Ska Brewing Co. Modus Mandarina India Pale Ale
What the brewers say
“A twist on Modus Hoperandi, this citrus IPA is dry hopped with a generous portion of Mandarina Bavaria hops and brewed with sweet orange peels.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Malt-forward, with caramel and toasted notes. Moderate grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, and orange combine with the spicy hops aroma and with the malt, come through like orange marmalade. Dig deeper, and you find zest-like aromas along with floral notes. Not necessarily coming through as an IPA.”
Flavor: “The orange comes through more on the tongue, with pithy and astringent qualities from the rind. Grapefruit notes mix with lemon, followed by toasty and biscuit malt. The bitterness counteracts the malty backbone well, lingering long after the flavor is gone, without being overwhelming. Spicy hops tend to be overwhelmed by the bitterness of the orange.”
Overall: “This beer comes across as a malty PNW IPA. Lots of specialty malts and a hefty dose of IBUs make it an interesting interpretation of the style, with plenty of orange to accent. The pithiness might be hard to drink for some because of all the lingering bitterness it adds.”
