For this edition of Tasting Notes, we set those midweek doldrums ablaze by getting into some Boomsauce from Lord Hobo Brewing Co. (Woburn, Massachusetts).
When an IPA is named the flagship offering at a brewery the specializes solely in hoppy styles, that means something. Boomsauce has achieved that status at Lord Hobo Brewing Co. by being brewed with “six hop varietals and a blend of spelt, oat and wheat.” To attain a level of hoppiness worthy of a Lord Hobo offering, this India Pale Ale is then finished off with “a late hop addition of Mosaic, Falconer’s Flight and Amarillo [to deliver] a notable citrus and tropical fruit finish.” Boomsauce is available year-round in 16 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Florida, Massachusetts and throughout the rest of Lord Hobo’s ever-growing distribution area.
With all that background info now properly covered, let’s crack these cans and get into some Tasting Notes!
Tasting Notes for Boomsauce from Lord Hobo Brewing Co.
Appearance: Boomsauce presents itself as a medium to dark honey-like-golden colored brew with over two fingers of rocky white foam resting on top. When held to direct light, the golden hues lighten in color and brighten in intensity. The beer is slightly hazy, but you can still observe a strong carbonation level bouncing around some floaties within. The head has pretty fantastic retention, but it does eventually (over a great deal of time) fall to a lasting, chunky half finger that devoutly sheets the glass with lace after each sip.
Aroma: The aromatics lead with a pronounced floral hop character before giving way to citrus and tropical fruit tones of grapefruit rind, ripe melon, tangerine and lemon. To display added versatility and depth, the hops actually open further to give off a slight grassiness. All of this is supported by a lightly sweet undercurrent of caramel and grain.
Taste: The citrus and tropical hop qualities move to the front of the line here with notes of orange, bitter grapefruit, papaya, passionfruit and a touch of apricot. Those refreshingly fruity and satisfyingly dank notes eventually settle down to allow some grassy and floral tones to move forward. A touch of caramel maltiness sneaks in just before the finish to round everything off a bit.
Mouthfeel: Coming in on the heavier side of medium in body, this beer has some weight to it but its bright carbonation keeps things nice and easy-drinking. It is mostly hoppy and lightly bitter on the palate, but a tinge of sweetness does hit the tongue from time to time. The 7.8% ABV does bring a slight heat that builds a bit over time. It cleans up pretty nicely overall, but there is some bitter grapefruit left lingering in the aftertaste.
Final Thoughts: All in all, Boomsauce comes together to be just about anything and everything you could look for in an IPA these days. It has that hazy quality everyone is currently obsessed with, but beyond that (and more importantly) it shows some really impressive dynamics in the hop department. Citrusy, tropical, floral and grassy tones are all present here in one cohesively complex package. That hop character is incredibly beautiful and alluring, but it is truly made possible by the beer’s subtle malt backbone that interjects every once in a while with a deft touch of caramel sweetness. That faint jolt of maltiness mischievously resets the palate so that it can get hit once again with the full force of those hops. Dank and full-flavored while still remaining easy-drinking and gulp-worthy, it is really easy to see why Lord Hobo Brewing Co. named Boomsauce their flagship. Prost!
On Sunday, December 17 at 11 a.m., LOKO Cuisine will partner with iTREKKERS to host a “Campfire” edition of Eggs & Kegs at Cigar City Brewing (Tampa, Florida).
On Saturday, December 9 at 9 a.m. (CST), 
Rogue Ales
Mashing In 