Vanished Valley ISO7

The Stats
Style: American IPA
ABV: 7%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.12/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.23/5
- RateBeer: N/A

"Formally known as XPerimental Batch #7, we knew this popular New England IPA from our XP Series had to be brought into our regular lineup. ISO7 contains a generous amount Ella hops and another one of our all-time favorites, Amarillo! It's soft mouth feel gives way to a variety of citrus and melon notes."

Pours out golden yellow in color with a hazy body and a finger of white head.

The aroma comes forth with acidic grapefruit juice and melon. Spicy black pepper and a little bit of mint are also noticeable. Maybe even some gooseberry and mild doughy malts too.

The nose wasn't particularly bitter, but immediately, on the front of my tongue, a high level of acidic hop oils and juice attack my taste buds. The bitterness is washed away quickly by a flood of pulpy orange and grapefruit juice with some sherbet sweetness and even white grapes. It's amazing how bitter it was initially, but the middle and back end is nothing but juice. Tossed in for good measure are floral notes and even some grass. Moments of a lemon or strawberry Jolly Rancher influence the sweeter moments and the finish has some of the malts from the aroma.

Mouthfeel is soft like a cloud with a full body. Some heavier moments remind you this is 7%, but at other times it can be so refreshing and drinkable.

ISO7 was a soft, juicy, and refreshing IPA. Acidity from both citrus fruits and hop oils combined with a fluffy body to make a complex and drinkable IPA. I don't get the chance to try Vanished Valley often, but I hope to get my hands on some more of their stuff soon.

Rating
8.8/10

Vanished Valley Watershed IPA

The Stats
Style: American IPA
ABV: 6.7%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.51.5
- RateBeer: N/A
- Untappd: 4.25/5

"This is the second IPA we created in celebration of a very good friend - an Ol' Timer! Watershed is packed full of citrus and tangerine notes as a result of some heavy dry hopping!"

Vanished Valley out of Ludlow, MA (Gabriel Gonzaga country) is quickly becoming popular by strong word-of-mouth and has already popped on the radars of many a beer geek in Massachusetts. Open only one day per week and selling exclusively out of their brewery, the early reviews and ratings are nothing but high praise.

Pours a hazy light orange with almost three fingers of white head.

Acidic orange on the nose. It's like pulpy orange juice with a dash of grapefruit. Some fresh, doughy malts are prevalent as is a Sunny-D aroma.

Like the aroma, this one has a lot of influence from acidic orange juice. The taste is sweeter than the aroma would have you believe, almost like sugar-sprinkled grapefruit or sugary fruit juice. Mandarin oranges, clementines, and even a squeeze of lime are all noticeable and just add to the wealth of citrus at every turn. As it warms, the doughy, almost powdery malts start to shine and it adds a good balance to the beer. Also as it warms, a pop of bitterness starts to take over the palate and adds a needed hop bite. The finish has more of that acidity and more of the hip bitterness.

Mouthfeel is calm with little carbonation. The body is as full as you'd expect for a solid 6.7% IPA and it drinks nice and smooth.

Watershed IPA was an exceptional addition to the vast library of IPA's currently being cranked out by the state of Massachusetts. A very citrus-forward flavor profile with help from the doughy malts made for a balanced experience with just the right kick of bitterness. Can't wait to try more from this brewery.

Rating
8.4/10