Session 42, Tasting Session

Aroma:  Passion-fruit, mango, papaya.  Some Centennial berry hop flavors coming through, The island hop flavors are coming very strongly. 


Appearance:  White head with large bubbles stays prominent in charge during the tasting, covering a clear lightly golden yellow liquid.  Somewhat effected by chill haze.



Flavor:  Low to no bitterness, huge juicyfruit gum flavors comes through up front giving you the tropical punch. Mango and papaya punch you almost immediately.   Pineapple juice, Very clean, no alcohol heat or astringency.  Very well brewed, finishing dry, clean and crisp.  No traditional hop flavors (pine, west coast etc) at all.  This beer is very cutting edge with the fruity punch, but I would like to see the bittering (clean like magnum) hops raised to balance it out a little bit. 


Mouthfeel:  Textbook carbonation levels, great body.  Nice lacing down the glass that stayed during the tasting session. 


Overall Impression:   This is a great example of how island tropical a beer could be.  If I was to raise some bitterness, it would help cover the tropical overkill.  It is true that the Conan yeast really pushes the passionfruit flavors up to the front of the beer.  Knowing that there are Mosiac hops in this, you really can't differentiate them from the other flavors in the beer. 


Brewing Timeline/Notes:  This was a great beer to brew.  Getting the Conan yeast in the mail trusting that it is in good condition gives this brew session a sense of excitement.  (It helps that I received a very well brewed Brett Saison along with the trade) Now, by the way this beer fermented and by the flavor compounds that were pushed out of the wort, this is a very interesting yeast.  Pushing out flavors that might of been hidden by other yeasts.  Now, I really wanted to get a sense of Mosaic hops with this beer, but there is to much going on to fairly evaluate it.  Now evaluations aside, I love this beer.  It is so drinkable and session-able.  To have the level of hops in this beer and not taste a single hint of traditional hops in mind blowing to me.  I have another beer fermenting right now with this Conan yeast that hopefully will answer if Conan can handle traditional hops.

Here is a link to the original post and recipe.