Belt’s Beer Garden: Welcome Committee

If you head 20 miles northeast of Sacramento, California you’ll find Rocklin, CA and Moksa Brewing.

Moksa opened in early 2018 and takes its name from Hindu philosophy. The term refers to different forms of release/liberations and, from that, they strive to create art within their beer, giving you beer that “separates itself from the constraints of classic beer styles and traditional brewery philosophies”.

Today I have a hazy Double IPA from them - Welcome Young One. It was brewed with HBC 586 (which provide flavors similar to Strata) and just a hint of Citra hops. It clocks in at a very solid 8.2% ABV, with a single 16-ounce can costing me $7.

This hazy DIPA poured a slightly opaque golden amber color with just under two fingers of eggshell white head building up. The foam slowly dissipated into a light accumulation around the edge of the glass with a cloud or two floating in the center.

The aroma was super juicy and inviting. Massive notes of papaya, tangerine, peach, and dehydrated strawberry were the only prevailing characteristics on the nose. There was no hoppiness, no resin, no muddled flavors…it was simply a blend of fruit juice with light grist backing, that added some cereal sweetness to it all.

My first sip began with a soft and fluffy mouthfeel that would slowly turn dry as the taste progressed.

A hoppy blend of tropical fruit juices appeared, with the papaya and peach hitting first before the dried strawberry and oranges showed up midway through it all.

On the back half of the beer, the hops turn somewhat earthy and add a light peppery spice, a dash of pine, and just a hint of grass. It’s a nice compliment to the juicy beginning without overwhelming the palate or pushing out the tropical flavors.

The hops did add some light bitterness to the proceedings but, if you’re already a fan of IPAs, it’s a very, very light hop bite and doesn’t even register as much.

Welcome Young One ends insanely clean as well. A bit of resinous grass, along with some of the berry, lingers on for a moment before fading away.

I was surprised at how much the strawberry flavor stood out as I continued to drink - that berry flavor really dominated the last half of the pint after a slow start. When you combined that fruitiness with the bready grain flavor, it was quite cereal-esque and such an easy drinking brew.

Overall, I have to say…this has been one of my favorite beers since moving to California. It’s so easy to drink, so delicious, and worth every cent.

It’s my first Moksa beer but it won’t be last…simply awesome!