Exit 16 - Flying Fish Brewing Company

SlothB77

Virginia

4.35/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip.

A: A very-light colored IPA, almost like a pilsner, but more golden. Almost clear enough to see through.

S: citrus smell, with grapefruit, honeydew, some hops, some pine.

T: Citrus and pine. Again, that grapefruit, melon and maybe a little tobacco flavor too.

M: low carbonation, medium-bodied, pleasant acidity, crisp dryness. I prefer lots of bitters in my beer and this had enough bitters to satisfy me. The hoppiness is somewhat masked by the flavor of the beer.

O: For a double IPA, the appearance of this beer may be misleading. It had a very distinctive complex flavor. This beer is light and refreshing for an IPA, but maybe that is just the light appearance that is deceiving me.

Serving type: nitro-bottle

12-28-2012 22:15:02 | More by SlothB77

Etan

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle.

A: Translucent straw yellow with a nice poofy white head.

S: Bright grapefruit, orange, papaya, sweetish pale malt. Very juicy.

T: Moderate herbal bitterness, clean pineapple and orange zest, dry doughy malt, hint of alcohol, more citrus and pine in the finish.

M: Light-bodied with moderate carbonation, slightly creamy feel.

O: This is delicious and very nicely balanced between dry/bitter and juicy/sweet.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2012 04:20:37 | More by Etan

oberon

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a nonic a very light pale yellow with a a half finger bone white head atop,one of the lighter colored beers of the style I have come across.Grassy notes mainly in the notes along with some mild toasted grain,the hops don't really jump out.Leafy and citric hops at the onset of the palate with some firm toasted grain,not nearly as sweet as many of the stylejust mainly alcohol sweetness in the finish.A little different take on the DIPA here,not in your face alcohol and sharp hops,a little more dry and subtle.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 14:45:11 | More by oberon

zeledonia

Minnesota

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

Visiting family in New Jersey, and this brewery was near the top of my list to try. Sadly, little idea on how fresh this is, but it was refrigerated, so that gives me hope.

Pours a very pale straw yellow, looking more like a light lager than a DIPA. I'm sure that's intentional, but it's not doing it for me so much. One finger of white head, decent retention, good lacing. I'm attributing the color to the rice, and giving them a pass on it.

I can tell this wants to be big on the hops, but it's just not. What's there is delightful, but there ain't enough of it! Some pine, some tropical fruits. Just give me more of it. Find myself having to stretch, digging my nose deeper into the glass to pull out those faint aromas.

Mouthfeel is top-notch. Medium-light body, lighter than normal thanks to that rice, and dryer as well. A really crisp, quick dry finish, that sucks the moisture out, but leaves just enough for the flavor to stick. Medium-low carbonation, flaring up in the middle and then relaxing. Very nice.

Taste is good. Comes across very balanced, despite substantial hop flavors. There's bitterness, but there's some resinous pine too (or maybe that's the Christmas tree downstairs getting in my head?). Has a really soft touch, with the grains supporting it completely, but without really making themselves felt.

This is a darn good beer. I like it, and I'll happily finish the six-pack. I really like the lightness, crispness, and dryness that the rice adds, and that makes it a pretty unique beer. If I weren't from the land of Abrasive, which I consider the top DIPA bar none, I might be a little more impressed.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 06:32:09 | More by zeledonia

facundoCNB

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

a beautiful clean golden yellow, half inch of white foamy head, lots of visible carbonation. smells of pine, grapefruit, sweet malt. a nice overall bitter pine flavor with a citrusy sweetness that goes back and forth.. nice grapefruit taste. i don't taste any difference in the grain bill from a regular 2row ipa, but it is definitely one of the tastiest ipa's i've had this year. medium in body, high carbonation.. slightly creamy on the lips.

this is an excellent ipa. i remember having this years ago, when i wasn't into ipa's yet and not really liking it, but now that i'm more familiar with the style, it's safe to say this is fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 02:16:03 | More by facundoCNB

rajendra82

Georgia

4.33/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The very pale golden look, hazy body, and two finger thick, foamy head, made this pour look more like a Saison than a DIPA. The smell was floral hops and some honeydew melons and lemon. The taste was bready like a biscuit dusted with flour, and the hops were low in bitterness, but high in citric character. There was a touch of lemon in the finish, and a bit of tobacco as well. The mouthfeel was very dry and the beer was very quenching. No this is how one uses rice. Budweiser, are you taking notes?

