Firing up the brewing machines in the mid 1990s, AleSmith came out of the gate quick like a bunny, winning awards in their third year on the brewing scene. By 2002 the operation had been taken over by well-known brewer Peter Zien and the start of the barrel aging era was kicked off. Year over year AleSmith has improved their game or grown the size of their operation to bring tasty beers to California and beyond. In 2015 the company had outgrown its original location and expanded into a 100,000 sq. ft. facility that helped bring their beers across the world. Now with 9 year-round beers on the slate and boatloads of seasonals and limited releases, AleSmith is a name you’ll come to know and enjoy. The Cloud Stream is a hazy IPA jammed packed with tropical fruit and built around a soft, smooth mouthfeel without a jarring hop profile. Serves well at 8°C and should be enjoyed promptly.
Pours a golden honey colour with a hazy body and light carbonation. A thin layer of sticky bubbles caps the top of the beer.
A muddled combination of tropical fruit including mango and pineapple with an edge of citrus zest. Fresh and green pine hop profile brightens up everything on the nose.
The hops are bright and standing in front of the class picture, but they relax and allow the muddled fruit flavours to come forward, balancing out the taste. The lightly sweet malt provides a backbone for the shifting flavours and is the last part of the taste experience to fade off. A smooth mouthfeel and a snappy, slightly dry finish.
An IPA but one with laid back hops, so don’t get too spicy - but aim for something with bright, fresh flavour. Shrimp Scampi is tasty and can be made lighter or heavier.