Beer from Here: North High Brewing Wet-Hopped Imperial IPA Series

On north High Street, there’s a brewery that embraces the true spirit of beer: fun, friends, and delicious brews. Aptly named North High Brewing, they are currently featuring one of their latest additions to their alcoholic arsenal – a series of four wet-hopped Imperial IPAs, each using a different hop to create a unique experience from beer to beer. Those hops – mosaic, citra, chinook, and simcoe – not only lend their names, but also their distinct characteristics, feeding their essence into the very heart of each beer. The end result is nothing short of wonderful tastiness that leaves you with a smile on your face, and a belief that the fellas at North High Brewing may possess the best kind of magic: beer magic!

Now, as they’re Imperial IPAs, they all share some commonalities; huge hoppy flavors and aromas, with an alcoholic strength and an IBU rating that rockets up the scale. And, as they were tapped just a few short weeks ago, these beers are fresh. Young Will Smith fresh. Drinking each beer, regardless the hop, is a bright and lively experience. Nose-filling aromas make themselves known from the get go, erupting as clouds of tropical fruits, citrus, and pines – reassuring you that no matter what kind of hop it is, on the inside, a hop is a hop. That’s actually a great metaphor for life. Chalk one up for beer – altruism style!
Likewise, the flavors of the series are, on a base level, just what you would expect from a super tasty IPA: dominating hop notes of bitter citrus, tropical fruits, and pine. The drinking is crisp with a clean finish. As I said before, fresh is the word du jour, and each taste will force that feeling deeper and deeper into the beer lobe of your brain. Blooming hop flavors explode every time these elixirs roll over your tongue, ensuring that the beer you’re drinking is the liquid embodiment of the hop itself. It’s like a vision quest, journeying into the soul of the IPA to bring back only the cleanest, purest flavors for your imbibing pleasure. Additionally, I think beer vision quests should be mandatory for any craft beer drinkers.

“Ok, so the beers are tasty, and use different hops. Don’t they still taste like IPAs?” Some of you may be asking your computers this very question. First, don’t talk to the machines. It’ll only make it harder when you have to put them down during the robot revolutions. Second-yes, each beer in the series tastes like an IPA. But, one sip is all you’ll need to immediately recognize the difference between the four beers and their hoppy spirit guides. The mosaic starts with a massive aroma of sweet tropical mangoes and passion fruit, with a piney bitterness that slides in underneath. The flavor is just as huge, full of citrus peel and a mild, tropical bittersweetness that stretches out the taste. It’s wonderfully aromatic and bursting with flavor, while retaining that delightful bitter hoppy vibe.

The second hop – citra – has a slightly toned back aroma compared to the mosaic. Hints of grapefruit and fleeting pine work their way up to the nose, contributing an edge of bitterness with each breath you take. The flavors promote that bitterness as well, with a big piney flavor and a dash of grapefruit peel for good measure. There’s a bit of earthy richness with the citra that creates a smoother feel over the tongue.

Simcoe hops create the third beer, lending a deep, herbal funk to the aroma. It’s a wet and earthy bloom that still promotes pine freshness. The flavors are just as deep, with earth and a pungent funkiness creating a crispy tang at the back of the tongue, and what I would describe as a unique caramel sweetness. Odd word choice, yes, but all the more reason to go down and try it for yourself.

The fourth hop – Chinook – was my personal favorite, and started with big, tropical freshness on the nose, with a slight bitterness and tantalizing fruitiness. The flavors showed up as smooth, rich tones of earth, and an aura of spice that gave it a bit of a kick. This one was huge on freshness, with a fruity finish and a lingering warmth that was just delightful.

The entire experience – from the moment I walked in, until well after I had taken my leave – was simply fantastic. Great setting, wonderful people, and a delectable aroma of brewjitsu swirling through the air set the perfect drinking stage. Plus, the added bonus of spectacular beers. If you’re looking for potent IPA freshness, and tastiness to boot, North High Brewing’s Wet-Hopped series is where it’s at. Oh, and be sure to give the guys a high five for being so awesome.