And The Valley Drinks: Parish Brewing Bloom

I’ve been gone a little while form posting these beer reviews. Sometimes life gets in the way, ya know? And then you need beer more to just relax than review. But I’m back and I (finally!) have a review (about time!) for you and more coming down the pipe.

First up we have Parish Brewing Company’s Bloom. Released beginning in March and still available at most local stores, this is Parish’s soft, juicy, hazy IPA perfect for spring. Let me elaborate a little on that beer nerd description. For me, this beer falls between Envie and Ghost in the Machine. If you want a little more flavor and a stronger punch than what you get from Envie but feel Ghost is too aggressive then Bloom is right up your alley.

This is a citrus caress on your taste buds that leaves a soft, lingering tickle from its touch. It’s creamy without being chewy like some stouts can be; pineapple, orange, even mango flavors without a lingering bitterness, just smooth, delicious, refreshing citrus. Coming in around 6.5 percent, it’s good to session with after cutting the grass or just relaxing at night while watching your favorite show. For me, it’s hard to rank Parish beers because they’re all damn good but this is up there as one of my favorites. This past weekend they had the release of Double Dry-Hopped (DDH) Bloom as the Spring of Bloom winds down and the Summer of Ghost is about to crank up, with DDH Bloom just cranking the flavor profile of regular Bloom up to 11. There’s a slim chance that there’s still some available at the brewery if it gives you a reason to knock off work early and drive to Broussard to go get some, or you can drive there just cause and sample whatever deliciousness they have on tap.

My untappd rating: 4.75/5 stars