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 03:37:51 | More by rajendra82

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a pale yellow color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is very hoppy, lots of citrus. Taste is hoppy, bitter, some citrus, a touch of malts, well balanced and drinkable. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a pretty good beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 10:02:07 | More by tone77

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

4.63/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours a lighter straw color with fantastic clarity. This could easily be mistaken for a pilsner. The head is a two finger white color with nice retention. Quite a bit of lace is left on the glass, as well.

S: I notice a lot of pineapple, mango, apricot, pine, and coriander. Hell, I even pick up some of the wild rice used. Quite the impressive aroma in general. However, I can see how someone could pick up 'cat pee' from the Citra hops - thankfully it all works quite well in this one.

T: THIS is the kind of IPA I like. Light, citrusy, crisp, and refreshing - without any overdone maltiness or hop harshness to spoil things. The citrusy character on this is particularly well done - chock full of mango, passion fruit, apricot, grapefruit, and guava. A slight 'green' flavor comes through in the midtaste as well, but it's hardly what I'd call "piny." Neither is it remotely bitter. Maybe it could use a little more complexity...when the few flavors it presents are so incredible, though, who really cares?

M: Completely bone dry and crisp, just as advertised. If the flavors weren't so joyous to savor, this would go down spectacularly easy. Honestly, though, the ultra-dry finish somehow fits this beer. It's one of those offerings that I like to keep swishing around in my mouth because I want to savor every last drop. The hop resins linger nicely without providing much bitterness.

O: I hardly ever go this high with my ratings. But this one I feel deserves it. The only other Flying Fish beer I had was the extremely meh Winter Reserve - so who would have ever thought they would come through with such a fantastic DIPA? In retrospect, $16 for a 6-pack is kind of a bargain, really.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 23:06:29 | More by ThisWangsChung

Rizalini

Nevada

3.88/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into my Stone goblet...

A - Pours a crystal clear golden yellow color, with 1 finger of a thin white head.

S - The hop character really shines in the aroma. Big citrus aroma of pineapple and apricot. Really hope the smell translates over to the taste...

T/M - The taste falls a little short of what the smell leads on to. The taste starts off dry and malty, but does end with a nice residual hop resin for the aftertaste. There is a slight note of alcohol, not much but it's there. Medium mouthfeel, good carbonation.

O - It's a decent DIPA, but not one I would jump over my own mother to get my hands on again. So good, but not great.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 04:26:55 | More by Rizalini

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Fresh bottle from Joe Canal's. Pours medium yellow with lots of retained lace. Citra hop aroma, smelling well contained and slightly fruity. Slightly acidic, despite a cushioning of malt, and sweet rice. Decent drinkability. A little tropical fruit. Decent and off-centered DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 23:44:29 | More by northyorksammy

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tulip.

Appearance
Hazy pale gold with 3 fingers of white head. Good retention and lacing.

Nose
Papaya, pineapple, mango, lemon, pine and sugary caramel.

Taste
A blast of sugar coated tropical fruits. Papaya, mango and pineapple along with drops of lemon juice. Notes of sweet caramel and candy sugar. A good dose of Pilsner malt. Finishes with pine sap, a speckle of lemon zest and a slice of tangerine.

Mouthfeel
Medium-full bodied, smooth, juicy, oily and slightly dry.

Overall
Tons of tropical and citrus fruits doused in candy sugars. Bold and balanced. Very easy drinking. This has surpassed my expectations tremendously.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 17:15:38 | More by justintcoons

klkatz

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

yep... that's the smell... you'd expect this from Bear Republic, Stone or Greenflash... but Flying Fish did it well... go jersey...

appearance - clear and crisp like a pilsner... impressive for the smell...

taste - all around well hopped... slight bitterness... sticks a bit..

overall this is my kind of beer... I would buy this in cases all year...

