Bottle Logic (CA) Blast Shield Down WC IPA 7%
There's conflicting hop info out there so ....
Citrus & floral herbal aroma. High carbonation & WC crisp body. Flavors layer in the expected WC bittering start to finish. while never truly overwhelming it's evident who will dominate the offering. That's not to say flavor doesn't have it's day in the sun. Always present is orange notes.
So the key to this craft is a successful blend & balance which is well done regardless of hop bill.
A craft brewed towards IPA & WC fans. Enjoy.
Lindgren (PA) Relevant as an Elephant WCIPA 5.6%
4 hops ( Cascade, Citra, Cluster, Centennial )
Neutral aroma. Bittering begins the offering as is customary with resinous pine notes & strict citrus aspects. A crisp, pale body & medium carbonation. A very subtle note of orange can be sensed when holding the sip & mid sip brings you a soft floral nuance. Combined it's an interesting turn towards a softer blend & balance that becomes enhanced warmer.
A well done example of this style & use of the "C" hops.
Firestone Walker (CA) Union Jack WCIPA 7%
5 hops ( Cascade, Citra, Simcoe, Centennial & Amarillo)
Crisp WC aroma. Pine bittering which while seemingly dominant, flavors will take the stage as billed. Citrus & tangerine flow between the above in each mid sip & beyond blending into contributions of all hops for a weave delivered start to finish in a crisp, light body & medium carbonation.
Warmer as expected enhances flavor but colder was preferred.
A through & through WC craft.
Weldwerks (CO) Twisting Bines WC IPA 6.6%
5 hops ( Cascade, Citra, Simcoe, Citiva & Sticky fingers)
Lightly dank aroma with floral & peach subtleties. Resinous bittering is immediate but not dominant in an overwhelming way. Flavors work their way in by sip 3 & a mix of floral, sweet lemon, nuanced grapefruit begin blending into the offerings backbone. Bittering will end each sip. All contributors are well thought out in balance & blend with each other making a distinct craft. WC, IPA & DIPA enjoy. Colder preferred.
Dancing Gnome (PA) Swingin at Strangers 6.8%
4 hops (Citra, Simcoe, Centennial & Columbus)
All hops blend & create the familiar WC aroma. Crisp, clean & WC bitter to start. As you proceed you will encounter in each mid sip a note of pleasant orange that recedes as quickly as it appeared but nonetheless creates an influence to the offering. You return to the true nature of the style from there on with the hops blending & balancing to create a well done craft
Colder was preferred for all aspects, warmer for flavor
IPA & WC Fans
Lolev (PA) Edge WC DIPA 7.7%
3 hops (El Dorado, Simcoe & Centennial hyperboost oil)
WC aroma with a deeper fruit influence. WC bittering is your expected beginning but flavor becomes a factor in this offering competing for the top spot. Pineapple & orange are spotted in each sip continually always creeping topside.
Being a DIPA gives this more enhanced flavor aspects as does the addition of Hyperboost oil which amplify flavors
A change in this style will find a new fan base. Well done & worth a try.
Living Haus (OR) Dino 6.8%
SO MANY BEERS SO LITTLE TIME
1 hop (Citra & Citra Cryo)
Light earthy aroma begins the offering. From there you enter into light carbonation & a medium crisp body. Utilizing only Citra in 2 variations in the boil provides light bittering & multiple notes of orange in the flavor which are blended softly. The use of this hop offers a soft style
with the body backing up the WC intention.
A surprisingly different WC craft. All aspects can appeal to all but the most hazy fans.
Half Acre (IL) / Firestone Walker (CA) Daisy Cutter Union 7%
SO MANY BEERS SO LITTLE TIME
3 hops (Krush, Simcoe & HQC 4)
Mellow fruit & West Coast aroma.
Medium carbonation that fades away into a mix of a crisp & soft body blend. Flavors of berry & orange are light with Bittering relegated to each mid sip weaving between hop flavor. A clean classic West Coast finish.
A very nice example of balance & blend in creating a different WC style that IPA camps can get behind.
Aurora (NY) No Alarms No Surprises 7%
SO MANY BEERS SO LITTLE TIME
2 hops (Southern Cross & Nelson)
WC aroma with fruit influence. Soft WC bittering is evident from the start but recedes into medium carbonation & citrus/grape flavors that dominate mid sip on in harmony. WC bittering does remain intact but always remain layered. All aspects are blended & balanced in a light, crisp body.
Feels like a cross between a DIPA & WC craft due to a well done use of a bittering hop that doesn't overwhelm.
Alesmith (CA) IPA West Coast style 7.25%
SO MANY BEERS SO LITTLE TIME
2 hops (Citra & Columbus)
Aroma doesn't lean WC. Malts start this off with a light sweet aspect & helps kick in the flavor contributions that mix well with carbonation & medium bittering. Holding the sip brings out all contributors & helps end this in a flavor/bitter tie while continually maintaining this style & consistency in a milder version. Warmer kindled more in flavor
Elder Pine (MD) Mosaic Archive 6%
As its name implies ... 1 hop (Mosaic)
A crisp, clean start with light bittering. Earthy layers with fruit aspects come forward further in as this warms & blends into the body. Malts are a major contributor to the entire offering but only most subtly. No one aspect of Mosaic is dominant rather nicely layered start to finish.
An interesting choice of hop for a West Coast that creates a milder version of this style that can be enjoyed by almost any craft fan.