On Tap.

Peticolas' Operation Collaboration Is Less Than The Sum Of Its Parts.

Welcome to On Tap! Each week in this recurring feature, we'll take an in-depth look at one of the many beers now available in the suddenly crowded North Texas brew scene. The goal here is to look at these area beers without our local goggles on and to wonder aloud, “Is this beer good or do I just like it because it's local?” Should be a fun experiment, no? Cheers to that!

This week, we sipped on Peticolas Brewing Company's Operation Collaboration.

Fast Facts on Peticolas Brewing Company's Operation Collaboration.
Style: American India Pale Ale (IPA).
ABV: Eight percent.
International Bitterness Units (IBUs): 75.
Color: Golden Orange.
Availability: Limited release.

Overview.
Craft beer collaborations are now deep-rooted in today's craft beer landscape. They're conceptually audacious, they foster camaraderie, they build communities and, more often than not, they're great to drink.

It comes at no surprise that this tradition is continuing its way down to North Texas, either. Rahr & Sons and Lakewood Brewing Company were the first local breweries to combine forces with their Belgian-inspired dubbel in late 2014. Since then, local collaborations have increased in popularity with brewers and serious beer fans alike. Among others, notable DFW collaborations include Community's Ascension Coffee Porter that's brewed with cold-steeped Sumatra coffee from the popular independent coffee shop Ascension, and Lakewood's limited edition of Mole Temptress that's brewed in collaboration with local chocolatiers Dude, Sweet Chocolate.

Last week, Peticolas Brewing Company announced the release of Operation Collaboration, a joint effort with the renowned Chuck Silva of Green Flash Brewing Co. in San Diego — a great fit by any beer lover's standards.

Green Flash Brewing Company, known for brewing assertive and distinctive hoppy beers, comes to the table with a mindset that pairs perfectly with Peticolas' fastidious approach to malts. Operation Collaboration includes two English malts and two experimental hop varieties grown in the Yakima Valley. So experimental are the varieties, they don't even have names yet. Instead, they're simply known as 07270 and 06277.

Today, we see if Operation Collaboration is truly the match made in craft beer heaven we so want it to be. With any luck, you'll still be able to find it after reading this review.

Background on American IPA.
For a good background on the India Pale Ale style, see our review of Community's Mosaic IPA.

Appearance.
Operation Collaboration pours a hazy, golden orange. The one-finger head leaves a nice lacing on the glass, which sticks around long after the first sip.

Aroma.
The aroma boasts a good helping of sweet hops. While mainly citrus in nature, there are aromas of some earthy and pine notes, too. In the background, there are subtle tropical fruit flavors.

Flavor.
Up front there are some nice citrus hop flavors that are largely grapefruit in nature, with a good biscuit base. The hop flavors actually lighten in the middle, leaving a window for a light caramel sweetness. Pay close attention and you'll notice some very subtle flavors of tangerine, orange, grapefruit and even some guava, too. Then the dual hop, dual English malt complexity adds some depth. Toward the end, the hop flavors come back into play, mixed with pine and some earthy, spicy flavors, among them celery and green pepper. Operation Collaboration finishes with a mild creaminess and a sweet tingling sensation that lingers for a few seconds.

Mouthfeel.
Operation Collaboration boasts a medium-bodied mouthfeel. There's a good amount of carbonation, with a slick texture and mild creaminess.

Overall Impression.
Let me start with this, while admitting that there were some high expectations at hand: Operation Collaboration was just OK for me.

It's a flavorful, easy-drinking IPA, but it's not the coveted beer I was hoping for — especially from these two award-winning breweries. There is nothing particularly wrong with this beer — just the fact I would rather reach for the Community's Mosaic IPA or Peticolas' Thrilla In Brazilla.

Collaborations are such an ingrained part of our local community's craft beer movement, and Operation Collaboration is a worthy adversary in the national craft beer spotlight. Collaborations are daring; they cultivate community and encourage one another to do things not otherwise considered. The whole is more than the sum of its parts.

All that said, I'm still damn excited by near everything Michael Peticolas is doing.

If you're not up on his greatness, you should be. It's easy enough to do that by checking out Peticolas Brewery's tours every first and third Saturday of the month. While there, with some luck, you too can cross this limited edition beer off your list.

