santako - west coast ipa

Santako sounds like a sophisticated Japanese rice dish, but it’s actually the name of a crisp, refreshing West Coast IPA from Garage Beer. The Spanish brewery has reimagined one of its most popular classics – Plasticity – by swapping out one of the hop varieties. Citra, Columbus, and Simcoe meet Amarillo. This explosive hop blend combines pine resin, peach, and grapefruit zest with a tidal wave of sunny orange notes.

The brew pours from the colorful can in a gently clouded, golden hue, adorned with a fleeting head of coarse, white foam. The haze quickly dissipates, revealing a clear, sun-yellow beer. A bouquet of citrus fruits, vineyard peach, and spicy resin entices the palate. The first sip is impressive, rolling across the tongue with sticky pine resin, juicy orange, pink grapefruit, and delicate peach. As the enjoyment progresses, a fruity and subtly caramel sweetness emerges, and the citrus notes intensify through to the finish. The crowning finale is dry, rounding off the experience with a substantial bitterness that perfectly complements the explosion of fruit and the subtle toffee notes.

Garage Beer has the well-being of its customers in mind, therefore Santako – like many of the brewery’s creations – is gluten-free and also suitable for allergy sufferers and people with intolerances.