123. Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. (Decorah, IA) - Pompeii

“This IPA is created with the same attention to detail as the beautiful mosaics that graced the walls of prominent buildings in the city of Pompeii. It features mango and pineapple hop flavors with a medium-body feel to tantalize the senses.”

Mango and pineapple are subtler than citrus and stone fruit, at least to me. They are, however, tropical; and tropical was the first word that came to mind when I tasted this beer. So, nice tropical notes up front, leading quickly to a sharp—but not bitter—hop finish. Surprisingly refreshing for a relatively big (6.2%), flavorful beer. For some reason, I only wrote one sentence about Pseudo Sue, the other Toppling Goliath brew I’ve tried; but I remember liking it. And I really like Pompeii.