Hangar 24 Essence IIPA

Beer Name: Essence
Brewery: Hangar 24 Craft Brewery (Redlands, CA)
ABV: 8.5%
How sold: 22 oz. (650 mL) bottles; on draft
Where bought: Craft Shack (San Diego, CA)
Price: $8.49 for 22 oz. bottle

Date Purchased: May 10, 2016
Date Opened/Drank: May 30, 2016
IBUs: 75

What's on the Bottle/Website: "This beer is the essence of Southern California. A traditional west coast IPA with a distinct copper hue, enhanced by generous additions of navel oranges, sweet blood oranges and grapefruit, all grown in Redlands, CA. The citrus flavors and aromas intensify the zesty cascade and zythos hops to deliver a one-of-a-kind drinking experience. An invigorating beer with a pleasant, defining bitterness, perfect for warm weather." Click here for more!

When brewed? Seasonal beer usually released in June (according to their website). Since I actually ordered and received this in May, I actually wonder if this was a batch from last year.

Where distributed: Hangar 24 ships to select states. I have seen some of their bottled beers in the state of Washington. Check to see whether you can find Hangar 24 beers in your area!

REVIEW:

Appearance (5%): Poured clear copper-golden into a pint glass. A few millimeters of off-white to white head. 4.5/5

Smell (25%): Malty tropical grapefruit. Has a bit of juiciness to it. 4.5/5

Taste (40%): Lovely grapefruit and malt upfront, with more of the orange and blood orange notes coming in on the aftertaste. For 8.5%, it is very refreshing. A hint of pleasing bitterness. Frankly, an excellent West Coast IPA. 4.5/5

Mouthfeel (10%): Medium-bodied beer that coats the tongue and mouth nicely. This beer certainly leaves its imprint, but in a good way. Slight carbonation. 4.5/5

Overall (20%): An excellent Double IPA. I'm not sure if it was the long walk I had before having this beer, or if this beer really was that drinkable/tasty, but I almost chugged the entire pint before finishing this review. In all honesty, I would have enjoyed this one even without the long walk. Essence packed lovely flavor overall. Any bitterness (probably more a grapefruit bitterness) was kept to a minimum, as I mostly got the balanced malt-tropical experience. As the website says, this beer is ideal for warm weather. A huge recommendation if you see it in stores. 4.5/5

Final Weighted Rating: 4.5/5