Review - Hoppin Frog Brewery's Mean Manalishi
"Explore the extremes of hops, and experience all of their bitterness, flavor and aroma with this Double I.P.A. An extreme, super-assertive and satisfying amount of American hop character is balanced with a toasty, caramelized, intense malt presence." -- Hoppin Frog
Pours a light clear amber color with a fairly good sized off-white head with good retention. Body is clear and still, although the head continues to stay strong for a good while. Having settled out, the body had a beautiful reddish amber hue giving it a very inviting appearance. Aroma is immediately hoppy with strong notes of spruce and some cookie malts to balance them out. Also, some marsh/grass aromas come through providing a very inviting scent. Yum. Initial taste is lightly bitter, ramping up quickly to a strong bitter finish with delicious hop flavor, as if we were squeezing the nectar right out of the flower. Light bodied, Festive carbonation nested inside the light body, there are harsh rosey hops with a mouth-twisting citrus bitterness. Slightly oily with some soft dryness, the mouth feels attacked by hops (in a good way!!!!). Awesome IPA!!!
Reviewed on May 17th, 2008.
