I completed my mission, a Mango-troid followed me back to my ship. I think it is a baby. So it seems I was able to produce enough of the ambrosia with the help of the Mango-ling that I am providing some for your research as well!

SAMUS Over And Out… Cheers and see you next mission!”
End Transmission…

==Introduction==
11226214_10102578385147460_5955177454859176997_o

Project#9 is my attempt at brewing a tropical double IPA and an inspiration from El Segundo’s Power Plant as well as the Sure Bet Double IPA from Pipeworks is this beer right here. While studying a good recipe for a couple months and buying ingredients bit by bit, I finally was able to create my first ever IPA in the similar recipe to tribute to some of my favorite tropical/leche nestle Triple IPAs out there. I have no idea if my beer can even top the Pliny the Younger but I hope it can beat the elder atleast. Either way, it was a lot of work, a great learning experience and one damn great beer I was very proud to make. Cheers!

Aromas:
Mango hints, Wild flower hints, rich citrus, rich pine needle, herbal, floral, grassy and grapefruit hops, tropical fruits like guava, prickly pears, papaya, passion fruit, dragon fruit, lychee, pineapples, apricots, stawberrries, raspberries, cherries, tangerines, tuna fruit, stone fruit peaches, creamy vanilla, caramel, agave notes, sweetened condensed milk, tangerine gummy bears, citrus peels, grapefruit peels, coconut hints, marshmallow and tres leches/3 milks cream hints.

Flavors:
Rich Mango, Wild flower honey, agave notes, tropical fruit like dragon fruit, papaya, kiwi, honey dew melon, strawberries, passion fruit, prickly pear, papaya, guava, piney, grassy, grapefruit hops, citrus, tangerine oranges, orange peel, grapefruit peel, sweetened condensed milk, caramel, toffee, vanilla, stone fruit apricots, banana hints, raspberries and cream hints, orange gummy bears, mild coconut hints, tres leches/3 milks cream hints, almonds and macadamia nut hints.

Aftertaste:
Lots of Orange peel, Grapefruit peel, Mango hints, Wild Flower honey hints, caramel, gummy bears, tangerines, tropical fruit hints, and stone fruit hint with left over piney hop goodness that pops for a bit. Slight alcohol in the taste, Golden Amber Honey full body, silky, syrupy, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel and a moderate drinkability

Overall:
While I give it 5 stars for the rich flavors I still was disappointed slightly that my carbonation was definitely not on par. There is a slight amount of head but not a lot of carbonation. Call it beginners foil but also a great learning lesson. Don’t get me wrong, I really love this beer it is damn scrumptious but with the carbonation it would have been way better. Either way, I know for next time and surely, next time I make an IPA and do secondary, definitely pitching some extra yeast to compensate for the high ABV but also the yeast viability after those several weeks after fermentation finished. A perfect yet “semi flat” yet super tropically delicious masterpiece.

Anime Corner:
Samus Aran from Metroid was used in this pairing as I wanted to give representation of the whole tropical colors and flavors as shown in the label by the metroids being the mangos and Samus squeezing them extracting this very IPA. The idea was solid and I lived it. I give more details in the label description but the shine of the beer in its strength, love, passion and dedication to making one of the best tropical IPAs I could. The lil’ metroid baby sure loves to help out Samus(Squeeze)! But I digress. Maybe the condensed milk like hints were… nah it couldn’t be 😉 …

Sources:
http://genzoman.deviantart.com/art/Metroid-259341497
http://planetgameboy.de/images/db/58621.jpg
http://orig09.deviantart.net/4d4e/f/2015/045/d/1/metroid___samus_be_my_valentine_by_genzoman-d8i0z23.jpg

Photosphere Phil by Clown Shoes brewing

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11209606_10102559766190000_4896817392146577969_nRating: 5/5

Photosphere Phil by Clown Shoes brewing is a 7.5% ABV American IPA

Label:
Most humans recline on a chaise lounge by the pool, or at the beach. Not Phil, the Clown Shoe rep for CA. Phil motors up to the photosphere of our sun, where a temperature of 6000 K does not defeat his epic ability to chill. The beer is built off the recipe for Space Cake, but with a lower ABV, more crisp body, and Citra hops.

==Introduction==

A California only Clown Shoes release. I was kind of hoping we saw a Unidragon variant, but oh well. Maybe next time. Never the less, I still wanted to bring this one forward as it is a lighter version of the Space Cake but with Citra hops. I obtained this one at the local Ramirez Warehouse in Boyle Heights. I really liked Space Cake so I am definitely curious to see how this one changes with less ABV. Let’s check how the session feels with this beer.

