I’m at Medici in Normal, IL tonight for the Wednesday Warrior yearly celebration. For the uninitiated this bar has Wednesday night craft beer specials, and if you come 10 times throughout the year, you get a t-shirt and an invite to the yearly celebration, which has free food and a free (guess what it is) beer on tap. After trying the beer on tap (I thought it may have been Schlafly’s Scottish Ale), I decided to get a different one. I’d been eager to try this one, because I wondered what kind of brewery would have the balls to say they suck on their bottle.

Location: On tap and served in an 80z glass at Medici in Normal, IL.

Numbers: 7.85% ABV, ~ 220 Calories

Appearance & Aroma: It’s bright, clear, and amber in color with some soapy looking bubbles on the top. The bubbles faded to just a ring around the edge of the glass within a minute or two. There was a somewhat bold, obvious citrusy, grapefruit-pineapple hop aroma to it.

Taste & Feel: For being 7.85% ABV, the body was surprisingly light, with a crisp mouthfeel. The crispness somewhat masked a honey-like maltiness up front, which was quickly followed by smooth transition into a grapefruit-like citrusy hop flavor. The hoppy flavors grew into the finish, accompanied by some addition citrusy, almost pineapple-like hop flavors. There was a good amount of hop flavor, with some light bitterness in the clean finish. The citrusy flavors lasted briefly in the aftertaste.

Food Pairing: This beer was fairly light and crisp in body, and had a lot of citrusy flavors, making it a good pairing for a white fish dish. Something like a buttered seabass or tilapia would go perfectly with this beer.

Overall Impression: At 7.85% ABV I was expecting something with a bit more body. However, this beer was dangerously drinkable. The light body and bright, citrusy hop flavors were smooth and enjoyable. This one would be a great beer for a hot day out on the lake. The hop flavors reminded me a bit of Schlafly’s TIPA (review coming soon), but the body and flavors were lighter and smoother. Overall, this was a great beer, and I’ll have to find a 6 pack to keep around for the summertime.

My Rating:

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