The Luponic Distortion Revolution No. 001 is a brand new concept from Firestone Walker Brewing.  They do a great job of outlining the project on their website, but I’ll give you the highlights here.

“From the mind of Brewmaster Matt Brynildson comes Luponic Distortion—an ever-evolving mix of experimental hops, designed to deliver mind-blowing flavors that break the rules with each new release.” – FirestoneBeer.com

This idea is simple and yet kind of awesome: Let’s make a series of IPAs with a bunch of experimental hops and change things up every 90 days.  The first Luponic Distortion release is called Revolution No. 001 for a reason.  That reason is that No.002 is already in the works.  In fact, No. 002 has probably been in the works for awhile now.  I bet No. 005 and No.006 are in the works.  The one piece of info I can’t seem to find is the number of bottles within each run that are being produced, but I do know that once they are gone, they are gone.  This is not the kind of beer you want to cellar anyway, but if you try it and you like it, then you better get your fill before they are history.

If you have a few minutes and you are interested in beer and hops, then take a look at this article.

Firestone-Walker-Luponic-Distortion
The hop graphic in the logo has a “mad scientist” feel to it and I dig that…
Firestone-Walker-Luponic-Distortion-Cap
I’m telling you… mad scientist from some 50’s TV show…
Firestone-Walker-Luponic-Distortion-message
Oh my!

Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion Revolution No. 001

Style: American (Experimental) IPA

ABV: 5.9%

IBU: 59

Hops: Six different hop cultivars from the 2015 harvest

Availability: Limited (brewed only once)

MSRP: $9.99 6-pack of 12 oz bottle

Brewer: Firestone Walker Brewing – Paso Robles, California

Beers consumed for review: 4 – 12 oz bottles

 

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See… Crystal clear with a thin, foamy, white head…

Nose:  The Luponic Distortion Revolution No. 001 (long name… LDR No. 001 from now on) offers up a unique hop aroma.  Bright and crisp hop notes are present, along with some pineapple and a deep resin bitterness.  It’s a mix of tropical fruit and danky hops.  Yes, the aroma is as awesome and inviting as it sounds.

Appearance:  This thing pours crystal clear every time.

“Are we clear?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Are we CLEAR?”

“Crystal.”

But I digress.  The LDR No. 001 is a perfect golden yellow (4 SRM) with a bright white, foamy head.  The head pours thick and fades away, just the way I like it.

Flavor:  OK, 5.9% is a little too high to call something a “session beer,” but that is how I feel about the LDR No. 001.  It has a hop-forward flavor profile with a light mouthfeel and a crisp finish.  There are tons of tropical fruit notes, along with some interesting hop flavors and aromas.  It’s a crisp and clean IPA with a lingering hoppy finish, which makes it extremely sessionable.  Just be sure to watch out for that ABV.

Overall Thoughts:  This is the kind of IPA that gets better every time you drink it.  The first one I had was good, but left me wanting.  As I worked my way through the sixer (no, not in one sitting…) and I learned more about the process behind the LDR No. 001, the more I enjoyed the beer.  There is a lot of flavor and you don’t have to go into the double IPA realm of 9% ABV to get it.

Mixed and Mashed Rating: Chewbacca-Beer-4-0

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