- Mike Riedel
Proper - Hop Vs Hop (Simcoe-Comet): The beer poured a nearly crystal-clear, pale straw yellow color. A frothy, finger-tall, bright white crown topped the liquid and fell to a thin collar. Streaky lacing trickled down the glass after the first few sips, and later turned into spotty dots.
The aroma was fruity and bright, and really transformed throughout the session. Tropical fruit notes dominated initially, with mango and papaya most apparent. Some juicy citrus came through as well—tangerine and clementine, perhaps, plus a bit of lemon peel. Then, as the beer sat, big herbal hop notes appeared and soon took over. Later, grapefruit was noticeable. By the beer's end, the tropical fruit notes reappeared.
The flavor was also really hoppy and bright, with that big citrus presence featuring loads of juicy orange, tangerine and clementine. Some grassy hops were noticeable in the center, while orange peel appeared on the back end. There's a good amount of sweetnes,s too. The beer finished with just a touch of rind-like pith and a subtle bitterness. Like the nose, grapefruit notes came forth later, intensifying by the session's end; some pineapple and tart lemon notes were also apparent. You get a creamy, smooth mouthfeel, medium-bodied for the style. A larger-bubbled yet soft and subtle carbonation turned frothy, slick and smooth on the palate.
Verdict: Bright with Simcoe and Comet hops, this is an enjoyable 8.2 percent DIPA that combines bright citrus and ripe tropical fruit notes with a pleasant herbaceousness. Like all the beers in the Hop Vs Hop series, this one showcases a nice melding of both old-school and new-school aspects of the style.
TF - Zoigl Series (Pressure Drop): This "west coast-style Pilsner" is a collaboration with Pressure Drop Brewing out of London, England. It's a malty West Coast-style lager made with North American Vista and New Zealand Motueka hops.
An unfiltered golden Pilsner, it has the typical look of a TF lager, with a huge, frothy head that has the staying power you've come to expect. The nose displays some of the most desirable elements of the hops involved, that much is certain. Motueka and Vista are two hops with very dissimilar parentage, yet they have some common aims in use, both in terms of aroma and flavor. Whatever it is, one thing's for sure: This is a very nice smelling brew!
On the tongue, this has a lot of chewy, dank and grassy hoppiness, melding notes of light tropical fruit cocktail with some bright citrus and herbal elements. Pineapple-like intensity combines with lime, tangerine, passion fruit and mango. There's kind of a chalkiness mid-palate that gets a bit indefinite here and there, but I really like the complex hop elements up front and in the finish. I don't initially get much of the 6.7 percent ABV either, but as it warms, it starts to become a little bit more apparent. Mouthfeel is on the medium-heavy side, riding a dense wave of hoppy goodness until the end of each sip. I wish this were a little bit crisper, but it really does drink pretty nicely for its ABV, and it brings out the Motueka and Vista in a balanced, representative manner.
Verdict: TF has never really let me down with lagers, and this is one of the more un-lager-like lagers I've had in a while—a complete joy to drink. I hope lagers like this can make it more into the mainstream.
Both of these are damn fresh right now, and perfect for the autumn weather. Their citrus and herbaceous qualities make these highly drinkable and worth your time. As always, cheers!
