Hoping for a better showing, we are joined again by our piney friends from the northeast, Woodland Farms. Last time they brought me an IPA that tasted like pine needles and Necco wafers, so expectations are low. As a reminder, Woodland Farms is out of Maine and the main problem with their first beer is I didn’t like it. Can we change course and still stay in the realm of IPA? We shall see!
This week, we are drinking West IPA from Woodland Farms Brewery. The expectation is set with a west coast IPA to be lightly hoppy with flavor blasts of tropical fruit and a little hanky-panky, if you know what I mean. This is another 16oz can, so you know I am already happy about that, but my optimism is cautious given the fail of their Pointer IPA. This one is definitely more promising, though, as soon as you crack that lid open.
Woodland Farms fills the air with a nice hoppy aroma, and you know hoppy makes me happy! There is not a lot of fruit notes on the top, but the cascade and chinook hops bubble into fruition and your mouth will water. I think we may be on the verge of a comeback story for Woodland Farms Brewery. The pour levels expectations as the beer fills the glass with a crisp white head and a very clear pale yellow. Clear enough to watch YouTube through!
The flavor profile makes up for everything as the hops hit your hamper with all their might. The term “west” flies out the window as Woodland Farms captures everything strong and powerful about a chinook and cascade hop and flavor blasts it into your taco hole. These days, it feels like the terms “west coast IPA” and “east coast IPA” get thrown around and mean nothing, but regardless of any of that, as a standalone IPA, the color is deceiving, but the taste is believing.
Untappd gives West IPA from Woodland Farms Brewery a 3.7 out of 5, and I think that’s pretty spot on. It’s a classy and sassy IPA. It’s got all the appendages you want in a personified 16oz can of sweet hoppy nectar. Go get some, loser!
#ADDTOCART WOODLAND FARMS BREWERY
NA BEERS AND 90s: 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 not only are extremely relatable but also fall across the entire spectrum of the human experience.
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