Name: Toking Planet
Brewer: Half Baked Brewing Collective (Philippines)
Style: American IPA
ABV: 7.5%
Review Year: 2020
Chris, one-third of the Manila-based Half Baked Brewing Collective revisits the classic American IPA in his latest creation, Toking Planet.
While the American IPA is a classic beer style, we did not expect Chris to take the traditional route, especially with ingredients. Last year, he released Blues Clues, an American Pale Ale brewed with a neomexicanus hop variety, Medusa. For a private Drink Me Dirty event last February, Chris brewed There’s No Lust in Jazz, an IPA featuring Zappa hops, a variety also discovered from the wild of New Mexico.
Read more: Half Baked Chronicles Chapter 1: A Brewmance of Three Parts
STYLE GUIDELINES
This beer is being evaluated as an American IPA (21A) in the context of the 2015 Beer Style Guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). The most current version of the guidelines can be found on the BJCP website.
TASTING NOTES
Toking Planet is medium amber in color with a thin brownish white head. There is some degree of haziness that does not clear out even at warmer temperatures. This may have been caused by dry-hopping.
The nose has moderate aromas of tangerine, guava, and sweet red apples. Some hints of pine are also present. While the aromas get more intense as the beer warms, it does not get as aromatic as the double dry-hopped beers in the market today.
This American IPA is medium-bodied and has a moderate level of carbonation. Note that this beer was served from a growler. The flavor profile of Toking Planet is quite complex, with perceived flavor balance leaning towards 70 percent hops and 30 percent malts. Hop flavors are quite diverse: prominent grapefruit and guava up front with some sauvignon blanc or white grapes somewhere in there. There is a soft tartness at the backend that is also reminiscent of New Zealand sauvignon blanc. We infer that the unique New Zealand hop variety, Nelson Sauvin was used. On the other hand, the malt flavor profile leans towards dried fruit (e.g., raisins) that complements the hop flavors. Fermentation characteristics cannot seem to be isolated suggesting neutral characteristics or have consolidated with the hop flavors well.
The perceived bitterness is moderate, crossing between grassy, piney, and medicinal. Some peppery heat was also noted in the background. Faint alcohol notes are also present but not distracting. Dry. The aftertaste paints a lingering impression of guava and white grapes.
THE VERDICT
Toking Planet is an American IPA with a New World imprint. As mentioned, this beer is quite complex, especially with the hop profile. However, despite the diverse flavorful character, this American IPA remains very drinkable. While the sauvignon blanc and white grape notes give away that Nelson Sauvin was used in this beer, the guava notes are reminiscent of neomexicanus hops. Although we may be wrong. Regardless, the malt flavors and fermentation characteristics are in harmony with whichever hops were used.
While Toking Planet is one of the best beers Chris has released this year, we think more intense aromas could be considered in the next iterations. This beer deserves to be canned with a matching label as with Karma Hues.
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