I really got onto hop-heavy beers this summer... kind of by accident, too. This ACME brew by California's North Coast Brewing Company is from one of my visits this summer to Premier Wine & Spirits in Halifax.It has a nice golden copper colour that clears after a couple of minutes. Its white head is decent. It keeps a 2mm skim of head on top and an inch or so of lacing follows it down to the bottom.
I was expecting more from the smell, given previous brews I had on my recent IPA kick. It's not very fragrant. I get a bit of orange and malt / caramel.
The taste is less than I expected, too. It tastes like a bit of orange, and a little of something like peach/mango/papaya, added to an amber or red ale. Not as refreshing and light as I thought, but pretty good. Aftertaste has a bit of apricot.
The feel is good. It's not as bitter as its fresher counterparts, but it's not as refreshing either. It has a bit of a dry, sticky finish. It feels and pours a little viscous.
Overall, its drinkability is good. It's a tad more refreshing than an average beer, but not by a lot. If you're looking for an IPA that's tops on hops, there are other better choices.
