Is it even possible to find a new brewery? Let alone a new beer? Apparently, yes, it is. This is a new brewery; I am just as confused and excited as all of you. Fül, pronounced like ‘fuel,’ comes to us from Cincinnati and Detroit, which is likely less confusing than it sounds, but that’s what it says on the can. For those who aren’t local, I should explain that Michigan people typically have a feud with Ohio people, so for this beer to cross boundaries like that is especially weird. I suppose it’s true that you can find sobriety anywhere. I believe Reggie Cunningham said that about Walt Whitman in Grover Cleveland’s foyer. Alas, whatever the circumstance, we have discovered something new, and we shall begin with a crack of the can!
This week we are drinking NA IPA from Fül. This turquoise can claim to have a double dry hop combo of Citra and Mosaic hops, prompting my taste buds to dance in their pants and get super excited. I’m not sure what to expect except hops, so I am ready to crack the can and find out. Upon doing so, Fül fills the air with a delicious hoppy aroma. Based on scent alone, I expect a copper color and a strong taste.
How Does It Pour?
Unfortunately, where Fül fails to deliver is when I start the pour. The beer is clear. Crystal clear. It’s essentially champagne. No joke. It pours a very pale-yellow color with little to the imagination. You could look through this beer. The only promise it holds for full flavor is this ever-present aroma still floating into the air with the popping of every little bubble.
How Does It Taste?
The taste test comes when I can’t stand it anymore, and I have to have the fuel that Fül promises. The hoppy aroma needs to meet my tongue in blissful fireworks display of flavor. Will it be? Will it meet the expectations I have set? Will Fül fuel my hop-o-meter? Find out next week…
Just kidding! Of course, you’ll find out now! This is where things get interesting. The flavor profile matches the description almost perfectly. The light hops used to create a magnificent hop profile in your mouth, but there is a specific dry finish (see ‘dry hopped’ above) that almost reminds me of a Brut IPA. It’s a champagne aftertaste, which seems right on the money (see ‘champagne color’ above).
Untappd give NA IPA by Fül a 3.5 out of 5, but that’s only one rating. So go try it and rate it and fill up that meter. New beer, guys! Holy shit! After this many, I’m still finding new ones! Paint me a can of worms and slap my silly ass into Brooklyn!
HAPPY EVERY HOUR: Sober Curator Justin Lamb is dedicated to tasting great (and sometimes not so great) NA beers and showcasing his amazing collection of memorabilia from the ’90s.
RECOVERY PODCASTLAND: Want more Justin in your life? We don’t blame you! Check out his podcast Friend Request Justin has in-depth interviews with people he follows on social media, as well as his own social media followers. Friend Request dives deeper than the likes and comments. With each episode, Justin tries to create a more meaningful conversation about each individual he’s connected with. Justin ties each interview together with the commonalities and struggles that are extremely relatable and fall across the entire spectrum of the human experience.
Check Out This Episode from Friend Request
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