Irrational Brewing Company Symmetry Is Bliss – American IPA at 6% ABV (C$4.77 at Collective, 473 ml, no packaging date or best before, acquired 28-Feb-2023, reviewed 9-Mar-2023)
Appearance: hazy straw with two fat fingers of fluffy off-white head diminishing gradually to a thick cap, spotty soapy lacing. (3/5) Aroma: short-lived brightly juicy tropical fruit & citrus, cereal grains, hint of stone fruit, solvent. (6/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Palate: medium body, moderate-soft carbonation, off-dry medium duration finish. (4/5)
This started off with an amazing aroma during the pour, reminiscent of Tree or Trillium. No lie, I thought this was going to be my highest-scored beer in a long, long time. However, that aroma faded pretty much in synchrony with the quickly-receding head, leaving behind a weird, solvent-like note. The label says this is brewed with 2-row, malted oats & wheat, chit malt, and Verdant yeast, hopped with Citra, Cryo Pop, and HBC-586. I dunno – I’ve reported a slightly phenolic edge in the finish on a 586-brewed beer in the past, so maybe that’s part of what’s going on here, perhaps combined with over-reliance on Cryo Pop? Either way, this tumbled a long way in my estimation as the pint warmed, ending up as an unremarkable, barely-acceptable mess. (13/20)
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6.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
