The Bluprint

The Bluprint by Birds Fly South Ale Project is an extremely dank rendition of the BJCP 21A American IPA style. There is an indication that guava is being used to a certain level in this recipe, however as it might be at background level, it will not be evaluated as a Cat. 29A Fruit Beer. While there is a good balance for the hop and base malt character for the style, the hop flavor characteristics are not particularly harmonious, which is a bit off-putting.

Big, dank, sulfury Mosaic hop aromas along with a blend of citrus hop notes greet you upon the pour. This hop complexity pretty much dominates all aspects of the aroma, with just a touch of fruity ester behind it. This is a very attractive brew. The beer is a clear dark golden color with a nice, small, white-bubbled, lacy head presentation with very good retention.

The flavor has moderate dank hop character and bitterness, but, as mentioned before, the balance of the hop flavors is a bit off. You can taste the individual hops, but for some reason they do not come together to deliver a flavor balance. The malt backbone is solid with the base malt delivering a level of interesting complexity. The body is light/medium, and the carbonation is moderate. Unfortunately, the finish is a bit sweet due to the malt flavor and is a touch flabby. The overall fermentation character is quite clean.

Overall, The Bluprint is a nice example of the American IPA style, but it is uneven, and the hops need to come together a bit better to deliver a complete package.