Judge's Review: 90 Rating - Cosmic Ocean Brut IPA by Coronado Brewing Co.

Cosmic Ocean Brut IPA by Coronado Brewing Co. was judged as a Brut IPA. What is a Brut IPA? It is an IPA brewed the traditional way using a primary ale yeast. Then it goes thru a secondary fermentation using enzymes to further convert the sugars into alcohol, thus one gets a beer that is a bit more drier and crispier due to this process. It is often mentioned as more "champagne-like" with more carbonation. The origin of this ' new ' process or style of beer can be attributed to the brewery, Social Kitchen and Brewery out of San Francisco, CA.

The aroma of this beer was very profound and easily recognizable as very citrusy ( grapefruit ) in the nose. The appearance of this beer had an amazing clarity and was very clear. The hue was light yellow and the carbonation of the bubbles was very effervescent. It also had a nice pillowy head that had a nice retention from beginning to end. The flavor of this beer was nicely balanced between the malt and the hops. Again, the hop flavors were very citrusy (grapefruit, oranges) balanced with moderate malt sweetness. The utilization of using just one hop in the formula works. It made the beer more recognizable and flavorful. Sometimes using less is more. The body and mouthfeel was medium, but the carbonation was just very sparkly and bubbly in the mouth, again champagne like. It was a crisp and dry finish in the palate. A wonderfully made Brut IPA.