Brewview#75 Aqua Jesus Collaboration By Pressure Brewing and Big Ditch Brewing Company

‘What’s it going to be then, eh?’

Well I planned on writing this yesterday but after the day I had at work my mind was burned out beyond belief. Though today may have been another tough one, I need a beer and a good one at that. So here with are with the Savior in liquid form; Aqua Jesus, an Imperial IPA brewed as a collaboration between Pressure Drop and Big Ditch.

Two things come to mind when thinking of these two breweries combined, West Coast style and perfect bitterness. Pressure Drop is known for their West Coast influence and I’ve found that Big Ditch’s IPAs hold a perfect bitterness. Put them together and without a doubt Aqua Jesus will match both of those.

Let’s getting drinking!

The Beer: Aqua Jesus Imperial IPA Collaboration by Pressure Drop and Big Ditch Brewing Company

ABV: 11.8% IBU: 107

Hops: Citra

Mosaic

Calypso

Brewer’s Introduction

Pressure Drop has an easy to access beer page on its website providing us with what to expect when cracking open one of their beers.

For Aqua Jesus they write:

‘White peach and apricot notes complemented by a touch of dank, on the nose. Backed up with mild warmth, which moves into a smooth, crisp finish. A nice, assertive bitterness that clings to the back of your tongue.’

Boom

Aqua Jesus boasts a quintessential IPA appearance! Showing a light amber color with a provocative hazy shadow. This beer already has the making of a perfect IPA and even better an Imperial IPA. The head to top it off is a perfect IPA head if you ask me, leaving a nice head residue once it dissipates.

There is only one thing to say in regards to Aqua Jesus’s aroma and that’s a mouth watering pine dankness. The perfect amount if you ask me. The Mosaic hops really brought out the big guns for this. One of the my favorite characteristics for an IPA is dankness, so this beer holds some promise. Other than that not much else to say regarding the aromas of Aqua Jesus, not a problem if you ask me.

Down The Hatch

Wow! Holy nuts dude, this beer is exactly what I needed tonight.

Right off the bat there is a strong dank flavor and bitterness that will remain consistent throughout the entire sip. What I find even more amazing is how Pressure Drop and Big Ditch are able to unleash such a beast but still find room for others flavors throughout the sip. After the immediate beginning of the sip there is a slight drop in the dank flavor but not so much the bitterness. Though don’t be discouraged by the change in flavor, it’s only to make room for some nice sticky pineapple touches. The combination of pineapple and danky pine compliment each other perfectly. It’s almost as if they refine each other.

Mid sip is where the softer and smoother characteristics of the beer come about. Though there still is some dank presence, it’s not so much an overlord at this point. It almost settles out into a warm mouthfeel. At this point I’m noticing more fruit notes, a combination of apple and apricot. Though reading this may seem odd, please bear with me. The warm dank mouthfeel sits back just enough to allow the fruit notes(apple and apricot) to peak just enough for the perfect flavor synthesis.

After the mid sip there is exactly what Pressure Drop describes as ‘ a smooth, crisp finish’ and ‘an assertive bitterness.’ Slightly confusing? Grab a pint of Aqua Jesus and it won’t be. There is a slight relief from the bitterness this beer holds with a comforting warm mouthfeel. But soon after that the bitterness kicks in, and it’s there to stay; in the best way possible though. It almost holds a West Coast characteristic but on a different level. I cant’ honestly say I’ve ever had the warm feeling in a beer that Aqua Jesus possesses and it’s fucking amazing. Almost soothing, if you want to get weird.

So what does this ‘assertive bitterness’ hold in store for us?

Dank and resinous hop bitterness. It holds a very West Coast feeling to it though after time it dissipates. It may smack you in the face at first but give it time. Soon you will enjoy that warm feeling again with lingering notes of dank bitterness.  Though word of caution, do give some time before drinking a different beer. This bitterness does have a forgiving nature but requires sometime to dissipate.

In Conclusion

Aqua Jesus is an excellent beer, but beware of it’s 11.8%, it may sneak up on you. Though there is a strong bitter presence, it doesn’t always feel like an Imperial IPA. There honestly isn’t one thing I could think of that I didn’t like about this beer. The strong dank presence with excellent flavor transitions accompanied by the fluid bitterness and unique warmth, I’d say it’s a unique beer and worth trying.

Great job Pressure Drop and Big Ditch.

As always thanks for reading and supporting local craft beer!

Cheers!