Arrow Lodge "Mic Drop" Horchata Milkshake Double IPA

Name: Mic Drop
Brewer: Arrow Lodge Brewing (United States)
Style: Alternative Sugar Beer (Base Style: Specialty IPA: New England IPA)
ABV: 8%
Review Year: 2021

Mic Drop is a “Horchata Milkshake Double IPA” brewed by Arrow Lodge Brewing (California).

STYLE GUIDELINES

This beer is being evaluated as an Alternative Sugar Beer (31B) 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.

“Milkshake IPA” is not an official style, but it refers informally to New England IPAs brewed with lactose or milk sugar, which is a type of unfermentable sugar.

TASTING NOTES

Hazy pale gold with a medium white head. Cinnamon and orange citrus surfaced at a close-to-prominent intensity with moderate accents of tea and eucalyptus balm. Medium-full body, moderate carbonation, soft mouthfeel. Fairly high impressions of orange citrus, peach, and tea were at the forefront, with moderate cinnamon and toffee and followed by a low miny accent. Bitterness was low, while sweetness was above average. A bready malt profile took the backseat. The aftertaste lingered long with perceived cinnamon, mint, tea, and lychee flavors.

THE VERDICT

Mic Drop is a harmonious blend of horchata-inspired ingredients and bright citrusy hop aromas and flavors. In other words, it is a beer that delivered on its promise. Lactose was notable but not cloying, while the perceived cinnamon made this beer memorable. The citrusy hop characters and bready malt were present to remind us that this is still beer. Overall, Mic Drop is an excellent concept.

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