Exit 16 - Flying Fish Brewing Company

mikey711

New Jersey

4.8/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Straw golden color with a very fluffy soapy white head that leaves great lacing. Slightly over carbonated as the head puffed up very fast, and there is a touch of cloudiness to this.

S: West coast hoppy DIPA all the way. Loads of citrus lemon, apricot, orange, pineapple and peach. Reminds me of elder the first time I tried it. There is also a mild touch of sweetness from the rice, it smells like white rice provides a subtle popcorn/buttery sweetness that goes nicely with the hops

T: A juicy citrus hop bomb for sure and I love it. Very much a west coast IPA with all of the fruitiness but there is a mild hint of grapefruit and piney bitterness. Not as resinous a PtY but damn tasty

M: Very smooth for a DIPA with no heat present and a welcoming lingering hop flavor. The rice definitely keeps this one lighter, but there is still a nice creaminess.

D: I think NJ may have a new best beer for the state. Flying Fish, please add this to your regular rotation

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2010 22:51:59 | More by mikey711

Seanibus

California

4.78/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Delicious - I had to pick up some for a friend to give as a birthday gift, so I got up bright and early to find it. And I am glad I slipped myself a bottle.

Pours a clear sunny yellow, with a very faint haze. The head is large and fluffy. The aroma reaches out of the bottle the moment you open it - a sunny, citrus hop character with grapefruit, persimmon, a little jasmine. The flavor reminds me of nothing so much as the great Russian River duo of Pliny beers, though necessarily a bit milder on several fronts. Exit 16 has an intense citrusy hop blast on the tongue. It tastes as of there is a fair bit of Simcoe in there, I suspect. In the background of both the aroma and flavor is a blast of fruity sweetness, apricot and peach, super ripe on a summer day. The mouthfeel is fairly thin and the finish is achingly dry (this, I suspect is where the rice influence manifests itself).

God, this is good.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2010 19:42:06 | More by Seanibus

Ego

New Jersey

4.24/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I don't know if I would trust anything growing off exit 16... not my usual haunt but man I drive by it every day on the way to hackensack... I thought the ole "what exit are ya" thing was a parkway thing...

eyes...
audible pop when opening the rubber seal on my ole german style glass growldog, on first glance the color really stands out, I mean this looks like coors light or some such, golden hue with a hint of amber, decent carbonation rises up but the head fades rather quickly, lacing and legs is decent, definitely would not have guessed DIPA here...

nose...
beautifully citric, grapefruit sour patch kids, disgustingly awesome hop freshness that smells like fresh herbs (and herb if you get my not at all subtle drift), very clean and dry.. it smells light in a way, you get just a real full zone of hop... not varied, very much one note but damn that note is fine as pie (hey, that's my pie!)

taste etc...
drinks crisp like a pils but with hop-atude (c) me, spicy and floral.. yet way approachable, the bitterness is subtle and fades quickly but the flavor makes you feel as if you are waiting for a IBU slap upside the head, carbonation wise this is great, it has a good amount of fizz that really makes this refreshing, you can't help but get caught up in the ease of this beer, smooth ? hell yes, this is one easy drinker... and the ABV >? where is it ? nicely done.
Every sip is a great experience start to finish, you get the carbonation, the hop, the coating on the tongue, the bitters on the back quadrants and then the clean finish... really just spot on.

verdict?
sure, I want to support local brews, but only if they are worth it. well damn it, this beer is great, it delivers a really nice hop character but is super clean and refined. I suppose some might say it is tame, but I maintain this is done right. Sure, a friggin hop hammer of absolute nuclear hoppage in your mouth is fun and tasty... but this is a really nicely crafted beer that hits on all the notes I love about beer without having to be the biggest cock on the block

Serving type: growler

03-24-2013 05:16:10 | More by Ego

57md

Pennsylvania

3.64/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance is a light golden with a thin layer of head. The nose is piney and a touch hoppy. The flavor is light, super light... too light for a DIPA. There is a hop-forward finish; again, nothing close to what I might expect in a solid DIPA.

There is still some tastiness to this offering. It drinks like a session beer, but packs an 8.2% ABV wallop! It is definitely light enough to drink all night, but you'll risk falling off the stool when you're done and needing a designated driver to get home.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2013 05:49:43 | More by 57md

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

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

Retail1LO

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Serving: Growler into a pint glass

First Troegs Perpetual, now this. Got a growler of this on tap at Whole Foods in Plymouth Meeting.

