Fort George Fanzine IPA (2022 Version)

Beer Name: Fanzine
Brewery: Fort George Brewery (Astoria, OR) in collaboration with Block 15 Brewing (Corvallis, OR)
ABV: 7.2%

How sold: 16 oz tallboy cans; on draft
Where bought: Unknown
Price: Unknown, gift from a friend

Date Canned: April 6, 2022
Date Drank: June 25, 2022
When brewed? Limited-time spring seasonal beer. Fort George collaborates with a brewer each year to make Fanzine. Fort George teamed up with Grains of Wrath in 2020, then with Great Notion in 2021.

What's on the Website: "Late last summer (2021), we drove out to Crosby Hop Farm to meet up with our friends from Block 15. We talked about West Coast IPAs, why we’re both fans of the style, and more specifically, the ideal hops for a fantastic spring seasonal. A few lots of Comet & Idaho 7 really stood out that day. And now, you’ll get to enjoy their vibrant flavors & aromas all spring long."

Hops: Comet, Idaho 7.

Where distributed: Fort George generally distributes just in the Pacific Northwest.

REVIEW:

Appearance (5%): Poured clear golden into a pint glass. Frothy white head, virtually no lacing. 4.5/5

Smell (25%): More grapefruit citrus-forward in this year's batch, but the pine, dank, and hops are still proudly there. 4.75/5

Taste (40%): Follows the nose. Assertive grapefruit citrus from start to finish. Hops, malt, and slight dankness work harmoniously. Aftertaste is virtually all citrus and citrus peel. Drinks ridiculously easy. Hard to believe it's 7.2%. 4.75/5

Mouthfeel (10%): Medium-bodied, some carbonation. Fairly juicy, only trace dry tongue. 4.5/5

Overall (20%): A world-class IPA. Again, two of my favorite Oregon breweries (Fort George and now Block 15) teamed up for this release. I said parts of last year's version reminded me a lot of Pliny the Elder and Blind Pig. That holds true again this year. I think this drinks easier than last year's despite having a higher ABV. Thus, I had to give this one the higher score. 4.75/5

Final Weighted Rating: 4.713/5