Name: Scarification (Ghost 855)
Brewer: Adroit Theory Brewing Company (United States)
Style: Experimental Beer (Base Style: Specialty IPA: New England IPA)
ABV: 8%
Review Year: 2020
Scarification (Ghost 855) is a “Hazy Imperial IPA” brewed by the Virginia-based nano-brewery, Adroit Theory. This beer features lactose and the hop varieties Nelson Sauvin, Citra, and Mosaic.
STYLE GUIDELINES
This beer is being evaluated as an Experimental Beer (34C) with the Specialty IPA: New England IPA (21B) as the base style in the context of the 2015 Beer Style Guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). Note that the Specialty IPA: New England is a provisional style as of this writing, with its working definition published on the BJCP website. The most current version of the guidelines can be found on the BJCP website. This beer deviates from the standard (provisional) guidelines for the New England IPA due to the noticeable addition of lactose.
“Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale,” “Juicy or Hazy IPA,” and “Juicy or Hazy Double IPA” are beer styles from the 2020Brewers Association (BA) Beer Style Guidelines. These styles are noted to represent what enthusiasts and brewers refer to as New England IPAs or Hazy IPAs.
Recommended Reading: ‘Juicy or Hazy’ Ales Debut in BA Beer Style Guide, Representing New England IPAs (CraftBeer.com, 2018)
TASTING NOTES
Scarification pours pale gold with a well-retained foamy white head. The beer is slightly hazy but is relatively less opaque compared to its peers in the market. The nose bursts with prominent fruit aromas: grapefruit, lychees, apples, and mangoes. Medium-bodied with a moderate level of carbonation. The mouthfeel has a slightly soft and creamy aspect to it. The lactose comes together with the fruity hop characters to give an impression of sweet candied citrus fruits and dessert wine. Beyond the sweetness, hints of lime peel are noted. Bitterness is low while light maltiness persists reminding its drinkers that this is still beer. The sweetness from the lactose remains in the aftertaste joining light mango and citrus characters.
THE VERDICT
Overall, Scarification is a delicious treat that offers intense ripe fruit characters accentuated by the sweetness from the lactose. It is a fundamentally well-crafted beer but others may find this one on the sweeter side of things.
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