#30SecondBeerReview · #FPLBeerClub
Party Tricks
AleSmith Brewing Company — San Diego, CA
West Coast IPA
AleSmith Brewing Company
6.8%
ABV
44
IBU
Golden orange
Color
Contributing Factors
Presentation
–
Character
✓
Experience
✓
Return
–
2 / 4
A solid effort
Tasting Notes
Appearance
Golden, lightly opaque with a white head. A touch of haze from the hop additions — not a full NEIPA but not a crystal clear West Coast either. Looks tropical and inviting before the first sip confirms it.
Aroma
Strata's passionfruit and strawberry lead — that distinctive slightly funky tropical quality. El Dorado adds watermelon and candy tropical sweetness. Citra's grapefruit cuts through with citrus brightness keeping the whole nose from going purely sweet. Hoppy, tropical, citrus. All three hops identifiable and working together.
Palate
Light body, moderate carbonation, juicy and dry. Tropical fruit through the middle — grapefruit, strawberry, pineapple — Strata dankness building on the back half alongside 44 IBU arriving firmly but not aggressively. Softly piney and bitter on the back end, clean and sustained.
Finish
Dry, piney, and medium length. Strata's distinctive character holding the back palate with Citra citrus fading behind it. Juicy to the close, bitter to the end. Pretty good IPA.
The Verdict
AleSmith's modern West Coast IPA statement — Strata, El Dorado, and Citra delivering grapefruit, strawberry, and passionfruit at 6.8% ABV and 44 IBU.
— Stephen · Contributing Factor Brewing · 10 Sep 2026
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