Reviews are done by Jim Matt, our Chief Science Officer, who is also a veteran FoBAB judge, GABF judge, and BJCP Master judge.

Brewed once upon a time, in a galaxy not so far away, Andromeda (5.7% | 48 IBU) casts a constellation of interstellar hop flavor, illuminating the palate with notes of peach, mandarin, and freshly cut grass. Pay heed to the heavens before indulging — a hop shower cometh. 

*Special shout out to our Instagram audience for picking the can design!

Talk about the origins of this beer.

Andromeda started as a single hop pale ale featuring only Galaxy hops. This year, we decided to do some R&D on our new pilot system to see if we could make this already great brew even better. After several iterations with different combos of hops, we decided to add Motueka.

What flavors and aromas does the Galaxy-Motueka combo bring to Andromeda?

Galaxy is a highly sought after hop grown in Austrailia, delivering massive notes of fresh citrus, stone and tropical fruit. Motueka is a relatively new hop, developed and grown in New Zealand, which also imparts bright notes of citrus and tropical fruit. The interplay between these two hops results in a fruit forward hop profile, which especially highlights the peachy, juicy stone fruit character of Galaxy.

Malts: Pale Ale, Wheat

Hops: Galaxy, Motueka

What are the notable characteristics of this beer?

Lightly malty, fruity, easy to drink and not too bitter.

Appearance: Dark gold in color with light haze. Medium persistent white head.

Aroma: Medium fruity hop aromas. Peach forward with light mango in the background. Low malt aroma, low fruity esters.

Taste: Medium-low malt flavor, light crackery/bready note. Medium hop flavor, quite peachy, with some light complementary citrus fruit (blood orange). Medium bitterness. Low fruity esters.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body, slightly creamy, low astringency. Very low alcohol warmth.

What foods pair well with Andromeda?

Pineapple upside down cake or calamari with lemon aioli.

Ideal glassware for Andromeda?

I prefer the tulip glass for this one.