18 Nov B-52 Before the Internet: Pay Phone

B-52 Before the Internet: Pay Phone

B-52 Brewing

Conroe
Hazy DIPA
ABV: 8.5%
IBUs: ?
Packaging: Draft, 4 pack 16 ounce cans, 32 ounce Crowlers delivered by Hop Drop

The only thing better than good beer is getting good beer dropped off to your doorstep. B-52 began doing can releases every Friday, and that made my heart happy. But it made my car, wife, and my wallet sad.

Last week I made the trek to their new indoor taproom, amidst the Conroe woods, and I just couldn’t get enough. I brought a few cans home, but I was patiently waiting for this Before the Internet: Pay Phone.

Can you even really remember a time before the Internet? Before “You’ve got mail.” Before your super cool AIM screen name and calling 411 for information. It was a simpler time.

History isn’t to be forgotten, and that’s why B-52 Before the Internet: Pay Phone exists. You didn’t grow up in the 90’s if you didn’t make at least one call on a payphone (and then try and hit the coin return before hanging up in the hopes of getting a free call).

When the 4-pack arrived on my doorstep, the can art stuck out immediately. The art for B-52 Before the Internet: Pay Phone pays homage to those good-ol’ days with… A pay phone! Artist Nicky Davis put together a photo of a super rough looking payphone along with a big, 90s-esque bubble that exclaims, “DIPA! BEFORE THE INTERNET!”

Once I cracked one open, B-52 Before the Internet: Pay Phone pours a perfectly hazy, bright, pale yellow color. It’s about as clear as the audio on a pay phone call. The creamy head settles into rings of lace – ring ring, ring ring.

The aroma is bright, citrusy, a little dank, and all of these aromas are delightfully loud. They permeate my face and the air around me so much that my wife asked from the other side of the living room, “What are you drinking over there!?” There’s a distinct pineapple note.

Each sip of B-52 Before the Internet: Pay Phone is super smooth. It’s a smooth operator, and if you read that without singing in your head, we can’t be friends any more.

The mouthfeel is thick and sharply carbed. Each sip gushes with tropical, fruity, juiciness, but as it sucks you in, it reveals a bit more. The super clean tropical flavors fade, and they’re quickly anchored by a big boy finish of green bitterness.

B-52 is the only brewery I’ve ever drank that used ALL the hops, and they do it with such balance. Every Hazy IPA I’ve ever had from them had some degree of hop burn or greenness, and it always fades out a little, but something about their beers just seem to make use of more hops than others.

With so many hazy’s popping up each week, the style is becoming saturated, and we’re hearing whispers of, “they all taste the same” and “the fad will end soon.” While the whispers get louder, we’ve got our earmuffs on because this payphone will have a place in my heart (and hopefully my fridge) forever.

To that end, it reminds me a bit of SpindleTap Houston Haze, another pineapple-y representation of the style. It also reminds me of one batch or another of Gaze, but mainly because of the paleness.

As far as I know, you can either get B-52 Before the Internet: Pay Phone at the brewery or delivered by Hop Drop. With Thanksgiving fast approaching, you better stock up. Hop Drop will be closing up shop for the holidays, so use your code “BEERCHRONICLE” for 10% off. The holidays can be hard. A good beer makes them better.