Galaxy White IPA - Anchorage Brewing Company

grittybrews

Washington

4.81/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Poured a cloudy, pale yellow with three fingers of bright white head. Smell is extremely intense and fresh with lots of galaxy hops, melon, and citrus.

Highish carbonation and a light, crisp mouthfeel. Blast of tropical fruit and melon up front with light floral notes and smooth wheat. Trace of oaky vanilla mixed with pepper, a tiny hint of funk, and a dry finish.

One of the best beers I've had. Extremely complex and delicious. Looking forward to trying their Love Buzz Saison soon.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 03:18:37 | More by grittybrews

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.75/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured a cloudy straw color with huge carbonation, big white fluffy head, good lacing, some floaters in the bottom. Exceptional!

S: Wow. Wheat, coriander, little spice, fresh lemon zest, the breet really shines with a moderate light horseblanket covered in barf with underlying peppercorns

T: Immediate peppercorn like heat/sting meet lemon zest, coriander, some wheat, the finish is rather dry, some bitterness, little bit of passion fruit, light sting. The brett brings a little funkiness towards the middle-end of the beer

M: Crisp, well carbonated for the style, light bodied

O: Very well done. Anchorage is fastly becoming one of my favorite breweries.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 23:15:44 | More by barleywinefiend

Siriusfisherman

Montana

4.6/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: Very hazy yellow with a fluffy/rocky white head. Superb lacing and moderate retention.

Smell: Sweet citrus and kumquat (really came through) and maybe a little tropical from the hops, as well as peppery yeast spice notes and some esters. There is also a solid brett presence, some nice earthy, barnyard tones to it.

Taste: Similar to the aroma, nice bitterness up front with a big carbonation bite and some nice citrusy hop character and yeast spice to follow. The wheat give a nice refreshing tartness and plays incredibly well into the yeast/brett character. The brett presence is not a front runner in the flavor, but is very noticeable still. The earthy tones play wonders with the hops, beautiful use of all parts of the brewing process. The mouthfeel is thin but high in carbonation and very dry, makes for an insanely drinkable brew.

Overall: Complex and very unique in terms of flavor profile. I absolutely loved this beer, although I am quite the lover of all things hoppy and all things brett. There are many different parts of the brewing process that played major roles in the final product, frequently this would lead to a beer with muddled flavors, but not this one, incredible balance. Can't wait till my next trip to alaska, great fishing and now great belgian-style ales!

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 19:17:19 | More by Siriusfisherman

smakawhat

Maryland

4.55/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the bottle into a tulip glass.

Without an entire pour, slightly clear and crystal yellow gold brass, some nice carbonation, giving to a rocky soapy white head with some lacing. While topping up cloudiness comes with a lemon orb character just glowing. Some spider lacing and some good retention. Real good looking.

Nose hits a real nice buttery oak, good brett heat, faint lemon zest, but mostly a nice juicy buttery sense. More citrus angles seem to come out later, juicy orange and tangerine, no doubt from the kumquats. Real nice.

Taking all that, a great vinous mouthfeel just feels so clean and refreshing. Palate fills with a nice hop angle and brett punch. Good balance mix with a citrus hop hinting with juicy quality hinting from the nose all-throughout. Finish gets quite peppery hot but in control, the perfect mix of hop bitter, and brett heat. Buttery sticking sensation like bearnaise.

Overall I just can't get over how juicy this beer is. A real nice marriage, nearly perfect for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 02:51:15 | More by smakawhat

Gay4IPA

California

4.55/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

The Bottle design Looks Expensive - And It is at around $12.00 a bottle at my local discount bulk beer wine.
The top has a Cork like Champagne - Its bubbly like Champagne - Dont drink it from the bottle or your stomach will pop and fizz will shoot from your nose :)
Let the foam bubble up for a sec after opening * Dont stick yer nose to the top to give the vapor a good sniff or you will get a snout full- seriously I got a little Nose Kettle going.
Pour it and allow the aroma and taste come to life!
So smooth....Strong natural tones Blooming, like honey, berry essence, lilac??, Savory smooth Skunky hoppy goodness mid flavors followed up bitter Pines of alcohol.
MOMMA Lucia Im diggin it!

