Spindletap New Release Round-up
Todd@HoustonBeerScene

In late October Spindletap Brewery released three new hazy Double IPAs; The Pink Can, Haunted Haze and Chunk Up The Juice. I was initially skeptical about a couple of the new brews due to the use of some interesting ingredients but was won over by all three. I’m not reviewing it here since we already covered it, but they also released another batch of Juiceton DIPA which was wonderful as expected.

The Pink Can
The Pink Can was one of the beers I was a bit skeptical of before trying because it is brewed with pink guava and strawberries. I don’t always like hazy IPAs with fruit added. Honestly, some of the “Shake IPAs” have too much sweet lactose for my taste. However, I really enjoyed The Pink Can and appreciated that they didn’t go the “Shake IPA” route and instead allowed the fruit flavor to shine and not tame the acidity. This is one of the more attractive hazy brews with a color of vibrant copper with a pink tinge. The aroma is tropical with guava dominating. The flavor is appropriately juicy, similar to the aroma, with guava being most forward. However, the finish is a strong, lingering citrus. There’s also a touch of sweet strawberry that adds a nice layer of complexity. I really enjoy that the fruit flavors enhance instead of overtake the base beer. Finally, an assertive, juicy feel ties this one together nicely. Spindletap also used this release to support a non-profit; proceeds from sales of The Pink Can benefit Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Haunted Haze
This was another one I was a bit leery to try as Spindletap went all in on this beer’s Halloween theme by brewing Haunted Haze with candy corn. I really dislike candy corn, but I also like to be open minded and try new things so of course, I had to try it. Thankfully Haunted Haze is also brewed with somewhat more traditional ingredients: black currant and blood orange. Haunted Haze does not have as much assertive, juicy hop that I expected, but does feature tons of fruity, black currant flavor with a strong blood orange finish. The hops add a nice tropical element that adds even another layer of complexity. One element that I did not detect was the candy corn, but I’m definitely not complaining. The layers of black currant flavor stand out most for me and are the reason why this is my second favorite of the new releases.

Chunk Up The Juice
Each beer in this trio has something unique, Chunk Up The Juice is no different as it was brewed in collaboration with local rapper Lil’ Keke. This was the one I was most excited to try and it did not disappoint. It ended up being my favorite of the three and on par with my love for Juiceton. This one doesn’t have an extra special ingredient, which allows the focus to remain on the flavor provided by Amarillo and Vic Secret hops. Chunk Up The Juice is bright and juicy, with sweet tropical notes, but there‘s also a lot of pine and herbal flavors in there too. I love how it finishes as hop resin lingers on the tongue for seemingly ever. The body is soft, a bit creamy, with a healthy dose of juicy, acidic tartness. This is up there with my favorite Spindletap releases as the hop flavor pops so strongly and has many layers of complexity.

Unfortunately, these beers were a brewery-only release and have sold out. Hopefully you’ve got a friend with a few cans in the fridge as all three are worth trying. Spindletap continues to prove that they make great NEIPAs and it’s exciting to see that they’ve expanded to making quality fruit versions of the style. Check back often for more beer reviews, including our Beers of the Month feature.