Fortnight Brewing Company, established in 2013, is Cary’s oldest brewery. It specializes in the use of English yeast and producing English-style beers.
Since the New England IPA is a subcategory of India Pale Ale that is brewed with English yeast, it is no surprise that Fortnight entered the IPA scene with a New England IPA. As it is officially known in the 2018 Brewers Association style guidelines, the Hazy or Juicy IPA is characterized by a low bitterness and fruit flavors like apricot, papaya, passion fruit, orange or grapefruit.
The fruit characteristics are due to the juiciness of the hops — not the addition of fruit. These beers are typically best drunk fresh, since the same particles that make the beer hazy and juicy break down the fastest and can cause unwanted flavors.
Fortnight’s Hazy IPA is Call the Hops and comes in at 6.5 percent ABV. It features the Mosaic hop, named for its ability to produce a range of flavors from blueberry to pine when used in the brewing process. It also uses Citra, a hop known for its flavor offerings of citrus and stone fruit.
The aroma of the beer is high in bright zest and bitter pith. This is from the combination of hops. So many hops were used that there is a grassy note due to the pungency. The malt and yeast are not as noticeable because of the hops.
The appearance of the beer is similar to freshly squeezed orange juice. The head is off-white, and the mix of grains in the beer lets the head stick around for a long time. Even 30 minutes after pouring, the head did not dissipate.
The overall flavor of the beer is orange pith, orange peel, and reminiscent of orange juice with a hint of honey in the background. There is definitively a hoppy balance, with the emphasis placed on hop flavor over bitterness.
The mouthfeel is low astringency, with medium carbonation to enhance the juicy body, giving a dry finish.
Try Call the Hops with food dishes that have some richness and some citrus, such as orange chicken or a chocolate citrus dessert.
Until next time, cheers!
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