New Belgium Brewing 'Snapshot' Wheat Beer. 5% abv. 13 IBU. Hazy, pale straw color. Pencil thin white bubbly head. Low retention, some lace. Nose of light malt, mild citrus, wheat notes emerge as the temp rises to room. Front taste of tangy citrus peel, slight grapefruit. Aftertaste of mild wheat bread, grapefruit, sweet herbal. Thin body. Mouthfeel is cool, watery, a touch clingy.

This is a good mild wheat beer, a crisp, refreshing outdoorsy brew best served over the running Tecumseh engine of your lawnmower. You could easily drink six of these. Next to other similar sessionable beers, this one is easy drinking while still having a pleasant taste. It will likely prove too mild to most craft beer drinkers, but it still has its place and is better than many in its category. Mildly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Snap! You just captured an unfiltered wheat beer full of refreshment and a flash of tart at the finish. Smile-inducing aromas of citrus hops jump from the nose, accompanied by the sweetness of coriander and grains of paradise. Brewed with wheat and pale malt, Snapshot beer pours a hazy, lemon-yellow with bright-white lacing. But the real enticement is the snap of tart. New Belgium’s affinity for sour beers led to the in-process blending of lactobacillus to pucker up Snapshot’s base. An extra step to acidify and beautify and get this beer ready for its close up."

[source: newbelgium.com]

Lengthwise Brewing 'Zeus' Imperial IPA. 9.5% abv. 90 IBU. Unfiltered. Hazy orange-amber color. Two fingers of thick, creamy white head. Outstanding retention and superb lace. Nose of bright citrus, orange, sweet light fruit. Front taste of bittersweet fruity hops, sweet malt, light caramel, grapefruit rind on the back. Aftertaste of orange candy, warm sugar, bitter citrus peel. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is warm, thick, sticky, chewy.

This is an excellent Imperial IPA. The malt taste is light but balanced well with the bright fruit flavors and hops. The citrus taste ranges from a sweet orange up front to a straight grapefruit on the back of the palate. This brewery just started bottling their wares, and I look forward to trying the rest of the collection. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Mainly 2-row barley with a touch of 40L crystal malt. Zeus hops in the kettle and intense dry hopping with Citra hops in both the fermenter and bright beer tank imparts citrus and tropical fruit overtones."

[lengthwise.com]

House of Pendragon 'Benevolence'. 6.6% abv. 73 IBU. Unfiltered American IPA. Hazy honey color. Nice finger of head that recedes to a thick collar with superb lacing. Excellent retention. Aroma of fresh hop bouquet. Bright taste of floral hops. Balanced bitter aftertaste. Medium body. Mouthfeel is slightly sticky, warm, herbal. Hop bite sustains long after first few tilts of the glass. An excellent example of a West Coast style IPA. I look forward to trying their other variations.

From the brewery:

"Benevolence is our new unfiltered American IPA. It’s brewed with a mixture of Citra, Centennial and Nelson Sauvin hops. (Other versions of) Benevolence are aged with Spanish Cedar and habañero."