Idle Hands Craft Ales
Microbrewery
in
Malden,
Massachusetts,
United States πΊπΈ
Associated Venue: Idle Hands Craft Ales
Established in 2011
Contact
6.5/10
β
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 6
Mango, passion fruit, guava, rubber, malt, and straw aroma. Cloudy pale yellow with small head. Lightly sweet mango, guava, passion fruit, light biscuit malt, moderately sour citric acid, and mildly bitter hay flavor. Good body. Burnt rubber aftertaste. Not sure if it was just the mixture of the fruits but kept getting a rubber aroma and taste.
Tried
on 24 Mar 2019
at 21:17
7/10
β
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Pours gold into a shaker. Bright white head with medium retention recedes to hug rim. Hay aromas. Crisp with sweet bread and hay front to back. Lasting bitter earth finish.
Tried
on 04 Mar 2019
at 23:51
7.4/10
β
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Draught at GMan, 12/5/18. Deep, burnished copper-golden, light haze and an off-white head showing moderate retention. Moderate lactic acid mixing with other various funk and cereal grains behind it. Light on the rosemary, but it's there and adds a good deal of complexity and helps diversify the otherwise straightforward lactic character. Light honey-caramel and no alcohol or flaw. Soft and malty, very tart with lemon, yogurt, light lactic acidity, plentiful biscuit, cereal and honey notes from the malt. It's well balanced, engagingly carbonated, well attenuated but I much prefer the non-soured version. I think the mixed culture definitely detracts or at least obscures the rosemary and other adjunct character that is so charming in the original.
Tried
on 06 Dec 2018
at 22:35
7.6/10
β
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Canned 11/20, drunk 12/4/18.
Lightly-to-moderately hazy, cherry red with some deep auburn hues. Pinkish-yellow-tinged, off-white head fades steadily to nothing.
Light lactic acidity parallels the strong cranberry character, both augmenting each other, it seems. Light floral and earthy notes emanate underneath from the blood orange, but this is definitely much more cranberry-forward. Malts are light, biscuity, mostly out-of-the-way. Smells a little more acidic/lactic than usual; not quite as much integration, but that's probably just because cranberry is so dry and acidic.
In the mouth it's tart, sweet and juicy all at the same time, making for an incredible flavor experience full of tart cranberry and lightly juicy, floral and earthy blood orange. Soft and malty with tight carbonation and good attenuation, the acidity lingers on gently but nicely. Surprisingly much more blood orange than the aroma lets on. Lactose/lactic acid is well-integrated in the flavor. As with the other entries in the series, the balance and flavors are just stellar. Always happy for a new release in this series.
Lightly-to-moderately hazy, cherry red with some deep auburn hues. Pinkish-yellow-tinged, off-white head fades steadily to nothing.
Light lactic acidity parallels the strong cranberry character, both augmenting each other, it seems. Light floral and earthy notes emanate underneath from the blood orange, but this is definitely much more cranberry-forward. Malts are light, biscuity, mostly out-of-the-way. Smells a little more acidic/lactic than usual; not quite as much integration, but that's probably just because cranberry is so dry and acidic.
In the mouth it's tart, sweet and juicy all at the same time, making for an incredible flavor experience full of tart cranberry and lightly juicy, floral and earthy blood orange. Soft and malty with tight carbonation and good attenuation, the acidity lingers on gently but nicely. Surprisingly much more blood orange than the aroma lets on. Lactose/lactic acid is well-integrated in the flavor. As with the other entries in the series, the balance and flavors are just stellar. Always happy for a new release in this series.
Tried
from Can
on 04 Dec 2018
at 20:34
7.4/10
β
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Draught at Ginger Man, 11/21/18.
Bright magenta-cranberry, medium haze, with a pinkish head showing low retention.
Smells of buttercream, tart currant and vanilla with cherry juice character on the end. Very round and full with no alcohol or bare lactic acid.
First impression seems to be of diacetyl but Im not sure and the palate quickly adjuats to it so that it never stands out again. Cherry juice with soft malts and light tartness throughout makes for a balanced, drinkable beer. Tight carbonation and light honey-cream-biscuit lingering. Quite a bit more flavorful and less sour than previous entries but delicious nonetheless.
Bright magenta-cranberry, medium haze, with a pinkish head showing low retention.
Smells of buttercream, tart currant and vanilla with cherry juice character on the end. Very round and full with no alcohol or bare lactic acid.
First impression seems to be of diacetyl but Im not sure and the palate quickly adjuats to it so that it never stands out again. Cherry juice with soft malts and light tartness throughout makes for a balanced, drinkable beer. Tight carbonation and light honey-cream-biscuit lingering. Quite a bit more flavorful and less sour than previous entries but delicious nonetheless.
Tried
on 24 Nov 2018
at 15:23
7.8/10
β
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Flight pour on draft at The Grill Next Door. Appearance is cloudy, grapefruit-juice look with no discernible sparkle, foamy ring of beige head with decent soapy lacing. Aroma is grapefruit, citrus, milder tropical fruit. Taste is grapefruit, citrus, light pine. Palate is medium bodied with thick, frothy texture, lively carbonation and dry finish as taste. Overall, a nice, juicy brew but more of a grapefruity bent so not overly sweet.
Tried
from Draft
on 02 Nov 2018
at 13:58
5.5/10
β
Appearance 10
Aroma 5
Flavor 4
Texture 8
Overall 4
Draught at Ginger Man, 10/11/18.
