Kindred Spirit Spacehead
I’ve enjoyed Kindred Spirit Headspace on several occasions since first encountering the beer last year. And while that brew leaned lightly to the fruity side of the IPA flavor realm, the similarly named Spacehead presents a more traditional combination of pine and grapefruit. Oh, there’s still a solid fruitiness within this 7.7% ABV IPA, but it’s not at the same level as its sibling.
Spacehead delivers a great drinking experience with a balanced attack of hoppiness (pine, grapefruit, herbal notes and a hint of citrus) and a decent malt backbone that provides a good bit of support. The crisp and active carbonation causes the flavors to dance across the palate while a moderate hop bitterness peaks smoothly before fading oh-so-slowly to a lasting tingle in the long finish. The bitterness, much like other IPAs from the brewery isn’t going to overwhelm your tastebuds, but does present a welcome and playful bite that I really need in a beer like Spacehead.
Kindred Spirit remains high on my list of local breweries. When they release brews like Spacehead — enjoyed a week after it was canned — it’s easy to stick with the company. This IPA is well rounded and presents a smooth hop profile that hits all of the marks that I look for in the beer style. The question now is which do I like better? Headspace or Spacehead?