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 02:05:11 | More by klkatz

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.2/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle - $2.99 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours a hazed, medium yellow-hued body with a small, brief, white head.

Smell: Grapefruit and mango notes atop the subtler pilsner maltiness ahead of the (to my surprise that it's even present) clean-cut scent of rice.

Taste: Pale and pils malts with ample sweetness of confectioner's sugar striking the tongue. Mango, white grapefruit, moderate resins strike the tongue, doling out a fair amount of hop bitterness as they ride along, like members of a parade tossing out cheap candy. All the while the rice mix dipping in and out of the taste. Dry, hoppy finish, not overly bitter, though, and with some low, lingering rich quality after the swallow.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, the rice really helped to lighten this up; it's a nice change from some of the heavy, sticky DIPA's. Medium-plus carbonation.

Overall: While I am relieved to be enjoyed a 12 ounce bottle versus a hefty 750ml deal (as I would be with just about any beer), I will say I enjoyed it far more than anticipated. Rice is nice.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 23:36:39 | More by ChainGangGuy

alpinebryant

Connecticut

4.28/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: pours a perfectly clear pale yellow that is completely translucent in body and a nice half inch head of minuscule bubbles on the top. Minimal lacing

S: Aroma of juicy peach, mango and pine. Malts aroma is muted at best and very subtle.

T: this is a hop explosion without competition from the malt body being there to mute any of the flavors. Mango and peach are pronounced without any caramel flavors and. I found the Chinook to provide a piney bitterness that would probably not otherwise be there with the Citra hops alone.

M: Extremely light body similar to what one might expect to bud light without the slightly corny or pilsner yeast flavors. Highly carbonated

O: overall very good. This is similar to Kuhnhenns Double Rice iPa however emphasizes more of the Citra hop profile and is extremely enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 00:55:47 | More by alpinebryant

fmccormi

New York

4.28/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Straight pour from 12oz pry-off bottle to a Cigar City snifter; no bottling date visible anywhere on the bottle, but my understanding is that the store where this was purchased received this batch just about a week ago, so I’m assuming it’s about as fresh as it’ll get.

Appearance (3.0): Bit of an underwhelming appearance: maybe one finger of bone-white head that dies down relatively quickly, sitting atop a crystal-clear, sunshine-yellow body. Looks more like an AAL, to be honest, except for the lacing, which leaves spotty suds and a few broad legs and webs of thin film on the sides of the glass.

Smell (4.5): Heavily citrusy and with interesting fruit tones I’m not sure I’ve smelled before: some passionfruit and mango, some juicy tangerine, but also sweetened key lime juice with a touch of crushed pine needles underneath. There fruit also kind of adds up to papaya, with that oddly warm and rich undertone, which might come off as catty to those noses so inclined. Not getting much in terms of malt character, but that makes sense considering the composition (rice malts) of the beer.

Taste (4.5): Whoa, there’s a while lot of hop flavor without the usual caramel-dominated malt body to anchor it—but whatever is there DOES anchor it, somehow. The fruity citrus is different from the nose, though: more of that sweetened lime juice, some juicy grapefruit, and some acidic citrus peel but not much citric bitterness at all. The malt body is noticeable in its own way, though: a little sweetness (agave syrup, brown rice syrup) and a lightly bready character with a flavor that can only be the rice, especially brown rice. Very interesting. No alcohol detected, and the beer finishes a mix of that rice syrup sweetness and a limeade kind of citrus flavor. EDIT: second go-round, I'm getting a very nice, sweet herbal bitterness in the finish like wintermint. Adds a very nice further dimension to the hop character.

Mouthfeel (4.0): Light body, soft carbonation that foams modestly on the way down; the finish is dry but not excessively so, and the hop oils leave a nice coating around your mouth. Weirdly drinkable, in that it’s easy to slug it back but doesn’t demand you to do so.

