Well folks, here we go with yet another IPA from the Odd13 Brewing Company of Lafayette, Colorado: Odd 13 Fairy Hopmother IPA. This is the 4th IPA I’ve had from Odd13, but hey, everybody has a gazillion IPAs these days, right? Thing is, I think this is great, because you can vary the malts, alcoholic strengths, and especially hops in so many ways to make very different beers.
Odd13 puts that thought into being quite well, as all the IPAs I’ve enjoyed from them have been quite different indeed. This one is tied with Hop Troll El Dorado IPA for lowest alcohol strength, and indeed the beers were very much alike for me, with perhaps the Fairy Hopmother being a touch fruitier.
From the website:
Fairy Hopmother is a ridiculously delicious IPA featuring hops from three different continents. New Zealand's Nelson Sauvin adds flavors reminiscent of white wine grapes and gooseberries. Notes of honeydew and strawberry come from German Huell Melon. American Mosaic rounds out the hop bill, kicking in notes of blueberry. A full body with slight caramel sweetness balances the rich fruity flavors from the hops.
Ingredients from the website:
Fermentables: Rahr Pale Ale Malt, Weyermann Vienna, Flaked Oats, Simpsons Golden Naked Oats, Weyermann Caramunich III, Rahr Red Wheat
Hops: Nelson Sauvin, Huell Melon, Mosaic
Odd 13 Fairy Hopmother IPA has an alcohol content of 6% by volume. Mine was canned on July 15th of 2016 and I drank it on September 25th. No IBU count is given, and I don’t know what it runs pricewise as I got a can from that beer master Dale Roberts. Thanks Dale!
Odd 13 Fairy Hopmother IPA pours to a murky yellow orange color with a thick head of rocky cauliflower foam and a crisp refreshing nose of orange citrus and piney resin. Taking a sip, the beer is smooth malty up front with a bit of caramel before the hops kick in. They’re citric orangey with bright juice notes and a bit of bitter orange zest, a little vinous even (the Nelson Sauvins), hinting at melons and at the last, very bitter and even a little earthy with fresh oregano notes. Interestingly, I didn’t get the tropical fruity notes Mosaics usually impart.
Keep ‘em coming, Odd13! I don’t know how many IPAs you guys plan on making. Maybe somewhere around an odd 13 or so? I better run now….
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft