Toppling Goliath X Hops Pale Ale (Green)

The Toppling Goliath Brewing Company is in Decorah, Iowa. They make not only the best beer in Iowa, but some of the best in the entire nation. This is one of the first two releases in their new X Hop series. They will each have a unique color to their label, and each color represents a new experimental hop. They encourage people who try the X Hops beers to provide their input. Perhaps the favorites will become more regular beers in the lineup? (See the Orange here and Red here and Blue here and Yellow here and Rainbow here).

The beer pours a hazy honey orange golden in color. There is a tall, thick head of off-white foam that leaves layers of sticky lacing down the glass. The aroma is pleasantly strong, lots of piney hops, passion fruit; dank, funky, hoppiness; with a bit of lime citrus. The taste includes the aromas of the hops, particularly the pine at first, bleeding into an astringent passion fruit and light grapefruit, with a tinge of the lime. All of this hoppiness sits on a bed of malt that lets the hops shine, but still comes through, giving a second level of flavors, like a malty, unfiltered, lager filled with notes of fresh straw and a nice, earthy, funky note from the yeast. All of these flavors run in and out, but it holds together as a harmonious whole. The finish is somewhat dry and quite bitter. It is medium bodied and moderately carbonated, just right.

Zombie Dust, please step aside, there is a new king of American pale ales.