Koi Pond Brewing Company “Clearwater”

Style: West Coast IPA
ABV: 8.9%

We may be branded as East Carolina Beer and Brewing, but that doesn’t mean we stay away from those West Coast IPAs (though the New England IPAs sure are good, too). This week we are bringing you our reviews of one of six – yes, SIX – new beers from Koi Pond Brewing Company in Rocky Mount, NC. It was difficult to decide which beer to get out of the half a dozen new options, but we landed on their fresh West Coast IPA, “Clearwater.” While this beer is the subject for our new post, we had to have a second brew before heading home (Joe had their new margarita gose, “Jugo de Hugo,” and Nick tried the Mexican lager, “Su Casa”). If we didn’t have to drive, we just might have tried them all…

Joe’s Take

I was quite thirsty on the way to Koi Pond and knew that when we arrived at the brewery I would likely be gunning for an IPA to quench my thirst. When I saw a west coast IPA named “Clearwater” I knew it was the one I had to try.

“Clearwater” lived up to it’s name as it was clear and tasted like water…that had been flavored with malt, yeast, and hops (but more on that later). Jokes aside it looked extremely refreshing in the standard shaker pint glass and was a crystal clear burnt orange colored liquid that sported a nice collar of fluffy foam. The thought of that first sip was tantalizing but I had to hold back to finish the aromatic evaluation of the brew.

Speaking of that, on initial sniffs the beer wasn’t particularly strong or aromatic. I got notes of floral hops and maybe a touch of caramel malty sweetness. I couldn’t really discern a distinctly strong hop profile and was pretty curious as to how the beer would taste. The aroma was a mild malt and hop mix that didn’t tip the scales in either direction. It also probably didn’t help that the pizzeria next door was pumping out all sorts of good smells to confuse my schnoz.

Finally, the moment I had been waiting for, I got to sip the beer. The moment that refreshing looking liquid grazed my tongue I knew it would be a good one. The mouthfeel was medium-bodied and slightly viscous. The viscosity was washed away after a brief moment by a burst of carbonation. It was an interesting sensation and both Nick and I commented on the way the carbonation was mild at first and then bubbled up with force. This phenomenon helped create a mouthfeel that seemed to whisk away the viscosity of the brew. I didn’t realize until after I had finished the tasting that the beer was tipping the scales at an ABV of almost 9%. The mouthfeel of the brew was dangerously smooth.

Despite the looks and mouthfeel, the taste is really where this beer shines. There was an excellent balance between malt and hops and this made for a incredibly smooth but flavorful beer. There were grassy hop characters with a mild bitterness that helped to cleanse the palate and balance out the malt character. Malt flavors were bready and slightly sweet. The balance created a beer that was packed with flavor and tricked you into thinking it was lighter than it was. Overall, the balance of flavor in the beer made it highly enjoyable and something I could see myself going back to time and time again, especially when I have a thirst to quench.

Nick’s Take

It was a beautiful sunny day when Joe and I went to Koi Pond this week to get our hands on some of their brand new brews. Deciding that “Clearwater” would be a good selection for the beer review, we took our pints outside. We would’ve stayed out there with the beers but it was a little warm and we didn’t bring sunscreen (insert rimshot). In all seriousness, these West Coast IPAs (WCIPA?) had a beautiful appearance out in the sunlight. The beer was totally transparent and had a rich orange color that almost appeared red when the sun rays shot through it. The bubbly white head wasn’t there to stay long, but it left some wispy streaks behind.

On the nose, “Clearwater” didn’t seem to be very pungent but there could’ve been some diffusion from being outdoors. You could still get a mix of hops and malt with each smell, albeit a bit faint. The hops produced a floral and slightly dank aroma that was balanced nicely by the rather sweet-smelling malt compounds. I’d be interested in trying this part again indoors and maybe with a tulip or IPA glass. I know, if I brought my own to the brewery I would totally be THAT beer guy.

My first sip of this IPA started with me thinking this was a smooth, viscous malty beer, but later my tastebuds were surprised by a pleasant kick of carbonation. Joe and I reveled at this transition; there was a certain smooth/creamy/viscous nature to the beer and the bubbly carbonation didn’t appear until the tail end of the drink. I really enjoyed this mouthfeel and it only made me want to drink the beer faster.

My tasting notes are pretty similar to the aromas, but the flavors are there in full. That sweet, slightly bready malt comes forth and is met by the hops which provide a fresh, floral element, along with that dank bitterness on the finish. It was not overly bitter or hoppy, and I enjoyed that I could taste the malt in each sip (or huge gulp). There was a lot of harmony between the two ingredients.

If you didn’t connect the dots already, this is a highly drinkable beer that Koi Pond has produced. As I mentioned, I loved the balance of hops and malt character, and the mouthfeel was top notch (a bit unique, I might add). I’m always looking for beer that separates itself from the crowd and excites me, and “Clearwater” did exactly that. It was a tasty West Coast IPA that I’d session, even if it clocks in at almost 9% ABV. If only I lived within walking distance of the brewery.