Hopped on the High Seas - Kohatu

Brewery: Cigar City Brewing
Location: Tampa, FL
Style: American IPA
ABV: 7%

Cigar City has released six different batches of this Caribbean-style IPA, each batch dry-hopped exclusively with one hop variety. This beer is brewed on site, in Puerto Rico, at the Cervezas Del Sur Brewery. After brewing is complete, the beer is canned and shipped back to Tampa, but not before it must travel across the high seas to make it to America.

It's a domestic import. Or something like that.

Appearance: Pours a foggy gold hue. White fluffy head. Solid retention and lacing.

Aroma: Sweet citrus. Grapefruit and tangerines. Earthy or grassy notes.

Taste: The flavor begins with a quick burst of lemon citrus, but quickly fades to a grassy, dry and wheat-like finish. The initial flavor is so subtle that I had to take several sips before I could fully grasp the taste enough to describe. There's a quick hit of mango or tropical spices to complement the citrus hop flavor. But the dry and piney finish really dominates most of the flavor profile here.

Mouthfeel: Good body with this beer. Slightly creamy with decent carbonation. Easily drinkable.

Overall: I like what Cigar City is doing with the Hopped on the High Seas series. It's amazing to see how much each hop changes the overall product. Anytime I can learn something from the beer I'm drinking, I see it as a plus. Going through this series is sort of like taking a dry-hopping course.

While I'm not overly wowed by this beer, I find it to be an approachable IPA that seems to capture a tropical vibe. It's lighter, mildly spiced, and drinkable. Drinks and feels more like a pale ale. It's perfect for warm weather.