Ok, so this is kind of an odd thing to review. Why? Well we’ve kind of already reviewed it. Back in January, Roughtail released Batch 3 of their rotating Adaptation Series IPA and I reviewed it here. Well, much like us, everyone went pretty ape shit over how good that beer was and, being the nice people that they are over at Roughtail, they decided to make that brew a year round offering. They scaled up the recipe from a 10 barrel batch to a 30 barrel batch, put it in some really great looking cans, and sent it off into the world. While this will be year-round, they won’t make it as regularly as their other offerings, so don’t expect to see it sitting on shelves next to their Pale Ale or Hoptometrist for long.

So that’s all awesome, and what’s doubly awesome is that the can I’m about to crack right now was canned this morning and is as fresh AF. I can’t wait to relive that enjoyment from Batch 3 of Adaptation, so I’m going to hold off on referring to that review for now and see how they compare later. Let’s get into it.

Disclaimer: This product was provided at no cost to Barrels and Mash with no strings attached.

Company: Roughtail Brewing Co.

Location: Midwest City, OK

ABV: 7%

IBUs: 65

Style/Description: East Coast India Pale Ale

Price: $15-ish (4-pack, 16oz cans)

Appearance: Gold with a fluffy white head that slowly subsides leaving medium sticky lacing. Not hazy like Adaptation B3 was, hmmmm.

Nose: Huge fruit juice with mandarin oranges, pineapple, mango, and pears. I remember saying something about a fruit cup on the B3 review, and I feel exactly the same way about this one. It’s bright, citrusy, and just smells fantastic.

Taste: From the lack of haze I have to admit I was worried about the mouthfeel, but that concern was quickly bitch-slapped in the face upon the first sip. The texture is great with that mandarin orange fruit cup thing going on. There is also some great pineapple and mango with a touch of bitterness at the end of the sip and some light pine notes.

Finish: The smooth, sweet, citrusy stuff slowly fades away leaving some crisp pine. Everything is right with the world.

Overall: Ok, so at this point I went back to compare notes and with the exception of the appearance, everything was almost exactly the same. Holy shit this is a good beer. The joy I feel for getting to have this more often than once a year is palpable. Thank you, Roughtail.

Rating: 4.5/5