Liminal Moment

Liminal Moment was evaluated as a Double IPA, (2015 Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) Category 22A) offering according to BJCP guidelines. 

The aroma presents copious amounts of apricot, mango, Mandarin orange, some lemon and pine needles. The mélange provides a complex hop aroma but is not as bright and fresh as I look for in a IIPA. A touch of sweet malt does make its way past the hops. This one poured a very murky apricot color with a thick creamy ivory head that held up to the last drop. The flavor followed the fruity hop path with lots of stone and tropical fruits blended with pithy citrus and pine resin. Alcohol makes itself know but is not hot or harsh. The hop bitterness does not seem as high as expected but that may be due to the substantial amount of caramel malts which are a touch too heavy for the style.  The hop bitterness does manage to linger and give an impression of a moderately dry finish. There is a touch of hop astringency in the medium full body. I would not have been surprised had I been told that actual fruit was added to the beer. Quite the fruity IIPA, albeit the hops seemed slightly muted by the malt. In spite of its fullness the beer remains an easy drinker.