Name: Patrons Project 13.04 // TankPetrol // Omega Vortex // Other Half // Equilibrium // Double IPA
Brewer: Northern Monk (UK), Other Half (USA), Equilibrium Brewery (USA)
Style: Specialty IPA: New England IPA
ABV: 8.7%
Review Year: 2019
Omega Vortex is the fourth volume of the Tankpetrol series in the Patrons Project spearheaded by Northern Monk. This beer is a “Double IPA” brewed by the Leeds-based brewery in collaboration with the New York heavyweights, Other Half and Equilibrium. Manchester’s stencil and mural artist, Tankpetrol returns with another stunning work for the beer art expressing the emotional complexity of women.
The Patrons Project is an initiative by Northern Monk to foster collaboration, creativity, and community between artists, athletes, and creatives across Northern England through curating beers that represent each chosen patron. The beers from the thirteenth series are tributes to Tankpetrol, a Manchester-based stencil and mural artist originally from Poland. The art of Tankpetrol is noted to embrace the diversity of women characters. His vivid female portraits evoke the emotional complexity of a woman showing fear, anger, nostalgia, or self-confidence.
A triple collaboration of Northern Monk with the hazy beer heavyweights Other Half and Equilibrium, The Patrons Project 13.04 aka. Omega Vortex was brewed with a simple base grist of extra pale malted barley and a lot of flaked oats. Simcoe used in the whirlpool while a three-stage dry-hopping process made use of Citra BBC, Mosaic, and Chinook hops.
Read More: Northern Monk Patrons Project
STYLE GUIDELINES
This beer is being evaluated as a Specialty IPA: New England IPA (21B) in the context of the provisional guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) for the said beer style. The most current version of the guidelines can be found on the BJCP website.
TASTING NOTES
Omega Vortex pours like mango puree in the glass. Fragrant ripe mangoes and tangerines together with hints of white pepper compose the aroma profile. Omega Vortex has a body and carbonation both a notch below medium. As in the aroma, sweet ripe mangoes and oranges are prominent in the flavor profile. This “Double IPA” is like juice but with modest bitterness from the hops. There are also light impressions of white chocolate and milk powder that add to the overall sweetness and complexity of the beer. A pinch of black pepper is also noted. Meanwhile, the aftertaste mirrors all these flavors.
THE VERDICT
Amazing and dangerously drinkable. They had us at ripe mangoes. Omega Vortex is only our second beer from the 13th series of the Patrons Project. However, we now understand why these beers get sold out so quickly.
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