Crux Fermentation Project Half Hitch
Oregon’s Crux Fermentation Project just started to show up on shelves in my area this past July. The staff at my favorite shop were really excited about their arrival and, having never heard of them prior to this purchase, I was intrigued. The first bottle I picked up was Half Hitch, a 9.5% ABV (80 IBU) imperial IPA that leans heavily on the Mosaic hop variety.
A strong floral character drives Half Hitch’s flavor profile while melon, grapefruit and distant herbal notes mingle with bready malt and grain. This is not your typical imperial IPA. For my own liking, it lacks the punch of citrus and pine typical of the style. There is a good amount of hop bitterness that jumps in there half way through each sip, but it’s not overly biting. The big beer finishes lightly drying with echoing floral notes as a gentle warmth spreads through the chest.
Half Hitch served as a nice introduction to Crux Fermentation Project. The imperial IPA’s modern twist will suite many folks, but I’m more of a fan of the pungent flavors that this beer style typically brings to the party. It’s certainly not a bad beer by any means and I’m always a fan of breweries trying to pull different flavors from ingredients so there’s still plenty to appreciate in Half Hitch.