Great Notion Brewing | Mango Ripe (Hazy IPA with Mango)
Great Notion, based in Portland, Oregon, is legendary for pushing the boundaries of “culinary brewing.” While they are famous for pastry stouts and highly sweet beers, they also possess a serious talent for making technical, fruit-saturated hazy IPAs. Mango Ripe is a fantastic example of their ability to focus, showcasing intense fruit saturation without tipping into excessive sweetness.
Tasting Notes
- Appearance: Pours as a vibrant, luminous apricot-gold with a massive, pillowy white head. The haze is thick and dense, making the beer look identical to a glass of fresh-pressed mango and pineapple juice. It maintains a beautiful, pulpy look to the last drop.
- Aroma: A total fruit explosion on the nose. The initial wave is pure, overripe mango flesh—dank and dripping with sweetness. Underlying that is a complex bouquet of candied tangerine, fresh-pressed guava, and a distinct herbal ‘green’ note from the hops, reminiscent of lime zest and pine needles.
- Palate: Remarkable creaminess and volume. The mouthfeel is soft, luxurious, and velvet-smooth. It has no harsh edges. The flavor is a symphony of soft peach, passionfruit, and sweet grapefruit flesh, with a minimal, but present, clean bitterness.
- Finish: Surprisingly clean. Despite the fruit and haze density, it avoids the heavy sugar-syrup finish of many “culinary” beers. A bright, fruity acidity persists, and a fine, dry finish makes you immediately crave another sip. The ABV (typically around 6.7%) is dangerous, as the beer is drunk with incredible ease.
The Verdict
Great Notion’s Mango Ripe is an apex predator of the modern Hazy IPA style. It is decadent, incredibly aromatic, and showcases a masterful balance of fruit saturation and technical drinkability. It doesn’t just add a fruit note; the mango is integrated throughout the beer’s structure. This is mandatory drinking for hazy and fruit-beer lovers.