Spoetzl Brewery, home of Shiner Beer, has rolled out quite a few tasty beers over the years, some of which have been reviewed here. Shiner Bock might be their flagship brand but they currently produce 16 beers. Sadly, not all of them are distributed as widely as Shiner Bock. However, they are continuing to advance their brand and bring their other flavors to more markets. One beer that recently made it to my market is their Wicked Juicy IPA.
Wicked Juicy IPA is advertised as a “dry hopped and unfiltered IPA…bursting with a rush of tropical hops for a bright, juicy kick.” The beer pours a hazy, cloudy orange. There were bits of yeast floating in the beer. The head was a creamy white that stood about two fingers at its height. There wasn’t much carbonation seen but a few lines of bubbles rising to the top. The aroma was kind of subdued. There were notes of citrus, hops, and cracker or biscuit that came through.
The first sip followed the nose. I was expecting much more of a hop forward flavor. That wasn’t the case. A refreshing, juicy note came forward with notes of orange and grapefruit as well as some hoppy pine. There was also a nice malty, biscuit flavor that came through as well. The beer felt medium-bodied in the mouth with a somewhat creamy mouthfeel that I wasn’t expecting with an IPA. The finish was slightly hoppy but not overwhelming. The carbonation was well done and there was some soapy lacing going on with the glass as it drank. The beer also held its flavor throughout the session.
Overall, this is a nice beer. If you love hops you might be disappointed. If you like hops but also like a refreshing beer you will be happy here. Wicked Juicy IPA clocks in at 5.7% ABV and 60 IBUs so this is a beer you can drink for a session and it would make a nice session beer given its refreshing nature. It is a good beer, it just seems a little subdued for an IPA but I certainly would drink it again, especially on a warm summer day.