This pours a beautiful golden straw color with but the faintest head. The smell is an all out assault on the nose. This is one hoppy sumbitch. I could sniff this beer indefinitely, if it didn't require drinking too. This is a real treat to drink. Nice, strong, hop-laden. The mouthfeel is full but smooth...eventually trailing into a nice, bitter finish.

Another pleasant surprise. I hope this becomes a staple. Awesome stuff.

Serving type: growler

08-21-2011 17:09:35 | More by Retail1LO

StonyB

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Recently had Flying Fish Exit 16 on tap at Barcade in Jersey City. Because that's how Barcade rolls.

Exit 16 off the NJ Turnpike is how you get to the famous(?) Meadowlands sports complex. So let's take a road trip, overpay for parking, find our seats, and enjoy the game...

Our beer pours on to the field in an attractive, hazy, almost luminescent orange-gold uniform. Not much foam on that helmet, though some modest lacing hangs on to the chin strap.

We can smell that beer from the upper tier, and that beer smells first and foremost like hops. In your face, spike the ball at your opponent's feet hops. After the initial hit, we get some spicy, almost peppery fruit. Hope you're wearing your protective equipment.

The aroma sets us up for a line plunge, but this beer's taste is surprisingly complex. Some bitterness from the hops for sure, but the roster includes banana, tangerine, grapefruit, bready malt, vanilla and a hint of rice. This play is worth analyzing over repeated sips.

We also see that Exit 16 tries to trick the defense with its mouthfeel. It starts out fairly thick and tongue-coating for a DIPA, then counters towards a clean, somewhat dry finish. The alcohol is no more noticeable than an assistant offensive line coach.

The crowd cheers as the final gun goes off, and our beer is fully consumed. As we head out to the parking lot, we recognize that Flying Fish Exit 16 may not be a Super Bowl MVP. However, it is an effective, interesting and tasty trick play, the wild rice adding a unique element to what otherwise might be a middle of the pack DIPA. Try to pick this beer up off the waiver wire.

Exit 16, FTW!

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2011 01:58:48 | More by StonyB

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.3/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at TDR the other day. Was told this was a fresh batch made just for the upcoming GABF, and man does that freshness show!

The beer pours a solid gold color with OK head retention and lacing. The beer looks pretty good, but it smells and tastes terrific. The nose is all DIPA goodness, with dank earth, a skunky mariguana aroma, light citrus and honey. While the bottle version was impressive, the nose on the fresh tap version is wonderfully perfumy and bitter. Flavors replicate the nose pretty closely, and while there's some sweetness in this beer, it's more than balanced by the hoppy bitterenss in the finish. The finish is very long and bitter, and I have to say this is one of the drier east coast DIPA's I've sampled. Just lovely! Also, maybe it's the wild rice in this beer, but I don't get any of the typical boozy sweet malt flavor I see in so many East Coast DIPA's. The beer actually has a fairly light mouthfeel for such a big beer, and drinkability is very good, with the alcohol well disguised.

The bottle version was good, but the fresh stuff I had at the TDR event was just killer. Yummy!

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2010 02:12:26 | More by johnmichaelsen

garuda

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This beer looks great. Pours a slightly hazy yellowish orange with a thick white head with good retention and lacing.

S - Citrus hops and sweet malts.

T - Big sweet malts up front. Hops don't become apparent until about mid palate and continue through the finish, but not nearly as strong as expected for a double IPA.

M - Medium body, perfect medium to low carbonation level creates a creamy mouthfeel with some oily hop resin coating the mouth.

D - Good drinkability overall. Alcohol is well hidden, well balanced malt and hop content, but it just doesn't seem like enough hops for a double IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

04-11-2010 00:49:29 | More by garuda

Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at Capone's. This Exit series from FF has been solid to say the least hope this one is no exception.

A-Hazy pale golden yellow with a medium bright, white head that reduced a bit and left spotty lace.

S-Strong blast of bright, bitter lemon rind and a touch of grapefruit and orange. Lightly backed by biscuit malt sweetness.

