Karl Strauss / Drake's Brewing Level 30 Complete Hazy IPA

Beer Name: Level 30 Complete
Brewery: Karl Strauss Brewing Co. (San Diego, CA) in collaboration with Drake's Brewing (San Leandro, CA)
ABV: 7.0%
How sold: 16 oz. tallboy cans; on draft
Where bought: Craft Shack (San Diego, CA) ****bought online
Price: $3.99 for 16 oz single tallboy can

Date Ordered: February 13, 2019
Date Received: February 18, 2019
Date Drank: March 8, 2019
When brewed? Limited-time beer.
IBU: 50

What's on the Can/Website: "1989's greatest creation had to be the Game Boy - but hey, the opening of a couple scrappy breweries could be a close second. Karl Strauss and Drake's began the brewing quest at Level 1 (the difficulty setting? Hard mode.) After grinding for 29 years, we've come together to celebrate our 30th Anniversaries and bring you this 1up in beer form. level 30 Complete is a hazy IPA brewed with Simcoe, Cascade, Mosaic, and Amarillo hops. Citrus and sweet fruit aromas are backed by a juicy finish. Venture forth, beer in hand. It's dangerous to go alone, drink this!" Read more here!

Hops: Simcoe, Cascade, Mosaic, Amarillo.

Malts: 2-Row, White Wheat

Food Pairings: Karl Strauss suggests richer seafood (salmon, ahi); cream/cheese sauces; blue/gorgonzola cheeses; citrus/tropical flavors (mango, pineapple).

Where distributed: Karl Strauss and Drake's Brewing beers are generally exclusive to California.

REVIEW:

Appearance (5%): Poured hazy light golden-orange into a pint glass. Unfiltered. White head, trace lacing. 4.5/5

Smell (25%): Predominantly sweet and pulpy citrus orange, tangerine, lemon, and grapefruit. 4.75/5

Taste (40%): Follows the nose, assertive pulpy citrus from start to finish, with extra tropical wave into the aftertaste. Citrus aftertaste. No octane, all tropical. 4.5/5

Mouthfeel (10%): Medium-bodied, good carbonation. Juicy with slight dry tongue. 4.25/5

Overall (20%): An outstanding IPA. It takes an expert gamer to reach level 30 of a video game, and these breweries are experts at what they do. Love the big tropical flavors and the ode to the Game Boy. Scores mega approval from the panda. 4.5/5

Final Weighted Rating: 4.538/5