As a definite afficionado of all things hopped to infinity, I loved La Cumbre’s Father Nelson. It was for me the natural progression from the ground broken by Elevated IPA and our beloved Project Dank. Full Nelson is the fourth level in my humble opinion, a fully armed and completed Death Star Mark II to Father Nelson’s original Death Star.

Stoutmeister and I (Franz Solo) headed over to La Cumbre on Monday afternoon and enjoyed pints of both the cask version of Full Nelson (dry-hopped with even more Nelson Sauvin) as well as the regular. I sampled the cask version first and from the first aroma I knew the gloriously devastating levels of hops I was about to enjoy. There was a strong, dank, pineapple/peach element to the initial aroma which changed in character as the pint was consumed. About halfway through the pint the aroma became more bitter like the initial finish to the taste, but the flavor became more sweet.

The flavor overall was just as advertised, with tons of Nelson Sauvin on the front end with a strongly bitter pine finish which had hints of coconut. Where Father Nelson was the piña colada of double IPAs, Full Nelson takes the tropical theme and just runs it through to a natural and delicious conclusion.

The standard Co2 version of Full Nelson is far more smooth, with a significantly sweeter character than on cask. This is not a beer for everyone — an extreme amount of hops and bitterness accompany this magnificent brew. For those of us who are true hopheads, so to speak, this beer hits us right in the sweet spot and does not diminish until our palates are obliterated and our glasses are empty.

So if you, too, delight in all that is the lord of hops, grab a glass or a bomber of this excellent brew. Just remember where the power regulator is or you might end up like Alderaan.

Pröst! And may the force be with you, always!

— Franz Solo