Afternoon Beer Break: Left Hand Brewing Wook Bait

Guess who’s back, back again? That’s right, it’s the Afternoon Beer Break (and this looks like a job for me!) Even though summer evenings seem to be perfect for a cold brew, it’s also a time for life to get busy, so we’ve not been able to focus on this series as much as we (and you) might like. Fortunately, Left Hand Brewing was there to remind us, and sent along this rather interestingly-named IPA, the Left Hand Brewing Wook Bait.

Now, you might be wondering – is there some fishing tie in with the Left Hand Brewing Wook Bait? At least, I wondered. Try as I might (and asking folks who fish) there doesn’t appear to be any explicit fishing tie-in. Well, other than the fact having a cold one as you wait for that bobber to dip sounds ideal to me. Past that, though, no fish died to bring you this beer (unlike the Bothans).

Pouring the Left Hand Brewing Wook Bait out into a glass, you’ve got a pale yellow color. Though my photos show it looking unclear, that’s just the effect of a cold beer in a room temp glass. Nothing about how it poured or tasted suggests that this is a hazy (I mean, it’s actually translucent). On the nose, you’ve definitely got fruit hitting, though not overly tropical.

As you sip the Left Hand Brewing Wook Bait, you get a little bit of sweetness at first, that is quickly balanced by the sharp hop bitterness. Then, after that settles, I was picking up a bit of peach flavor, and a little bit of a grassy note as well. From Left Hand’s tasting notes, you should be able to pick up not only peach, but also mango, orange, and cantaloupe. In other words, all the summer fruits.

Coming in at 6%, this is an IPA that won’t knock you on your butt (as always, drink responsibly, please), and with only 37 IBUs, this isn’t one that’s going to punch you with it’s bitterness. In other words, a nicely balanced IPA, and one that will have a comfortable home in Left Hand’s year round line up. You should be able to find Left Hand Brewing Wook Bait as a six pack in your local store for $9.99. lefthandbrewing.com