Willie's Fruit Stand NEIPA

Hopsy needed some shade on this scorching June afternoon to enjoy this IPA

Always fun when beer friends travel and bring back some of the great ones they enjoyed on vacation! This is my first beer from 3 Car Garage Brewing Co. out of Bradenton, Florida. The name of this one has me thinking of driving along the ocean and stopping in for some fresh oranges and grapefruit!

Willie’s Fruit Stand NEIPA has distinct orange and grapefruit notes upfront. The body is soft and holds the citrus notes until the end, where you get some hop dankness. A nice 6.5% IPA to savor in the shade today with the temperature in the upper 90s.

Cheers!

Deftones Ceremony

The head on this beer is like a light, fluffy cloud

Is it possible that this solar-powered light can absorb all the energy from this bright IPA?

Deftones Ceremony from Belching Beaver Brewery is a Double Dry Hopped light hazy IPA. The aroma from this IPA is light tropical fruit. The head is this light and fluffy, reminding you of flying through a cloud.

There are tropical and stone fruit notes up front, with apricot and mango being the most dominant flavors. There is also a slight sweetness that fades into this incredible herbal darkness. I would love to know what hops are in this beer!

The slightly hazy IPA is full of flavor and so enjoyable. It comes in at 6.5% ABV and 30 IBUs. A perfect choice to warm your spirits on a January day!

Damn Good Times.

Cheers!

Not All Heroes Wear Capes

Inspired by Jonathan Zierdt who passed away from cancer this spring.

We all are inspired by those that fight the battle with cancer. Hero Hazy IPA is a tribute to a gentleman who had close ties to Luplin Brewing and the Mankato Brewery. This beer is for Jonathan Zierdt and the support of those dealing with this terrible disease.

I am new to Lupulin Brewing out of Big Lake, Minnesota. Recently they began distributing to my hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. This Hazy IPA they have created packs an enormous amount of tropical fruit aroma! Upfront, you will get pineapple, citrus, mango, and a touch of stone fruit notes. A nice transition from the sweet fruit notes to a spark of hop bitterness balances out this hazy IPA very nicely!

For those that like to know more about the details on the beer, here are the details.

Malts: 2-Row Barley, Flaked Barley, Spitz Malt

Hops: Citra, Eldorado, Mosaic, Mandarina Bavaria

ABV: 8.18%

IBU: 66

SRM: 6

I really enjoyed this IPA and I am looking forward to trying more beers from Lupulin Brewing!

Cheers!

Southern Hopisphere: You Speak-a My Language

Picture this. You are on a remote Australian beach where the quiet day erupts with some Men At Work’s Land - Down Under. That is exactly what you feel when having the first taste of Southern Hopisphere from Kros Strain Brewing!

This tropical New England style IPA is like a vacation in a glass! The aroma is of tropical fruit and some pine. Upfront, there are distinct peach and pineapple notes. The fruit notes fade into a pleasant earthy pine finish. Nice hop bitterness in the end.

The hop profile is made up of hops you would find in Australia including. Galaxy, Vic Secret, Topaz, and Nelson Sauvin hops, hence the name. A nice light, soft body in this 7.5% ABV and 62 IBU NEIPA.

I am so happy to get a chance to try this one! As always, Kros Strain Brewing never disappoints with their IPAs!

Cheers!

Is It Haze Stings or Hastings?

There is an excellent chance that after having the Haze Stings IPA from First Street Brewing Co that you will never spell Hastings, Nebraska correctly again!

This New England-styled IPA has a wonderful melon aroma that is so captivating. The frontend has stone fruit and melon notes with a touch of honey mixed in. The body is soft but has this nice carbonation in the middle to finish, bringing in that balance of hop bitterness. The deep orange color is stunning in this 6.4% ABV and 68 IBU IPA!

A must-visit if you are traveling on I-80 across Nebraska. Take a nice quick trip south of Grand Island to Hastings and stop into this incredible brewery. Every time I get to stop by, it is such a treat! The owners Nathan and Jessi Hoeft are like family! So many great styles of beer that they produce along with Kombucha tea.

See why First Street Brewing is “First in Flavor Grain to Glass.”

Cheers!

Caught in a Neon Time Warp

The 80’s was the decade of Neon!

The 80’s brought all the bright colors and stars like Madonna were part of the craze. The bright colors were everywhere from workout clothes to going out on the town attire. So needless to say, these eye-catching colors would make a great beer label!

Fast forward to the year 2021 and Pint Nine Brewing releases a hazy IPA called Neon 9’s. The hops used in this IPA come from Hollingbery & Son, Inc in the Yakima Valley. The hop profile consists of Citra, Mosiac, and Strata hops.

The nose on this IPA has citrus, tropical, and herbal aromas. This is a really dank IPA and I enjoy that. My research shows that the Strata hop has been described as “where passion fruit meets pot”. For me, the fruit notes are light and the dank herbal notes are more predominant especially in the finish. The body of this IPA seems to emphasize the herbal dankness.

Very enjoyable IPA that comes in at 6.7% ABV.

Time to get your neon on!

Cheers!

It's Coming Back To Me

What was it? A Hazy Memo - no that’s not right. Hazy Memory - that has to be it!

Lagunitas Hazy Memory is something you won’t forget! When you open the can there is a rush of peach, pineapple, and floral notes. This IPA pours with a nice amount of carbonation and a soft subtle hazy. The flavor is very tropical fruit with passion fruit, pineapple, and other citrus flavors. The finish has little to no bitterness.

Great hop profile that includes:

• Turbid Loral 291

• Hallertau Blanc

• Galaxy

• Citra

Super easy drinking but be careful! This hazy IPA comes in at 8% ABV!

Cheers!

It's Just a Phaze

Or is it? Are hazy IPAs just a phase that will come and be gone like the wind or are they here to stay?

The name of this Crane Brewing Co beer might start a debate but I would like to think that hazy IPAs are here to stay! When done right just like this one, you get to experience the aroma and flavor of the hops with the subdued bitterness that some people might not enjoy. The mouthfeel is soft but can still have a level of carbonation that enhances the flavors.

It’s Just a Phaze has amazing peach and apricot aroma. The front end of this IPA has lemon and grapefruit flavor that lingers into a nice, mild hop bitterness finish. Mouthfeel is soft and there is a decent level or carbonation that stays throughout the duration of the pour. At times it might remind you of a Farmhouse Ale. It comes in at 6.5% ABV and 60 IBUs.

I have had a few Crane Brewing beers and have enjoyed them all! I would put this one as my number one or two! If you make it through Raytown, Missouri, Crane Brewing better be on your list of places to stop!

Cheers!