8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

22 ounce bottle into tulip glass; no bottle dating, but is a recent release. Pours hazy deep orange/copper color with a 2 finger dense and rocky off white head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice dense soapy lacing clings around the glass, with a good amount of streaming carbonation retaining the head. Aromas of big grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, mango, papaya, melon, pepper, orange peel, pine, caramel, toasted bread, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of juicy citrus/tropical hops, fruity/spicy yeast, and moderate dark/bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, mango, papaya, melon, pepper, orange peel, pine, caramel, toasted bread, floral, grass, and yeast earthiness. Moderate amount of pine/citrus rind bitterness and peppery yeast spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of grapefruit, tangerine, pineapple, peach, mango, papaya, melon, pepper, orange peel, pine, caramel, toasted bread, and floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance of juicy citrus/tropical hops, fruity/spicy yeast, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; with a great malt/bitter/spiciness balance and zero astringent flavors after the finish. Light-moderate dryness from bitter/spiciness, that lightly increases though the glass. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, moderately sticky, and creamy/bready balance mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is a great Belgian IPA. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of juicy citrus/tropical hops, fruity/spicy yeast, and moderate dark/bready malt flavors; and very smooth and easy to drink. A very enjoyable offering.