“Swami’s IPA is a special beer to the Pizza Port family as it was the first IPA brewed in our original location over 20 years ago in Solana Beach. With a more traditional hop profile, this beer is the quintessential example of a West Coast IPA as it showcases the fresh bitterness of citrus and pine. Swami’s is named after one of the most famous surf breaks in San Diego county, which, as perfectly depicted on the can, is always crowded with surfers and paddle boarders alike. The break itself gets its name from its proximity to a Self-Realization Fellowship, a landmark in Encinitas that is also perfectly pictured on the can. Whatever your form of meditation is, we hope that each and every sip contributes to your own self-realization! Hops: Chinook, CTZ, Cascade, Centennial, Citra, Simcoe.
Glassware: IPA glass.
Appearance: Clear golden pour which caps off with a finger of loosely held foam. It peels back to a fine film which manages to work a healthy lace down the glass.
Aroma: It’s got a bit of everything. Stonefruits, tropical fruits, citrus, little jabs of pine, tangy orange along with tangerine and ruby grapefruit. Somewhat yeasty too – light phenolic citrus and spicy floral tones with little malt in the background, light and bready/grainy in our opinion. Really nice.
Flavour: Quite the citrus bomb upfront. More pronounced grapefruit, orange peel and sharp piney notes which carry a bit of that boozy warmth with it. She really intensifies midway, all that grapefruit acidity, pectins and hop bitterness hits a crescendo then tapers off in to a dry but well tempered finish.
Mouthfeel: Typical IPA intensity. Bold, bitter and drying with a bit of boozy warmth (6.8% ABV) in the swallow. Medium body and co2.
Overall: A solid IPA with plenty of big and slightly aggressive aromas and flavours to back it up. Good body and an assertive IBU (72). Would buy again, if we could get our hands on it in Australia!