Thick, thick, soupy, muted bronze. Gotta love the appearance of these guys' IPAs.Β Big white head atop showing great retention.
Bubble gum, fruits, pine and strong mosaic or simcoe-like vegetal notes.Β Hmmm. Kind of underwhelming mostly because it's like 90% yeast and 10% hop character. And the hop character doesnt even seem particularly good.
Kinda yeasty again, in mouth. Popcorny, dirty, bland yeasty, yikes! Not much on the juice... Dry, with a great texture and carbonation. No problems there.Β Just needs less yeast in suspension.Β Not resinous or bitter.Β Very disappointing. Dirty, popcorny, metallic yeast ruins it.
Thick, thick, soupy, muted bronze. Gotta love the appearance of these guys' IPAs.Β Big white head atop showing great retention.
Bubble gum, fruits, pine and strong mosaic or simcoe-like vegetal notes.Β Hmmm. Kind of underwhelming mostly because it's like 90% yeast and 10% hop character. And the hop character doesnt even seem particularly good.
Kinda yeasty again, in mouth. Popcorny, dirty, bland yeasty, yikes! Not much on the juice... Dry, with a great texture and carbonation. No problems there.Β Just needs less yeast in suspension.Β Not resinous or bitter.Β Very disappointing. Dirty, popcorny, metallic yeast ruins it.
Tried
on 13 Oct 2018
at 15:39
8.5/10
β
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 10
Overall 9
Fresh can drunk 8/16/18.
Heavily hazy-to-soupy, bronze-maize-golden with a small, modestly-well-retained, white head atop.
Smell is pure Galaxy goodness backed by just the right amount of fruity, minimally bubble gummy, yeast character. Light, honey-tinged, cracker/biscuit malts back gently and the nose gets more and more tropical and juicy with warming. Light guava, white wine and mineral join the fray and there's no sign of alcohol, resin or flaw.
In the mouth it's shockingly flavorful, with big passion fruit, guava and light lime hop notes backed by a gentle malt sweetness, tight carbonation, high attenuation and a soft texture. Mango, lime, white wine and mineral continue through the finish, with spicy Galaxy notes and heavily juicy lime-guava lingering wonderfully. I don't remember the regular version being remotely this good, but obviously they've dialed this one in. This has just about everything good about four and six seam minus all of the alcohol. Really fantastic stuff.
Heavily hazy-to-soupy, bronze-maize-golden with a small, modestly-well-retained, white head atop.
Smell is pure Galaxy goodness backed by just the right amount of fruity, minimally bubble gummy, yeast character. Light, honey-tinged, cracker/biscuit malts back gently and the nose gets more and more tropical and juicy with warming. Light guava, white wine and mineral join the fray and there's no sign of alcohol, resin or flaw.
In the mouth it's shockingly flavorful, with big passion fruit, guava and light lime hop notes backed by a gentle malt sweetness, tight carbonation, high attenuation and a soft texture. Mango, lime, white wine and mineral continue through the finish, with spicy Galaxy notes and heavily juicy lime-guava lingering wonderfully. I don't remember the regular version being remotely this good, but obviously they've dialed this one in. This has just about everything good about four and six seam minus all of the alcohol. Really fantastic stuff.
Tried
from Can
on 18 Sep 2018
at 15:27
7.5/10
β
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
Can drunk 8/16/18.
Moderately hazy-to-cloudy, tangerine-copper-brass. Small, off-white head atop shows moderate retention.
Well-aged acid with integrated, attenuated fruits are both aromatic and bright, not dampened by any excess lactose and showing round, lightly juicy citrus and seedy, lightly jammy red fruit. Vanilla, honey and cracker sit behind it, confidently, with no alcohol, flaw or excess sourness. The lactose, malt and juicy fruit notes all achieve a very nice balance.
Soft, malty and juicy with lactose and honey-like malt textures, engaging carbonation and juicy citrus. Again, it's quite balanced and very flavorful, with a good attenuation and integration of the fruit. No excessive lactic acid component, nor any heavily tart, dominating raspberry character (which I find to be a problem quite often in raspberry sours). Great mix of soft, sweet and juicy, with tart/acidic. Clean and showing no alcohol.
Moderately hazy-to-cloudy, tangerine-copper-brass. Small, off-white head atop shows moderate retention.
Well-aged acid with integrated, attenuated fruits are both aromatic and bright, not dampened by any excess lactose and showing round, lightly juicy citrus and seedy, lightly jammy red fruit. Vanilla, honey and cracker sit behind it, confidently, with no alcohol, flaw or excess sourness. The lactose, malt and juicy fruit notes all achieve a very nice balance.
Soft, malty and juicy with lactose and honey-like malt textures, engaging carbonation and juicy citrus. Again, it's quite balanced and very flavorful, with a good attenuation and integration of the fruit. No excessive lactic acid component, nor any heavily tart, dominating raspberry character (which I find to be a problem quite often in raspberry sours). Great mix of soft, sweet and juicy, with tart/acidic. Clean and showing no alcohol.
Tried
from Can
on 17 Sep 2018
at 20:01
7.5/10
β
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8
750 ml I purchased at the brewery. Flavor has coca nibs, caramel candy, and a decent oak character. The wood helps cut the sweetness down a tad. Mouth is creamy and showing a velvet texture over the palate. Nicely crafted.
Tried
from Can
on 20 Aug 2018
at 17:01