Judge’s Review: 92 Rating – It’s Your Party by Skinny Flowers Brewing Co.

Hazy IPA | Year-Round | USA

By Rick Franckhauser

Judges Rating: 92.00
Aroma: 22.00
Appearance: 6.00
Flavor: 38.00
Mouthfeel: 8.00
Overall Impression: 18.00

It’s Your Party Hazy IPA was judged as BJCP category 21C Hazy IPA. 
Big, fresh and bright stone fruit aromatics of apricots and peaches jump out of the glass, accompanied by some pineapple layered behind. The nose is totally hop forward as it should be with no yeast esters detected. Very bright. Some very low level white bread via the malt is noted and appreciated, though I’d like a touch more to balance. Everything is clean, nothing off or out of place. Inviting aromatics. The beer presents a golden haze but is not murky. A huge, creamy white head tops it off and provides a nice lace and great lingering retention. 
The flavor follows the aromatics with big stone fruits leaning into the apricots, followed by some pineapple. Some lemony citrus pushes through as some pine resin is introduced. The hop bitterness joins the resin to produce a somewhat elevated bitterness that seems a touch too high for a hazy. While the balance is tilted toward bitterness there is some bready malt to round off most of the edges of the bitter, semi-dry finish. There is also some lingering hop resin that carries through into the aftertaste. The body is medium-full with moderate carbonation, with a touch of creaminess, just a hint of hop bite and some sticky hop resin that lingers and tingles the palate. 
It’s Your Party is a really enjoyable hazy. For my preference, it lands in the realm of any beer calling itself an IPA. Hop forward in aroma and flavor with sufficient bitterness and a dry finish. While I prefer the bitterness at these levels, stylistically,  I would say it’s a touch too bitter. I also enjoyed the resinous qualities but found them to be somewhat elevated for a hazy, reducing the softness expected. The hop bite and resin just reduced the smooth qualities of the classic examples. There is a slight harshness to the mouthfeel that impacts the finish. I find this harshness common among  Hazy IPA’s but it takes away from their drinkability. This may be a result of water chemistry or just the level of lingering hop resin but the best examples manage to minimize this quality, resulting in a more quaffable beer. Style guidelines aside, I really enjoyed this beer and appreciated the big, fresh hop punch.