LSAT Freedom Trip #203. Bottle shared at a tasting. Hazy orange, thin foamy off-white head, good retention. Aroma of tropical, citrus hops and pale malt. The taste is tropical, citrus hops, pale bready malt. Medium bodied, simple, clean.

750mL bottled 6/9/15, drunk 10/7/15.
Well, at 4, yes 4, months in the cold fridge, this thing is still not quite clear. Granted it’s close and we’re in the chill-haze territory. Not that it matters, but it’s still interesting to me to see how much these hop particulates resist dropping out. The head is initially large and white but recedes steadily to ring/cover, probably due in part to the honey. Liquid is a light golden with minimal carbonation.
Galaxy immediately noted in the nose, but it’s not overly aspirin or cat pee-like. White grapefruit, lemons, light perfume and a hint of nectarine emanate from the hops while vanilla and light honey are the extent of the malt. Clean and with a good strength of aroma, with no alcohol or flaws.
Immediate impressions upon first few sips are a pretty strong sweetness with tangy, lightly punchy hop notes sticking to the side of the mouth/cheeks/palate. Oranges, lemons and very light watermelon suggestions follow, all the while carried on by a sticky, fairly tightly carbonated texture. Finishes with floral notes from the honey combined with a good but not overdone bitterness that helps balance this sticky honey and malt sweetness. It does have a bit too much maltiness/honey stickiness for me, but on the other end of the spectrum, what it dosent have, is any pine/resin whatsoever. So it’s a mixed bag for me.
Had I tried this before, I would have aged it in the cellar, not the fridge, to try to get a little more attenuation from the yeast to hopefully get a bit drier of a beer. As is, it’s much like DDH or Galaxy dry hopped Fort Point, but with more alcohol and malt/honey. I assume the tradeoff is that this fresh is probably very much more intensely hoppy and malty than it is here and than GDHFPPA is. So I don’t regret letting it mellow out for four months, as I’d much rather have cleaner, lighter, more balanced flavors (and would rather just have the less alcohol of fort point).
Ok, well that’s a long rant. Will definitely try it fresh when it’s brewed next because everyone gets all up in arms if you rate an IPA over a month old, but that’s the not issue here at all, just want it to be less sweet.

Bottle thanks to Rob. Pours a cloudy orange with small frothy white head that lasts. The aroma is strong pineapple, yeast, spice. Medium mouth, strong yeast, spice, clove, lingering dryness, very good.

32oz growler filled mid September and drunk 10/3/15.
Still shows a lovely pour with a beige head topping a mahogany body that gets slightly hazier as it gets lower in the growler. Head slowly recedes to cover.
Dark roast in the nose combines with a slight bit of prunes and bittersweet chocolate. Seems quite dry from the nose, which is appreciated. The coffee is certainly pervasive but not overdone/dominant and allows enough porter character to shine through, especially as it warms. Alcohol pretty well in check, though there is a touch of it on the finish. No flaws.
Plentiful coffee flavors up front of prunes, vanilla, heavy roast and with some lightly sweet toffee notes coming to the rescue (malt) to help balance all of the roasted bitterness. Extremely soft/supple texture and tight carbonation is a huge plus here and while it somewhat intensifies the perceived strength of the flavors, it nonetheless makes the beer very drinkable. Roast, treacle, burnt caramel and oats on the finish, with powerful coffee and malt flavors and some warmth from the alcohol. Probably just a bit too strong for its own good; would really enjoy this at about 5-6% abv. Still, the flavors are quite delicious and the texture is phenomenal. As well, it’s perfectly clean.

Bottle shared at Craft Beer Co. Clapham - London, during Route CBC. Many thanks to Sander! Pours cloudy yellow-gold with a frothy, white head. The nose holds Earl Grey tea, light pine needles, lemon meringue, tangerine. Medium sweet flavor with mellow pine notes, some oily citrus, more tea, tangerine, relaxed bitterness. Medium to full bodied with fine to average carbonation. Lightly resinous on the finish with some juicy citrus, more tangerine, orange. Nice beer.