Overall (4.0): This is a pretty good beer, and I can honestly say this is a new (for me) take on the DIPA style. Two things stick out for me: first, this is remarkably hoppy without nearly the bitterness you’d expect from the ratio of hop flavor to malt thickness present in this beer. Second, the flavor profile’s mix of rice malts and interesting hop flavors makes the beer unique in its own way: even if you don’t love it, it sticks out from the rest. Personally, I really, really enjoyed this and considering the price point, I’m probably going to seek this out again to share with friends. Very cool stuff.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 00:30:12 | More by fmccormi

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Clear pale yellow with giant three-finger, white, foamy head that lasted several minutes. Great lacing.

S: Citrus and pine hops. Tropical fruit.

T: Moderate sweetness and solid hop bitterness. Grapefruit and orange. Nice toasted malt flavor too.

M: Medium bodied with fizzy carbonation. Crisp and refreshing.

O: Great Double IPA. Looks fantastic in the glass, smells great and taste just as great.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 03:07:57 | More by SolipsismalCat

metter98

New York

4.28/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is relatively clear light yellow in color and has a moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger and a half high bright white head that has excellent retention properties and consistently left a small head covering the surface and lots of lacy rings of bubbles running down the sides of the glass.
S: There are moderate aromas of pine resin hops, although these aren't nearly as piney as some other IPAs and have underlying notes of citrus.
T: Like the smell, the taste is dominated by an interesting mélange of hop flavors including mango, pine and grapefruit. This complexity becomes more apparent as the beer warms up. A moderate amount of bitterness is present.
M: It feels a bit shy of medium-bodied, crisp and rather dry on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: While this is a lighter-bodied Imperial IPA (likely due to the use of the wild rice), I really enjoyed it because it still delivers lots of hop aromas and flavors without an excessive amount of bitterness or malts. The beer is quite drinkable and no traces of alcohol are perceptible.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 04:07:01 | More by metter98

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

4.23/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into a standard pint glass.

A - Pours a crystal clear apple juice golden color. Very little head beyond some thin wisps on the surface. Honestly, it looks more like a bud light than a DIPA.

S - Smells of citrus and pine with a sweet and tangy tropical fruit kick. Some dank herbs and light crystal malts round out the complex aroma.

T - Starts with some herbal hops and mango sweetness. Some oyster cracker malts follow. Nice crisp finish with some bitter pine and mandarin orange linger.

M - Very light for the style, but it works. It's too easy drinking for an 8.2% beer. Clean and crisp.

O - This was a pleasant surprise from what I have previously found to be a very average brewery. It is remarkably light and crisp for a beer with this much flavor and alcohol. I wish I had gotten the 6 pack instead of the single because this is a borderline sessionable DIPA. I'm glad to see this is now a year-round 12oz. offering. I will definitely get it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 01:30:57 | More by NoLeafClover44

Teleweizen2

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A - pours a crystal clear golden straw hue. approximately two fingers worth of quickly fading yet tightly packed pearly white foam. leaves Jackson Pollack style lacing on the glass.

S - Aroma is dank and citric. Orange, papaya, pineapple and a hint of lemon zest notes all grace the nose. pine and resinous notes as well.

T - hop flavor starts from the beginning. On the tip of the tounge there is is a touch of bready dough and crisp crust but sweet and bitter citric flavors dominate. Lots of crisp bitter orange peel while tropical fruits lend to a round and juicy center. bitterness again dominates the finish.

M - light bodied. very crisp texture. High carbonation reminiscent of champagne.

O - A nice DIPA. I really like the drink-ability of it and this particular bottle is very tasty but I have had others which are a bit more muddled. As with other beers I am taking into account consistency in the overall score.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 07:41:24 | More by Teleweizen2

ckollias

Maryland

4.48/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed this 12oz bottle out of a Belgian tulip glass.

A: Pours a clear golden hue with a frothy, fizzy, white, 2-finger, white head that slowly dissipates down the side of the glass ending in a solid persistent lace.

S: Pleasant bitter aroma with a definite hoppy and tangerine aroma.

