Just the slightest hint of haze with light head retention, smells of vanilla frosting, blueberry pancakes, and strawberry shortcake. The taste is crisp and almost sweet, with flavors of unglazed cake donuts, strawberry, and black cherry soda on a smooth medium body. The finish is long and moderately bitter, featuring notes of candied grapefruit peel, key lime pie, pine, and herbal hops. Overall, it’s an intriguing beer; definitively evocative of various pastries, but also a straightforward, assertively hopped IPA. It’s almost great, but ultimately the balance feels just a bit off to my palate, and I’d have liked to have seen a bit more pastry forward beer.
Drink by: 1/31/22
