Style: American IPA

ABV: 6.8 IBU: 49.0

92/100

Aroma:	12
Appearance:	2
Flavor:	19
Mouthfeel:	4

Castle Island Vern

What the brewers say

"A wheat IPA with Mosaic."

What our panel thought

"Aroma: tropical mango, pineapple, candied lemon peel, Sunkist soda pop, hints of coconut and curry. Smooth but complex flavor—bright caramel sweetness, good hop bitterness—going clean and fairly dry in the finish. Rounded, with a touch of lingering sweetness. Maybe a bit thin in the middle, but pleasant and easy to drink."

What our editors thought

"Soft, sweet tropical-pineapple nose. Hybridizing New England and West Coast, it doesn’t sacrifice much—big fruit notes, boldly expressed, despite the otherwise dry finish."

Review printed in: Better Than Ever: IPA (August-September 2020) (View All Issues)

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King Harbor Brewing Co AJ's Hotel Business

“Weedy profile connects with supporting cast of woody-earthy-soil in fresh pellet form. Confident approach and overall soft balance allow hops to shine. Bitterness has an astringency that lets the beer down. Some alcohol burn. A bit too harsh in the finish.”

East Brother Beer Company Gold IPA

“A malty classic old-school take on an IPA with classic floral, citrus hop flavor. Moderately bitter with a sweet malty background. Bready and caramel flavors intermingle with American hops. The bitterness and hop flavor are the stars of the show. Finishes with a subdued bitterness that lingers.”

Brouwerij West Picnic Lightning

__Aroma:__ “Restrained, but lots of citrus: grapefruit, lemon, lime, tangerine...maybe even a touch of pineapple. Some grassy and herbal notes in the background. Grocery store frozen tropical fruit blend with a hint of strawberries and mint.” __Flavor:__ “Lemon, lemongrass, grapefruit, bready. Moderate sweetness, moderate-to-high firm bitterness that balances the body nicely. Body and mouthfeel are spot on, with an underlying sweetness that offsets most of the finishing bitterness. Relatively high carb, which makes it pop on the palate.” __Overall:__ “Big citrus character with lemon in the forefront plus a bit of lime and grapefruit. The balance is nice with a firm bitterness that lends a dry finish. A hint of sweetness on the finish, with a lingering chewy mix of bitterness and fruity hops notes. Easy-drinking with nice complexity for the style.”

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