Spellbinder

Evaluated as a BJCP 2015 21A (American IPA), and the cloudiness indicates that this beer is a New England style. Pours a very cloudy whitish light gold with just a hint of red in it. A large head of tiny white bubbles slowly fades to a thin disk. The initial aroma is of pink grapefruit and honey-baked bread crusts – almost evenly balanced malt-to-hops. The flavor is moderately high grapefruit (both juice and zest), with a light malt backbone to hold it up. Medium carbonation, medium body, looks New England-ish, but the hop profile is of a more straightforward American IPA. The finish is dry and crisp with lingering grapefruit. The beer is well made and tasty but seems to have an identity crisis of tasting like an American IPA but looking like a New England. Still, this was a tasty and very refreshing beer. Pair this beer with the impossible wine foods like buttery garlic asparagus or braised Brussels sprouts, and accompany those vegetables with a nice thick medium-rare grilled sirloin steak.