T-Sharp and bright lemon and grapefruit up front with subtle notes of orange, pineapple, mango and tangerine in the background. Hop assertive for sure but never too bitter. Sweet biscuit malt does sneak in in the finish to attempt to moderate.

M-Light bodied super sharp and crisp with a long lingering bitterness profile.

D-This is a very well done brew with a ton of fruity hops and a light sweetness. This has all of the hop flavour you could want without crushing your palate! Another winner in the Exit series!

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2010 12:59:48 | More by Deuane

hippityhops85

Pennsylvania

4.53/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sipping this on draft at Capones in Norristown, PA on 3/29/2010. Poured into a 16 oz pint glass. Pours a crystal clear yellow golden color with a ridiculously billowly head.

The nose is lots of amazingly citriusy hops. Lots of ruby grapefruit. Slight malt backbone but overall an intoxicatingly sweet, hoppy aroma.

The taste is absolutely suburb. Looks lighter than it drinks. Great floral hops, not overwhelming and very balanced. The malt holds up the middle of the beer with another great hop blast at the end of the sip.

Drinkability on this is on the higher end but it does clock in a some higher ABV and the general viscosity of the beer led me to check it as a sipper. The ABV is completely masked by the awesome flavor to it's credit.

I'm so happy to have been able to try this. Immediatly bought a bottle of it after trying it on draft. I think Flying Fish nailed it with this one. Wouldn't be surprised if it didn't reach celeb status. If you can find it, order it.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2010 19:28:52 | More by hippityhops85

zoso1967

Michigan

4.3/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served a cloudy light gold amber with a slight, creamy head. Aroma is wonderful. A mouthwatering mix of grapefruit, orange zest, some pine, perhaps some ginger? If I inhale deeply I can pick up a bit of biscuit malt sweetness. The flavor picks right up where the aroma left off. Awesome hop character. Grapefruit and other citrus fruits and some tropical aspects as well. Malt is there, but it is definitely a hop lover's beer. Mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium, perhaps from the wild rice? Unique dry, slightly sticky finish but still quite nice. Very drinkable. This is a great beer and a fine offering from Flying Fish.

Serving type: cask

03-22-2010 21:59:44 | More by zoso1967

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy golden yello color, very minimal head due to the cask pour. Smell is faint and brings whiffs of grass, hary, lemony hops with a hint of tropical fruit. Taste begins with a bitter smack, easing into a citrusy/lemony taste, finally ending up with a light, earthy, grassy taste. Overall a very lite taste, dominated by some strong, but unbalanced hop notes. Medium bodied, carbed to style, slight twangy aftertaste and dry finnish. A good beer, but nothing earth shattering.

Serving type: cask

03-22-2010 14:34:25 | More by rfgetz

donniecuffs

New Jersey

4.9/5  rDev +17.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Tried this at the Exit 16 Release Party, at The Coppermine Pub on monday March 8th, in North Arlington, NJ...conveniently located off of Exit 16.

A - Poured a hazy, golden hue, with about a finger of white head. Retention and lacing were ok; nothing stellar.

S - Wow..a veritable potpourri of every citrus fruit you could possibly think of: mango, pineapple, yellow grapefruit, lemon, and orange peel all come to the fore. It's always nice to detect something else as prominently as pink grapefruit in the nose of a double ipa, and this beer certainly fit the bill.

T - The taste was an excellent mix of all of the aforementioned citrus flavors, beginning with the sweeter sensations of mango and pineapple, and then blending into the more bitter grapefruit tones mid-palate. More malt balance was evident mid-palate as well. The finish was a decidedly excellent bitter orange/grapefruit peel. Well done. Oh, and by the way, there was no evidence whatsoever of the alcohol content in the flavor. Very dangerous.

M - The appearance will fool you, as this is not a thin beer. The feel was thick, yet velvet smooth.

D - I had three of these in 30min, and I probably would have had many more, had I not had to meet my family for dinner. A deceptively drinkable strong beer; be very careful when sessioning it. The bar chalkboard said 9.5%abv, but the website says 8.2%abv, so I'll assume the latter is correct.

In summary, a truly outstanding double ipa; another great entry in the Exit Series. I might like this one even better than Exit 4.

Serving type: on-tap

03-10-2010 22:37:36 | More by donniecuffs