Aromas:
Mango, oranges, orange peel, lemons, grapefruit, piney, floral, grassy and citrus hops, tropical fruis like pineapple, dragon fruit, guava, lemon peel, papaya, lychee, cherries, tangerine, biscuit bread and berry notes.

Flavors:
Citrus, lemony, grapefruit, piney, floral, grassy and dank hops,Orange peel, great amount of tropics of guava, mango, passion fruit, dragon fruit, honey dew melon, papaya, pineapple, strawberry notes, lychees, sweetened condensed milk hints, caramel, raspberry hints, biscuit bread, caramel, toffee, tangerines, peaches apricots, chocolate cherry hints, cream-sickle hints, vanilla, gummy bears and prickly pears.

Aftertaste:
Tropical fruit notes linger, lots of orange, grapefruit, stone fruit hints, biscuit bread, sweet cream and cherry hints. No alcohol in the taste, smooth, crisp and refreshing mouthfeel, golden honey light body and easy to drink.

Overall:
I don’t know what to say but this beer is just as awesome and more drinkable than Space Cake. A perfect IPA!! Some of the elements I enjoyed from space cake are there for sure and while some of the flavors are hinted than they were in Space cake, the other citrus and tropical notes are more forward. This maybe a California only beer but I’m sure you can get this online before it is gone. In fact, get several as this beer is very easy going!

Anime Corner:
Koriand’r a.k.a Starfire from Teen Titans was used in this pairing as I wanted to find a character that would pair with the fiery sun but also the whole Space Cake aspect of the beer. Her colors go well with the color’s of Phil’s couch and just lounging. Starfire is as strong as the strength of the hops but is also as gentle as the drinkability and lighter side of the space beer.

Sources:
http://sakimichan.deviantart.com/art/Starfire-Teen-titan-511386913

MechaHopzilla by Nola brewing

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10547584_10101994845206180_352561156745056685_n 10552461_10101994846199190_8633115024396018513_nRating: 4.5/5

MechaHopzilla by Nola brewing is an 8.8% ABV Imperial India Pale Ale.

Label:
This “Hop Monster” is an American Imperial IPA boasting Bravo, Columbus, Centennial and Citra Hops. Beware of MechaHopzilla’s powerful flavor and it’s attack of half pound per barrel dry-hop aroma. Not for the faint of heart or palate. Hop heads, this one’s for you! Brewed with love, brewed in New Orleans.
___

I love Godzilla and all the other Kaiju monsters! This one is probably my favorite label from the beers I have received thus far in this package from my friend Aaron Mendiola of www.beermetaldude.com. I have heard of a Hopzilla beer and even tried the Dogzilla beer long ago. However, a MechaHopzilla beer, this is freaking awesome! I have no idea what to expect from this beer but since it is an IPA, I can only hope it is a monster of a hoppy beer. Thanks again Aaron and cheers brother!

Aromas:
Grassy, Piney, floral and grapefruit hops, caramel, biscuit bread, tangerine, oranges, lemon peel, tropical fruit hints like mango, papaya, prickly pears, dragon fruit, brown sugar, toffee, orange gummy bears and rye bread.

Flavors:
Grassy, piney, grapefruit, floral and citrus hops, caramel, tangerine, orange preserves on biscuit bread, tropical fruits like guava, papaya, dragon fruit, prickly pear, mango, brown sugar, toffee, orange gummy bears, bubble gum hints, lemon peel, rye bread, peach, apricot and butterscotch hints.

Aftertaste:
Caramel, grassy, pine, grapefruit and tropical hops linger. No alcohol in the taste, a moderate to sipping drinkability, medium body, medium mouth feel as well as crisp and refreshing.

Overall:
This IPA is very good. Aside from the Godzilla and Mecha Godzilla reference, this one truly does work with the caramel and malty aspect of IPAs. The balance of this works while still maintaining a caramel sweetness, the hop complexities definitely make for one really good and hoppy IPA. If you do not like malty and hoppy IPAs, then this one may not be for you. Personally, I enjoy these myself so I recommend it.

Anime Corner:
Akane Yashiro, Titanosaurus and Mecha Godzilla were used in this pairing for the obvious Mecha Godzilla reference. I tried to find something that also pairs with MechaHopzilla’s colors and in this case, it was the Mecha Gozilla III’s shoulder cannons. The fact that it comes in can also helps the pairing out so well. The bitterness is definitely represented by Mecha Gozilla’s onslaught.

Speaking of which, it turns out that Toho had sued Nola over this beer. I hope they can still use the reference because honestly, this is one bad ass monster of a beer!
http://www.fox8live.com/story/23392839/toho-sues-nola-brewing-over-mechahopzilla-beer

Sources:
http://i.imgur.com/CLTMzsY.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/bVrKySg.jpg