Spice Of Life - Wakatu - Sixpoint Brewery

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.61/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Well this smells like a used diaper. That's a nice touch. Flavor is quite bright, and not very restrained. Seems high on citrus (in an odd way), minimal spice from hop tones in the mix (should be more imo). Decent enough to drink, I guess, but not very interesting. Better as it warms, but still not overly interesting.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2013 16:53:20 | More by RblWthACoz

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.55/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Commercial brewers and homebrewers alike hands Sixpoint a collective "Thank you" for the education on hop flavor, and for giving us a very tasty IPA at the same time. And now introducing the little-known Wakaty hop variety...

Like many other India pale ales, the beer pours with a hazy amber glow that showcases unfiltered hop implementation. A creamy ivory-white head tops the beer with the lightness of meringue. Firm retention and random lace gives the beer a great amount of visual appeal, right down to the last drink.

Chocked full of citrus and tropical fruits, the nose is vibrant and zest with hop influence while a backside whiff of caramel supports the hops in a juicy and ripe fruit kind of way. Light bread crust, mint, and fresh-cut grass keeps the aromas bouncing from hop to malt and back to hops once again.

The taste is every bit as refreshing as the nose suggests. Thin honey-like caramel sets the early palate, just before the middle palate receives hop flavor. White grapefruit, citrus peels, mango and apricot emit from the hops just as the malt sweetness gives a plumper, sweeter, and slight candy-dipped support to the fruit impressions. And as the beer leans toward finish, the sweetness trails, the fruit dries, and the hops develop into a racy grassy bitterness that's full of mint, muddled herb, and soft vanilla bean.

Mild hop acidity provides light, crisp, and refreshing texture early on despite the supple creamy feel of malt and carbonation. The beer turns dry, zesty, and bitterly focused early to allow hop dominance to shine in finish. Light minty hops and alcohol combine for playful warm / evaporation cooling interplay. Couple that with the soft vanilla-like finish and we have an IPA that is as characterful as it is refreshing.

The Wakatu hops (as far as I can tell) gives the beer the classic "American" character of citrus and tropical notes. Its focus on sharp bitterness is sure to appease the most demanding hop-heads. Its herbal, minty, grassy nuances adds more than just fruit and hints toward noble German and English varieties.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2013 19:28:12 | More by BEERchitect

merc7186

New York

3.58/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Pizza Plant in Clarence NY, poured into pint glass.

A: Hazy Golden Straw/Orangish Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head Ring, Great Lacing

S: Grainy, Mild Citrus, Mild Floral

T: Bittering Hops, Grainy, Mildly Yeasty

M: Great Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Semi Bitter

Overall, just another average SoL sixpoint IPA, nothing worth chasing.

Serving type: on-tap

12-19-2012 18:29:49 | More by merc7186

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at Alla Spina, Philly, PA

Served in an Alla Spina teku glass, a copper-brown color with a generous white foamy head that retained well and left a bit of lacing. Aroma of bready malts and mellow citrusy hops, almost more reminiscent of an APA than an IPA. Taste was basically hop-forward, notes of citrus juice and pine bitterness, somewhat earthy, malts are bready and nutty, bringing in a bit of sweetness for balance, slightly cobwebby. About medium bodied, average overall, solid and drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

11-24-2012 09:13:47 | More by Rifugium

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.95/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Grabbed a 32oz bottle from premier for ~$6
The beer pours a golden amber with a wispy white head tht fades quickly. There is some lacing, but very little head retention. The nose is sweet and yeasty with subtle notes of citrus that struggle to break the surface. The taste is much better than expected with light citrusy hops that work perfectly off their modest malt base. I've had the SoL beers in the past and not been impressed, but this beer is delightful. The draught quality freshness definitely makes it better than it would be in bottles. Great beer and an interesting hop to highlight.

Serving type: growler

11-23-2012 03:02:18 | More by ThePorterSorter

scootny

New York

4.35/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is Sixpoint's monthly relrase to highlight a different hop variety. All other variables are the same. Prodigious head with a considerable amount of lace. Clumps everywhere. Lovely coppery golden color with a very white topping that remains. A nice amount of haze in the glass. Smell is quite good. Healthy amount of biscuit and and malted grains. Light caramel sweetness. Some bakery scents. A fruitiness that is almost English in style. A touch of vanilla. Lot of citrus on top but not overpowering. Some faint pine notes. Taste is well balanced with a caramel malt core. Nice chunks of yeasty bread and caramel. Toasted grains abound. Hops are upfront but somehow agressively mellow. Finish clean and dry with a crisp character. Lots of grapefruit skin and hop oil. Feel is smoothly carbonated and a perfect crispness to a medium weight. A great overall beer with a great drinkability and quenching quality. A standout brew that gives a great showcase for this particular hops

Serving type: growler

11-01-2012 05:49:39 | More by scootny