Focal Banger
Brewed By: The Alchemist Pub & Brewery
Number of Ratings: 456
Style: American IPA
Brewed In: 35 Crossroad, Waterbury, VT 05676-9003, USA
ABV: 7%
People Who Liked This Beer Also Liked:We don't have enough ratings to say what beers are similar.
Ratings:
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Number of Ratings: 456
Style: American IPA
Brewed In: 35 Crossroad, Waterbury, VT 05676-9003, USA
ABV: 7%
People Who Liked This Beer Also Liked:We don't have enough ratings to say what beers are similar.
Tasting Notes
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Fonar - March 31, 2023Look: It pours a hazy yet translucent golden orange color. It has a frothy, small-bubbled off-white head about 1/8th of a finger tall. Nice head retention.
Smell: Lots of hop resins and citrusy orange zest and grapefruit rind. More subtle melon notes (cantaloupe).
Taste: It's really delicious. I am impressed at the level of balance in this beer. Maybe I shouldn?t be considering how much I like Heady Topper, their other beer. From the nose, I kind of got the impression that the palate is going to punch me in the face. However, it strikes an impeccable balance between hops and malt and it tastes just moderately bitter with a long-lasting finish. It has a very nice malt base with grainy sweetness. I am getting hints of caramel malt in it. The finish has tons of citrus rind - orange and grapefruit - along with lots of pith and some earthy, woody, resinous pine. That being said, it's surprisingly gentle and restrained with its bitterness. This beer is incredibly easy to drink. The bitterness builds as I drink more of it.
Feel: Softy, chewy mouthfeel. Really nice. Very soft, gentle carbonation. Medium bodied.
Overall: This is yet another Alchemist beer that I really really like. I thought that Heady Topper really lived up to all of its hype, and Focal Banger can hold its own also. Personally I think that I prefer the "single IPA" style to the double IPA style, yet it's really hard to call a winner because both of these beers are just so good.
berniebxb@comcast.net - November 26, 2021Pours a very hazy peach nectar in color with a 1 finger head. Nose detects an explosion of mango pineapple orange juice with a slight earthly undertone. Taste follows the nose with a back to front of tongue hop bomb. I love the contrast of fruitiness to bitter hop this brew offers. Great IPA!
NavyDoc - July 23, 2021Drank from the can as recommended. Very nice flavor with strong hops and almost slightly sour at the end. Nice lingering aftertaste. Very good.
ddunay - August 27, 2017Great hops awesome IPA. Not sure if I like this better than Heady Topper but it is really close.