T: Clean and fresh bitter flavor with a fruity and hoppy middle and finishes on the dry side of bitter.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: Awesome Double IPA. The rice addition brings out the hop flavor and aromas

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 03:09:41 | More by ckollias

sfsean28

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had Exit 16 when it was first released a few years ago and it was excellent. I just picked up a six pack recently and decide to review it. So glad that they finally came out with sixers as promised.

A- poured into tall pislner glass with .(just wanted to build up a thicker headan aggresive pour at the end). Nice foamy head with a quarter inch retention leaving nice lacing on the glass. It is light yellow color with tiny carbonation bubbles.

S- very hoppy. Can detect lemon and pine immediately

T- taste lemon and grapefruit and a some bitterness at the end.

M-carbonation is light but not weak. Bitterness kicks in and then a dry finish. Makes my mouth water for more.

O- This is a wonderful brew. Its crisp and refreshing. Its abv is high but not noticeable in the taste. I hope to see more six-packs in the future.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 17:09:30 | More by sfsean28

Bake

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Flying fish is a local for me but not one a drink very often. This would change if they ever make Exit 16 a regular in their rotation.

A - Very light in color for a DIPA which surprised me once I tasted it

S - Smells great! Very hoppy with lots of notes of citrus

T - Nicely balanced DIPA. Plenty of hops and some sweetness. Crisp and clean. No hint of alcohol whatsoever. Nice overall complexity

M - Feels light and smooth

I really like this beer and will absolutely buy it when available. Hint, Hint Flying Fish!

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 01:03:46 | More by Bake

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.28/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a crystal clear medium yellow in color with some golden yellow highlights and moderate amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a two finger tall bright white head that slowly reduces to a couple of very small patches of large bubbles, a thin film covering the majority of the surface of the beer, and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Strong aromas of hops - tropical fruit (mango, papaya, and pineapple) and citrus (tangerine)

T: Very similar to the smell, the flavors of this beer are almost completely strong hops - tropical fruits (mango, papaya, and pineapple) as well as tangerine citrus. Very light notes of malts and rice. Light amounts of bitterness which fade in a reasonable amount of time. Tastes well balanced between the malts and hops.

M: Just shy of medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation. Crisp.

O: Very enjoyable - the flavors and aromas of the hops are really nice without an over the top amount of bitterness. The alcohol is well hidden making this beer easier to drink than might have been expected with the ABV. Seemed like a good beer for Sunday football considering Exit 16 is the Meadowlands.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 17:54:32 | More by dbrauneis

Holland

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: looks like a light lager, very clear and thin, but really interesting light, pale golden color. Nice head, good carbonation, no doubt the clearest DIPA I've seen.

S: hops - citrus and juniper, nice smelling and a little bitter

T: very hoppy and bitter, some alcohol, and then more bitter on the back end.

M: light and thin for the style with great carbonation

O: looks like bud light, tastes like a hop bomb. Taste could be improved with more balance, but it's a nice refreshing take on the DIPA. $12/6-pack at Wegman's Cherry Hill.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 16:11:11 | More by Holland

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Cask at The Pour House in Westmont, NJ.

Pours a hazy, dark golden yellow color with a half finger white head that slowly settles into a lasting ring.  Spotty lacing left behind.

Earthy yet sweet aroma with resinous, grassy hops along with sweet citrus and pale malts.  Floral pine needle followed by grapefruit, lemon rind, pineapple ,biscuit and grainy graham cracker malt.  Nice hop presence in the nose but it's slightly muted by the cask.

Medium bodied with delicate carbonation and a dank, resinous hop flavor up front that provides a lot of dry bitterness that lingers over the sweeter fruit notes and pale malts into a dry finish.  Piny and floral with earthy grass followed by citrus fruit, mostly lemon, grapefruit and subtle tropical fruit notes.  Pale biscuit malt backbone providing subtle balance without getting in the way of hops.  Boozy heat toward the finish.  Nicely balanced and pretty drinkable.

Serving type: cask

09-06-2012 00:10:30 | More by corby112