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 05:59:35 | More by Gay4IPA

daledeee

Iowa

4.53/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A 750 ml bottle.

Poured this into a big chalice. Very light yellow, cloudy with an incredible white head. Definitely a unique looking beer.

Nose is funky, brett, spice.

Taste is clean and refreshing. Citrus, with loads of Belgian hops and Brett. This is really good stuff.

Not overly dry like some. Plenty of carbonation and refreshing(repeat).

Overall, another fine beer from a fine brewery.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 00:45:51 | More by daledeee

ericj551

British Columbia (Canada)

4.51/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

The number of discriptors on this bottle is ridiculous. The cork hit the ceiling as it popped off. The beer pours a straw gold with a fluffy head that eventually fades. Brett is apparent in the aroma, with some tropical fruitiness from the hops (or maybe the cumquots, I have no idea). The flavor is dry with plenty of funky Brett, earthy hops, and some nice corriander and spice. The finish is bitter and dry with hits of oak. The bitterness lingers nicely. Pricey at $12 but delicious none the less.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 00:11:20 | More by ericj551

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

4.51/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

A: Massive white head that left a nice lacing over cloudy straw coloured liquid, SRM 5.

S: Coriander, grass, pine, weeds, earth and some faint barnyard funk.

T: Spicy, pepper, lemon, coriander, grass, earth, pine, peach/passionfruit and some sourness on the back end.

M: Medium viscosity and a medium level of carbonation.

O: Interesting and complex flavour profile, I have a feeling this beer will be like Orval where it will be very different and much more sour with some age on it. Actually, this seems more like a Belgian beer than a North American. Either way, this beer is fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 04:10:31 | More by DaftCaskBC

DrFayhee

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer has a pale yellow, slightly cloudy color that almost makes it look like its glowing. A nice thick head gives it a stunning appearance. Very fruity aroma with citrus and herbal notes. Characterizing flavor for this beer is a real challenge because I've never had a beer that changes so much with almost every sip. This alone makes it exciting. It started out slightly funky and yeasty which gradually mellowed as honeysuckle and melon-y flavors began to peek through. I'd definitely love to try another bottle to see if there are differences between batches but unfortunately it's pretty pricey.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2012 02:56:37 | More by DrFayhee

scottfrie

California

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle into Duvel tulip. Batch 1, bottled 1/2012.

A: Pours a light lemon-golden with a huge, soft, bright white head that slowly faded into a very fuzzy and thick film that held great retention and left streaks of sticky lacing down the glass.
S: Holly cow what a nose. Citrus dominates with scents of kumquats alongside coriander, vinous (white wine-like) oak barrel, wit yeast and a complex blend of spices and earthy brett. This smells complex and inviting.
T: All of the different ingredients in this beer work really well together to form a fantastic brew! The oak and brett come out a little bit more than the nose, with the citrus coming through in the middle and finish. Peppercorns, coriander, Belgian yeast, and some earthy and farm-like brett are all noticeable, yet no one ingredient dominates. The galaxy hops provide some sweet and slightly bitter fruits in the finish, and the aftertaste is drying, vinous, and full of yeast.
M: Full bodied with frothy, full, yet soft, carbonation. Mouthfeel is full and bubbly but very smooth. Finish is drying and refreshing.
O: Almost as good as Bitter Monk. This brewery can do no wrong in my book. This beer is so complex and flavorful yet so smooth and drinkable. I could drink this all day. Thank you, Anchorage!

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 03:24:26 | More by scottfrie

NWer

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Popped the cork of 22 oz bottle & poured into my Russian River stemmed glass. Foamy head explodes filling the glass in spite of a very careful pour.
Head retains very well with nice lace as head gradually recedes.
Golden color.
First impression is of a typical Belgian IPA but then the nuances take over challenging the senses. Sweetness, spiciness, sour notes make for a very enjoyable experience.
A great sipping beer so bold I couldn't finish the bottle at one sitting. Rebottled into a swing-top bottle to finish at a later time.
I love a good Belgian IPA - quickly becoming one of my favorite styles and this didn't disappoint.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 02:09:45 | More by NWer

jtierney89

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Lots of yeast action in this bottle, the cork almost took my eye out and the head is insane. Lots of sticky spiderweb like lacing. This thing may never die. Extremely yeasty nose. Lots of earthy and farmhouse notes. Lots of spicy notes. Super hazy pale bright yellow color.

