“The name “Perris Sky Juice” comes from Perris Valley, a town just outside of Los Angeles. A world famous skydiving drop zone where Moa Head brewer David Nicholls spent ten days jumping in the 90s. As David explains, the beer describes Perris (the place) plus Sky Juice (the beer you drink to celebrate that you are still alive, after voluntarily throwing yourself out of a plane).”
Served in an IPA glass. This IPA presents a relatively clear amber complexion with a thumb of beige foam that retains extremely well. Thick and blotchy lace trails are seen clinging to the walls of the glass.
Moa have absolutely nailed the aroma here. Combining two of the major ‘C’ hops (Columbus and Citra) with another two of the USA’s finest (Simcoe and Amarillo) goes a long way to ensuring the aroma is packed full of those hallmark scents such as mango, orange, melon, passion fruit, lychee and pine resins. Another big contributor that not only elevates the aroma but balances it as well is the sweet and chewy caramel malts. Together they jus sing! Brilliant aroma.
Nice and dense in the mouth, not to the point where it’s edible but with more than enough body to provide that well rounded and sticky texture. Nicely balanced by the 75 IBU too…providing the right amount of bitterness to pull the malts in to line.
It’s doing everything a west coast IPA should do – offering big, fruity and slightly bitter hops on the front palate with that soothing caramel malt hitting a sweet note through the middle. Definitely get a bit of that 7.2% ABV beginning to show though as it warms. The bitterness returns again and ushers in the dry finish that displays heady citrus fruits on a length.
We can level with the brewer here (well…one of us can) as one of us knows the life changing thrill, excitement and ultimate fear of skydiving. Not only could this delicious IPA knock some of the nerves off the jump but it could very easily be the perfect elixir to celebrate surviving this insane act afterwards! Top shelf stuff.