Pretty Things Meadowlark IPA

Pretty Things Meadowlark IPA (2012)

Brewed and Bottled by Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project in Somerville, MA. USA.

Limited Seasonal Release (1'st Batch in July, 2'nd in August).

22 fl. oz. / 7.49 USD / 7% ABV

About: "Meadowlark IPA is a new juicy and floral hoppy, hoppy ale we brewed to celebrate the flavor and spirit of American craft brewing. This 7% alcohol beer has a sunny orange-yellow colour, 60 International Bittering Units, a smooth mouthfeel and layer upon layer of soft flowery hops. We wove earthy Citra and bitter Bravo hops from the Pacific Northwest with intensely fruity and aromatic Galaxy hops from Australia. The malts are English pale and Crystal, flaked barley with malty highlights from Munich malt and a bijoux of Roasted Barley. The resulting patchwork is as “American” tasting as short ribs and slaw, and provides an excellent accompaniment to that kind of food too! Very hoppy and bitter. Yum.

Lastly, don’t be silly and save this beer for a rainy day.  Hops can be ephemeral and lose their true brilliance over even a short period of time.  So again, drink up!"

Thoughts: Poured a pretty light golden amber color with shades of straw yellow. The STARK white bubbly head grew quickly and formed into a huge foamy cloud atop my brew.  The beer is pretty clear, only the slightest bit cloudy with minimal carbonation.

The scent on this one is outstanding! It's very hop forward and strong. Lemon zest, grapefruit... very fruity and a little bit tropical too, like kiwi, melon, mango, peach, pineapple. It's nuts.

Hops bounce around everywhere in the taste, and with the beggining to end of the first gulp it's nothing but a gentle sweetness. It's slightly spicy, piny, incredibly fresh perhaps like biting into a whole cone hop, and not overly bitter. The gentle bitterness, as well as the gentler sweetness, compliment each other beautifully. And while it's a well balanced and incredibly tasty beer, the hops are popping and bursting all over the place. Though I mention all those fruits, it doesn't really taste "fruity". I'd instead got a hazy spice tone throughout with a mild bit of those fruits underenath. It's great.

Mouthfeel is a pretty damn heavy and it's a bit gummy. if that makes sense. It's a little syrupy on the way down and leaves a fairly thick film on the teeth.

Finish on this one is a bit resiny and dry. This beer is, quite frankly, fucking amazing! It's not extremely overpowering in any way, but the flavor has a long lasting impact with each gulp. It's full flavored, not lacking in any area, smells great, feels satisfying to drink and leaves a clean and fresh aftertaste. No skunky or grassy leftovers here. Just a soft prickling of pine needles in the mouth and a silky smooth slathering of excellence.