Lagunitas 12th of Never Ale

“Not as tropical as many, but pleasant light strawberry with hints of toasted malt up front. Creamy mouthfeel with a fantastic balanced finish of light malt sweetness and citrus. Not delicate, but it has a layered, complex character that belies the low gravity.”

__Aroma:__ “Really nice herbal hops notes (pine, juniper berry) come up front with a citrus note (orange, grapefruit) on the back. All clean and bright and neither overwhelming or underwhelming (just whelming). Light medium toasted malt hides in the background.” __Flavor:__ “Wonderful, complex pine and citrus hops character blends nicely with just enough malt sweetness to balance and give it a soft body. Beer is slightly sweet for the style until the very finish which is nice and dry.” __Overall:__ “Easy drinking, fun, and boozy with all of the classic pieces for the style: a hops profile that isn’t overly dank and resinous, but with some malt body and presence to balance. Maybe just a touch too much sweetness mid-palate. Overall, a great beer that offers all that I would want in an IIPA.”

Aroma: “Intense, luscious, juicy ripe tropical-fruit hops character—pineapple, mango, pine. Underlying sweetness leans toward Fanta Orange. Light, refreshing, bordering on NE IPA character. The big hops blast hides most of the malt aroma although some bready notes peek out.” Flavor: “Moderately fruity up front with melon, lemon, strawberry, and light white grape toward the end. A medium bitterness comes right after the fruit and grows throughout the sip. A light orange Creamsicle sweetness mixes with bitterness toward the end. Finish is soft, with a delicate mineral/chewy mouthfeel. It’s not particularly bitter, just enough to balance and accentuate the fruit on the swallow.” Overall: “This fits in with any of the lighter-bodied hazy IPAs that the cool kids like these days. It’s on the lighter side, so it’s easy drinking and refreshing yet very well-made and interesting, with delicate fruit notes throughout.”