Very nice beer. Brisk effervescence. Bright citrus from the cumquats, Spicy coriander and pepper. Spicy citrus hops with a bit of pine. Drying hop bitterness that lingers. At only 50 IBUS its got a nice bitterness. Nice lingering sweetness as well. Rich and complex beer. The spice from the coriander and peppercorn go along well with the citric bittering galaxy hops. Touches of passion fruit and citric fruit salad. Deeply complex and highly drinkable. Lots of earthy yeastiness. Musty funkiness. Very awesome beer. I love it. Lots of passion fruit as the beer warms.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 23:49:09 | More by jtierney89

smekermann

British Columbia (Canada)

4.49/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Man, this was a surprisingly great beer. I was, as usual, apprehensive going into it, just because "white IPA brewed with brett and wine yeast" sounds like a recipe for disaster. Any number of things could go wrong and you'd end up with a drainpour on your hands. Anyway, that wasn't the case, and this beer is pretty damn good.

Pours a cloudy straw yellow color with a decent sized head that dissipates fairly quickly. Very reminiscent of a Belgian wit in appearance, unsurprisingly. Smell is lemon zest, a lot of brett funk and a bit of earthiness, either from the malts or from the yeast. It tastes even better than it smells, with that aforementioned citrus zest hitting your taste buds first, then some sourness from the brett and then what to me tastes like a fairly sharp, earthy and pretty dry pipe tobacco. It finishes on a dry, slightly sour, earthy note. Didn't really get any spices from it, although maybe that's what the pipe tobacco taste was. I didn't mind, since I've had plenty of spiced beer in my time and this is probably the first time I've tasted tabaccyness in a non-dark ale. Quite refreshing, really.

A really unique beer, in my opinion, and probably the first "IPA" I've had that might actually age nicely due to the brettanomyces and wine yeast. It'd probably develop into something completely different than what I've had today, but it would be an interesting experiment.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 06:46:32 | More by smekermann

shand

Florida

4.49/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Just a bit of gushing when popping the cork... Galaxy White IPA pours a hazy golden color with an absolutely massive head even when poured extremely slowly. The aroma is funky and fruity, with pepper and sweet oak jumping out. Lots of complexity, plenty of fleeting notes to discover shoving your nose into this. Judging by the label, this was always going to be an interesting beer to begin with.

Nearly a year past bottling date, it's taken on a distinctly saison-esque flavor profile, with the pepper and brett really doing a number on things here. There's also a solid hop presence still lingering, providing a fruitiness and a nice background bitterness. It's an extremely dry beer, with the brett and hops contributing strongly to that. So much going on here that it's really not worth picking apart in the review, each sip reveals new facets. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied, highly carbonated, and (as before mentioned) very dry. Overall, Anchorage's Galaxy White IPA has held up very well a year past bottling. It's very interesting, extremely complex, and very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 20:21:51 | More by shand

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.48/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml C&C bottle opened on 2-23-12.
Batch 1

A - Pours a very light orange-yellow with a huge fluffy white head. Great retention and lots of lacing.

S - Strong hop tones - grass, pine, floral and lemony. Some slight pepper.

T - Very hoppy, not much of the spice comes through.

D - Light body, no sourness.

O - Light and hoppy, and AMAZING!

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 05:15:27 | More by HuskyinPDX

litheum94

California

4.48/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Whole foods.

Hazy, opaque golden yellow body. Frothy, bone white head leaves a protective cover and some killer lacing.

Corriander spice and funky Brett aromas. Distinct French oak aromas and citrusy hops.

Corriander spicing and some creamy wheat. Big, funky bite from the Brett, gives it an earthy flavor. Oaky, white wine tones. Big hop flavors on the finish; citrusy and bitter.

