Many, many draught tulips at Egajdzis’ house on 10/06/06
Soft peachy-tangerine colored body almost seems to have a hint of salmon-pink in it, though it also has a brass-golden tint as well. Slight glassiness, mostly clear, unfiltered and with gentle carbonation rising in the liquid to create and sustain a white head that provides ample lacing.
Light perfume in the nose is soft and speaks of delicate yeast nuances that create a lightly spiced, and softly invigorating aroma. Hints of lavendar and juniper, perhaps, with well-attenuated honey-like malts leaving a dry, aromatic graininess. Almost smells like rye, though I know there’s none in there. A soothing creaminess sits on the end, almost oat-like and well-matched to the perky beginning. Delightfully hopped, there is a notion of wet, green grass and fragrant lilacs. Incredibly seductive and surprisingly full in strength for its softness with positively no off-notes and a very classy yeast that dosent pump the aroma full of crude esters/phenols. Light strawberries and apples (faint) are about the extent. No alcohol noted, not surprisingly.
Deliciously malted, but equally well-attenuated, there is just a touch more here than your classic pils malt honey base. Just a smidgeon of baguette brushed with warm caramel. It quickly fades/becomes balanced by a pert bitterness that seems phenol driven or perhaps white pepper. Hops are juicy but not nearly overdone, lending more grassiness and almost a light tropical fruit nature that is probably a combination of yeast derived ester and hop. Carbonation is soft, gently engaging and produces a frothy effect on the finish. Dryness emerges moreso as it warms, but especially on the finish, where light apple/pearskin-like notes provide a reserved, dry fruitiness that matches the malt perfectly. Light yeast tartness crackles, cleansing the palate. Don’t find much wheat apparency, but then, I always have a tough time picking it out in saisons. A brilliant work of brewing, both delicate and flavorful. A touch of astringency builds on the palate, though it may just be wheat tanginess, but it somewhat distracts from the otherwise soft nature of the beer.

On draught at Egajdzis’ house on 10/5/06.
A slight glassiness shows the unfiltered, but well-conditioned nature of the beer. A rosy peach-tangerine body displays a small, but fairly dense, and well-retained white head that laces quite prominently.
Very fragrant simcoe hops in the nose show tons of dry-hopping and late-boil additions. It dosent strike me as an overdone, bittered-to-all-hell version and light bits of fluffy, rather succulent honeyish malts can be daintily picked out as well. As it warms and I continue to take it in, the lush simcoes deepen in complexity, lasting on the finish and producing a very green, watermelon and candied orange note that belies the usual hard pine resin and heavily dry grapefruit. There certainly is some light resin, but it is balanced easily by the light sugars and lively fruitiness. Despite having about 5 glasses of this stuff, and kicking Eric’s keg, the aroma never seemed to fail, nor did it get boring, which is strange, as there isn’t all that much going on. Just goes to show, when hops are done right, the wonderful simplicity can make a huge difference.
No surprises in the flavor, then, when I find a wonderfully drinkable, highly flavorful, yet tastefully done IPA. Some moderately bitter pine needle-like notes perk up at first, but are quickly washed away by melons, tangerines and a finish reminding me of ruby red grapefruit; no doubt the interplay of the light, but noticeable malt, and the tangy citrus notes from the hops. Excellent texture is provided by a comforting, soft malt body and low, but rather tight carbonation (especially for a draught sample). Nearly creamy, though not as heavy as to be creamy, but certainly frothy and invigorating on the palate, with an immense drinkability. Alcohol is never noted, nor any diacetyl. Hop acids never become a problem, even after the end of 4 or 5 glasses. I could have (and would have) kept drinking it.
Not the most complex example, but I don’t think it attempts to be, nor does it seem that it needed to be. Not the sheer tour de force of complexity and powerful flavor that is Mikkeller Simcoe IPA, but wonderful in its own right, and worlds apart from some of the other also-rans in the simcoe IPA category (Weyer dbl Simcoe, stone 10th). Thanks Eric!