Watershed IPA
Fantastically fuzzy apricot with orange juice along the edges of the glass. The beer looks wonderful... and the expansive crown of lightly toasted marshmallow colored creaminess up top looks even better. Abundant lace is an added bonus. The nose is everything that an American IPA nose should be. There's very little maltiness and there's a whole lotta hoppiness. Although the hop bill is unpublished, Cascade has to be one of its members. Specifics include tropical fruit (grapefruit and lemon), along with a gentle ganja-like vibe. Very nice. Oakshire Brewing's Watershed IPA is the real deal. Hopheads will be mighty pleased with the aggressive hoppiness that tastes and feels like every one of the 75 IBUs are present and accounted for. That said, it isn't a complete hop bomb. The majority pale and minority toasted malts provide just the right amount of flavor (not much) and sweetness (also not much). Humulus lupulus are the stars of this show. Hop-derived flavors include juicy pink grapefruit, orange, lemon and illegal herb. Gotta be Cascade. The mouthfeel is spot-on for the style and the ABV. It's also a perfect trade-off between medium-full smooth creaminess and alpha acid edginess. This beer oozes quality. Watershed IPA zeros in on every one of my American IPA preferences like a laser-guided missile. This is fantastic beer that I'd love to drink again and again. Prediction: Oakshire's watershed moment as a brewery was when they decided to hire Matt Van Wyk as their brewer.