Junkyard Phaser West Coast Style IPA

 Junkyard Phaser West Coast Style IPA. 

6.4 % ABV, Junkyard Brewing, Moorhead, Minnesota. 

Crystal clear, bright golden color, large ivory head. 

In the nose: dry and citrusy, with sweet and tropical creeping in through the cracks. 

In the mouth: clean and somewhat crisp. Plenty of bitterness graces the palate, but not quite enough. That’s the theme of the thing: close but not enough. Do I expect too much of so-called West Coast IPAs? I suspect that I do. But, someone’s gotta be the one to call it out. 

Medium bodied, long, bitter finish. Not too shabby there. 

I get samples from Junkyard fairly often, and they’re usually hazy IPAs, so you don’t see them here. I drink them but never enjoy them. This one I bought with my own money, breaking my rule against $15 4-packs. I don’t regret the purchase, not entirely. 

I do wish I knew why Spock looks like he was drawn by Osamu Tezuka. 

After careful evaluation, Phaser has proven… fascinating. This West Coast IPA is propelled by a bold, no-nonsense hop engine that delivers brisk acceleration across the palate—bright pine, citrus zest, and resinous bitterness at velocities hop lovers find thrilling. Efficiency is not the objective here; precision and impact are. Aromatic output is unapologetically loud, crisp, and assertive, finishing clean and dry with classic West Coast clarity.

It would be illogical to hesitate in acquiring this beer.

One additional note: a single eyebrow may be raised in approval upon first sip.

Please do not inform McCoy.