Tröegs Independent Brewing Perpetual IPA
What the brewers say
“Artisanal meets mechanical in a state of IPA we call Perpetual. Cycling through our HopBack vessel and dry-hopping method, this imperial pale ale emerges rife with sticky citrus rind, pine balm, and tropical fruit.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Earthy, pine needles, lavender. Moderate hops notes with very little malt sweetness. Nice fruity character and a little onion. Slight malt sweetness.”
Flavor: “White-wine grapes, lemons, spruce tips, and grapefruit. Moderately strong malt background can’t keep up, though it tries. Sweetness up front with a light hops avor and a medium hops bitterness. Slight herbal notes, similar to chai tea, but subtle. Aftertaste is bitter and moderately lasting. Not as smooth as other examples.”
Overall: “A solid American IPA that is right down the middle for the style. You can’t go wrong with this one, though you may have trouble picking it out of a very talented crowd. This IPA has subtle herbal notes that may have been lost due to its placement in the review lineup. I enjoyed the fruit character in this beer and how it blended from the start to the finish.”