Ska Brewing Co. Modus Mandarina India Pale Ale

Aroma: “Bright noble-hops notes, floral, spice, and honeysuckle. Slightly sweet pale malt aroma that joins pear, apple esters, and slight bubblegum.” Flavor: “Well-crafted malt complexity with depth of Continental base-malt character. The light sweetness of the malt works perfectly with the fruity esters and floral hops. Quite delicate, but with a zing from tangerine and lemongrass notes. Finishes smooth and dry.” Overall: “A well-designed and well- executed beer that is a near-perfect example of the style. A classic German hops character balanced wonderfully with grainy Pilsner malt make this an extremely drinkable Kölsch. It captures all of the malt character one could expect in such a light package without any of the less desirable side effects that malt can cause. Great balance where the whole is greater than just a sum of its parts.”

**Aroma:** “Tart nose up front, some alcohol warming, waxy, mild floral honey, lightly acidic, slowly developing citrus fruit, very light kiwi aromatics, touch of pithy bitterness on the nose, yeasty.” **Flavor:** “Crisp, light sweetness blends well with mild carbonation; drying finish, some citrus, kiwi, slight tartness, very nice balance. Vanilla with a honey background. a hint of alcohol in the finish and the moderate acidity is about right. Fruit steps up front, but is still tough to identify— mostly like plum but there are also cherry notes. Aftertaste is a light fruit, touch of floral honey, and light bitterness. waxy honey character. Light acid that lasts into the off-dry finish, but not objectionable.” **Overall:** “Great balance, very refreshing, rounded out by slight tartness and some alcohol warming. Light carbonation makes this very easy to drink. The light orangey and orange pith works well with the simple honey choice. I like the fruit, but I'd like a stronger honey to carry it. This mead is bright and refreshing and you could either dive into it and analyze, or simple relax and enjoy.”

__Aroma:__ “Medium-high intensity citrus and floral aroma with orange and lemon playing the major role. Low-to-moderate malt sweetness adds complexity and helps blend everything together. Alcohol is evident, but not hot.” __Flavor:__ “Well balanced West Coast IPA with a simple grain bill that brings a touch of toasted sweetness to balance the intense citrus hops character. Finishes fairly bitter with a slightly sweet kiss.” __Overall:__ “Well executed middle of the road West Coast IPA. Fairly big for the style on all fronts, but not in the ‘whack you over the head’ way. It finds the target without the overbearing bitterness that makes many IPAs less sessionable.”