Great Notion Brewing | Love & Ritual (Hazy IPA)
Great Notion, a beloved powerhouse of Portland, Oregon’s craft scene, brings us Love & Ritual, a beautifully executed expression of their hazy mastery. Known for pushing boundaries (especially with adjuncts), this specific beer is a focused, technical achievement in hop saturation, packaged in one of their typically stunning, illustrated cans.
Tasting Notes
- Appearance: This pours a brilliant, glowing straw-gold with a massive, dense, pillowy white head. It maintains a consistent, heavy haze throughout the glass, looking exactly like a glass of freshly pressed, pulpy pineapple and orange juice.
- Aroma: A complex and intense aromatic profile. The initial punch is pure tropical citrus—think freshly zested grapefruit, tangerine juice, and a heavy note of fresh mango. Underlying this is a slight floral hint and a clean, resinous ‘hop dank’ that adds depth.
- Palate: Remarkable creaminess and texture—perhaps its defining characteristic. The mouthfeel is soft and luxurious, the product of a well-calibrated yeast strain and precise water chemistry. It has zero hop burn. The flavor is a symphony of soft peach, passionfruit, and sweet grapefruit flesh, with a minimal, but present, clean bitterness.
- Finish: Exceedingly clean. For all its saturation and texture, it doesn’t leave a heavy sugar coating. A bright, fruity acidity persists, making it remarkably easy to take another sip. The ABV (typically around 6.7%) is dangerous, as the beer tastes like something much lower.
The Verdict
Great Notion’s Love & Ritual Hazy IPA is a top-tier example of the style. It balances intense, saturated hop flavors with a technical elegance that makes it both approachable and complex. It’s not just a fruit bomb; it has a refined hop structure that sets it apart. While Alvarado’s Vengeful Destroyer (from our previous review) is a heavier-hitting QDH beast, this is a refined, technical joy.