Carry on, my Wayward Son,
There'll be peace when you are done.
Lay your weary head to rest…
Don't you cry no more.
Two years ago, Wayward head brewer Shaun marked the birth of his son Austin by brewing Wayward Son, a West Coast IPA bursting at the seams with lupulin hop powder. Of course, an IPA isn’t the kind of beer you cellar away to revisit each year in celebration, so instead Wayward returns to brewing fresh batches of the celebratory beer. But, just as Shaun’s son has grown and changed (I assume), so has Wayward Son - it’s juicy and hazy as all get-out.
Like an orchard exploding into bloom, Wayward Son brings the scent of sweet fruit cutting through the air, bringing it to life. While the label suggests stonefruit and tropical notes, I found these were side players to bright orange and mandarin characters. Some hop bitterness prances in the backend, but nothing the balance of rounded fruit flavours, smooth texture and a little sweetness can't handle.
The Citra lupulin supercharge brings the full force of hop flavour without a hint of harshness or astringency to be found. This beer is wholesome and delightful; the opposite of a palate wrecker. The only thing to convince you that there's 7.3 percent alcohol in there is that there’s peace when you are done, and you get the strange desire to lay your weary head to rest…
Mick Wust
Published July 27, 2020 2020-07-27 00:00:00
