Make mine slutty! Ooops, the slogan is “Make mine a Smutty”. Same difference, really. Kidding aside, don’t be put off by two lounging geezers on the label, this here IPA is a true winner. Perfect balance of beeriness and hoppiness, a body that makes you want to make a sealskin coat out of it and a flavor that makes you wish your own nose was as smutty as the brewery’s pinnipedal mascot.
Almost a creamy top note to the flavor, like you’re scooping it right out of a barrel freshly arrived in India. The beer side of it has barely enough sweetness to make the hop side of the palette truly “citrusy” in a way that others only claim to. And Smuttynose doesn’t claim to, they actually do it, and without crowing about it, which is also great.
The lighter malt wedded to good hops, might be an intentionally faster fermentation which leaves more sugars in it, the overall balance of components makes this one of the top IPA’s i have tried. It’s a buzzy one at 6.9% alcohol, but very refreshing. Now i know why the geezers on the label look so giddy. Fitting that they made up a new word for this one: “finestkind”. A great IPA, in my book it rates a lofty 9.7 for exquisite balance.
…
And to update this review, now more than 3 months later, this is still and truly the best IPA i have tasted and tested to date. Note that 9.7 rating above, and remember it. By now, have reviewed 60+ IPA’s and 9.7 is the highest rating i’ve given to anything. Smuttynose Finestkind is the tops!