Excellent, funky take on the style. Another great one from Gabe.

Serving type: on-tap

06-29-2012 20:27:11 | More by litheum94

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.48/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml corked and caged bottle poured into tulip 29/9/12

A hazy golden yellow with not many visible bubbles but there’s lots of them in there because I’m having trouble fitting it in my glass. The massive loose soapy head retains very well taking its time to fall leaving just a few random patches of lace

S lots going on with this one, I’m getting the coriander no problem, the Brett’s hard too miss, faint peppercorn but I can’t remember smelling a Kumquat before, it’s a mix of mango, passion fruit and orange marmalade. Earthy notes and oak with some vinous notes I can’t quite place, tropical citric hops round out the mix. Everything just blends together so well and I can’t think of how this beer could smell better

T a step back from the nose this only tastes awesome, spice comes out stronger with more earthy vinous notes, the funky Brett and fruit works well, I could drink this all day…or at least until I couldn’t move

M over carbonated and foamy, a swirl produces a two finger foam after the original head fell, I could do this several times, no heats a plus but quite airy, a mild bitter bite and just a fine tannic like grit

O very pleased with this one, a nice blend of fruit, hops and a very interesting yeast profile and a spicy kick. This one has a little bit of everything and its working well no matter how you look at it.

I’m stoked to drink this one and could take down another 750ml no problem. The Brett’s already strong and I’m going to find out how funky this will get, I’m going to buy another to drink now and lay one down for fun

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 19:35:36 | More by wordemupg

beer2day

North Carolina

4.48/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Purchased at Bottle Rev in Raleigh.

Light, nearly white, yellow color with billowing white head, 2+ fingers worth. One of the palest, lightest micros I've seen. Excellent retention and fine lace. Hard to get past the pale color, though.

Nose is dominated by brett with light grape and floral hops underneath. The wine barrel lends a nice touch. Spices are light and add to a tart, brett finish. Plenty of brett flavor here.

Body is just right for the style, but a bit on the fizzy side. Just a tad bit too much carbonation for me.

Overall, a strong entry in the field.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 02:01:37 | More by beer2day

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

4.48/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

750mL bottle into tulip. batch #2 APR 2012.

A: very pale straw yellow body. bright white head. lace everywhere. great retention. carbonization racing to the surface. perfect.

S: straight funk on the nose. barny and bretty goodness. bright. wild flower honey. the hops try and make their presence known, but struggle to behind the barny Brett.

T: the Brett flavor is strong. tart and refreshing. there is a linger of citrus flavor, lemons and limes, helps to remind me this is an IPA as well as a funky brew. finish of mild grain chewiness is dried out by acidity.

M: champagne-like in its carbonation. medium bodied.

D: very tasty stuff. glad the Brett characteristics are as prevalent as I was hoping they would be. also, I would like to say this is one of the most appealing looking BIPA's I have seen ever. kudos to Anchorage for doing a stellar job with the bottle conditioning here.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 01:32:31 | More by Jimmys

SHODriver

California

4.45/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: 750ml corked and caged bottle. Pours a light hazy yellow with a huge 2+ finger white head that is slow to recede
S: smells of citrus, spice, and slightly grassy
T: pale malt up front slips to a bit of peppery spice and fruitiness and then a huge layer of hop presence with some herbal flavors and some citrus. Corriander intermingles a little bit toward the end. Aftertaste is oily hop goodness that disappears quickly
M: fairly light on the tongue but has good viscosity as well. Sot carbonation from bottle conditioning is prickly at times but normally very smooth
O: a very tasty convergence of the IPA and Witbier styles

UPDATE: if you want to let this one sit for about 6-7 months the brett will come out to play with some nice barnyard and funk. the hops aren't quite there anymore but still provide a nice bitterness. the nose on the beer has gone nuts in that time as well with some sourness and funk.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 04:14:53 | More by SHODriver

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed "fresh" from tasting notes.

A. Semi hazy pale straw color with a monster four finger head that lasts for a minute and a half, leaving behind amazing sheets and curtains of sudsy lacing. Slightly more retention time and I would have awarded a perfect five for appearance on this one!

