Name: Velvetone
Brewer: Superflux Beer Company
Style: Specialty IPA: New England IPA
ABV: 8%
Review Year: 2021
Velvetone is a hazy and juicy “Double IPA” brewed by Superflux Beer Company (Vancouver, Canada). Citra, Mosaic, Nelson, and Galaxy are the featured hop varieties for this beer.
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
Hazy straw with a medium-low white head. On the nose, Velvetone opened up initially with a moderate but bright fruity aroma; think of mango, peach, orange, pineapple, and guava. This fruity aroma was more prominent as the beer settled with additional leafy, resiny, and herbal hints. Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation with a slightly chalky/gritty afterfeel. The flavor mirrored the aroma with a prominent burst of ripe mango, guava, pineapple but with additional (moderately low) lychee and resin undertones. Perceived bitterness was medium-low, while the finish was slightly on the dry side. A low peppery “hop burn” was noted that lingered into the aftertaste alongside a resiny taste.
THE VERDICT
Benchmarked as a New England IPA (or a Juicy or Hazy Imperial or Double IPA in the 2021 Beer Style Guidelines of the Brewers Association), Velvetone by Superflux Beer Company is a relatively dry, hop-forward, and hazy IPA that showcased fruity qualities with a touch of resin. Despite packing a flavorful fruity punch, Velvetone seemed to be on the drier side of the style with residual sweetness on the down-low. This characteristic may have even accentuated the perceived bitterness of this beer.
In our opinion, the appearance and aroma are strong points of this beer, but the noted “hop burn” and the gritty afterfeel, with the latter likely contributed by the water among others, could both be toned down for a much smoother drinking experience. Very good overall.
Oh, and the design is amazing.
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