S. The first aroma that came to mind was a freshly cooled lemon custard meant for a pie. A split second later I got hit by a wave of the trademarked Galaxy passionfruit aroma coupled up with a side order of Brett Funk and the black peppercorns. The coriander aroma....gets sort of lost in the shuffle for my nose until the beer warms up quite significantly, and even than it is a very meek level of coriander that gets bullied around and obscured by everything else quite a lot.

T. Belgian Brett funk and wet tart wheat, hay, grassy herbal tea-like hopping combined with an appropriately IPA-level of citric peel and rind bittering. The oak and peppercorns team up to form a spicy dry incredibly long finish that blends in with the pithy bitterness that stays with you long after the citrus peel drops away.

M. Medium body and somewhat medium-heavy carbonation. My only real nitpick with this brew is that I would dial the carbonation back just a tad, as it made me feel somewhat bloated even while sipping. Just a bit too effervescent.

Holy hell this was a great beer, and it's going to be hard on my self discipline to wait and see how the funk levels develop in the other bottle I have in the basement.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 15:33:14 | More by WastingFreetime

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

4.45/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Batch 3 from Aug 2012.

A: Hazy, light straw, HUGE white head, good retention, amazing lace.

S: Very Belgian aroma: Horse blanket, corriander and tropical fruit; citrus rind, lemon grass.

T: Definitely some leathery funk, but it's not as pronounced as the aroma. Tons of vanilla in the flavour, wheaty biscuit, tropical fruit, slight pepper, hints of corriander, yeast sediment has a healthy, doughy flavour. Good bitterness, alcohol is really subtle.

M: Highly attenuated, moderate body is really carbonated, with a crisp, dry finish.

O: A gold standard for this new style?

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 02:56:43 | More by Derek

ngeunit1

California

4.43/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a clear golden yellow color with a finger of frothy white head. The head fades down fairly slowly leaving behind some thick lace.

S - Aroma is a mix of citrus and tropical hops with some Belgian yeast esters, light fruit, pepper and other spice, oak, and some funky Brett.

T - Starts off with some citrus and tropical hops with some grapefruit flavor and some spices and Belgian yeast esters. Through the middle some oak, funky Brett, and bitterness come through alongside a bit more yeast esters. The finish is a mix of citrus and tropical hops, light spices, funk, oak, and some bitterness.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a dry, bitter, and lightly spicy finish.

D - Very drinkable. Really nice White IPA. The spices and the Wit yeast really compliment the Galaxy hops nicely. The Brett also adds some nice complexity.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 06:31:35 | More by ngeunit1

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

4.43/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Rich bretty IPA, complex and tasty.

Presentation: 750 ml brown, caged and corked bottle. Screen printed label with a green and white design of a blizzard of hop cones framed by grey bars with the details of the brew and face of the brewer. Side paragraph offers a description of the brew, and serving indications, back narrative exposes intent, and background. Notes 50 IBUS, bottling Batch #1 Jan 2012, and 7% Alc. by Vol. Served in a tulip glass.

A -Lightly hazy pale gold pour, rich frothy head, medium retention, fair surface memory and some touches of lacing.

S - Rich nose with plenty of funky brett notes, citric, and light fruity touches...

T - The flavor shows off and expand the notes with the breathy funk, hint of spice and tropical sweetness in the backbone, earthy feel in the hop profile with a hint of wood.

M - Light body with high carbonation, relatively dry finish with a pleasing lingering sense.

O - Very rich flow, quite a nice brew.

Notes: Nice flow, same issues as before with the pricing but the quality is memorable. Really enjoying these brews.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 21:50:17 | More by Daniellobo

Greywulfken

New York

4.4/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: straw-colored ale with a big fluffy head

S: grassy and herbal

T: dry pale malts, minimal sweetness, medium bitterness; lemony citron and brettanomyces musk: astringent and dank at the same time; some herbs and pepperiness

M: clean, crisp, musty aftertaste; dry, slight tart astringence

O: I thought this was really good beer - has a lot going on, and I like the effect of brett in beers.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 17:49:21 | More by Greywulfken