Score.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give Peticolas Brewing Company's Operation Collaboration a 6.5.

What's happening in the area brew scene? (Powered by Dallas Brew Scene.)
• Saturday, April 4. Dallas Brew Bus (Rescheduled) Tour.
• Saturday, April 4. Lakewood Taproom Grand Opening.
• April 6-12. Barrel Week at Strangeways.
• Thursday, April 9. Ten50 BBQ's Pork & Pint Night w/ Franconia.
• Saturday, April 11. Big Texas Beer Fest at Fair Park.

Previous On Tap Reviews:
• Peticolas' Royal Scandal: 10.
• Community's Mosaic IPA: 10.
• Peticolas' Velvet Hammer: 10.
• Community's Barrel-Aged Legion: 10.
• Community's Legion: 10.
• Peticolas' Lost Epic: 9.5.
• Community's Ascension Porter: 9.5.
• Lakewood's Temptress: 9.5.
• Lakewood's Goatman: 9.5.
• Community's Public Ale: 9.5.
• Peticolas' Thrilla in Brazilla: 9.5.
• Revolver's Blood & Honey: 9.
• Martin House's Imperial Texan: 9.
• Community's Trinity Tripel: 9.
• Peticolas' Irish Goodbye: 9.
• Four Corners' Block Party Porter: 9.
• Cedar Creek's Belgian Dubbel: 9.
• Deep Ellum's Oak Cliff Coffee Ale: 8.5.
• Lakewood's Rock Ryder: 8.5.
• Rahr's Bourbon Barrel Aged Winter Warmer: 8.5.
• Lakewood's Raspberry Temptress: 8.5.
• Cedar Creek's Fisticuffs: 8.
• Lakewood's Punkel: 8.
• Four Corners' El Chingon IPA: 8.
• Martin House's Day Break: 8.
• Deep Ellum's GOURDzilla: 8.
• Peticolas' The Duke (Aged 12 Months): 8.
• Deep Ellum's Pale Ale: 8.
• Revolver's Bock: 8.
• 903 Brewers' Sasquatch: 8.
• Peticolas' Wintervention: 8.
• Armadillo Ale Works' Brunch Money: 8.
• Martin House's Salsa Verde: 8.
• Cedar Creek's Spinning Mule Robust Porter: 8.
• Lakewood's Holiday Bonus: 8.
• Lakewood's Hop Trapp: 8.
• Martin House's Rubberneck Red: 7.5.
• Lakewood's Antigoon's Revenge: 7.5.
• Community's Texas Pils: 7.5.
• Lakewood's Zomer Pils: 7.5.
• Cedar Creek's Dankosaurus: 7.5.
• Shannon Brewing Company's Irish Red: 7.
• Texas Ale Project's Somethin' Shady: 7.
• Deep Ellum IPA: 7.
• Cedar Creek's The Lawn Ranger: 7.
• Martin House Brewing Company's Cellarman's Reserve IPA (Amarillo).: 7.
• Lakewood's Till & Toil: 7.
• 903 Brewers' The Chosen One: 7.
• 903 Brewers' Sugar On Top: 7.
• Martin House's Gateway XPA: 7.
• Armadillo Ale Work's Quakertown Stout: 7.
• Revolver's High Brass: 7.
• Community's Pale Ale: 7.
• Martin House's River House: 7.
• Grapevine Craft Brewery's Sir William's Brown Ale: 7.
• Community's Funnel Cake Ale: 7.
• Audacity's Boss Raptor IPA: 7.
• Grapevine Craft Brewery's Nightwatch: 6.5.
• Peticolas' The Duke: 6.5.
• Deep Ellum's Double Brown Stout : 6.5.
• Rabbit Hole's Off With Your Red: 6
• Cedar Creek's Elliott's Phoned Home Pale Ale: 6
• Grapevine Craft Brewery's Lakefire: 6
• Armadillo Ale Works' WunderMelon: 6
• Deep Ellum Pale Ale: 6
• Lakewood's La Dame Du Lac: 5.5.
• Deep Ellum's Numb Comfort: 5.
• Audacity's Sunset Boulevard/a>: 4.
• Shannon Brewing Company's IPA: 4.
• Grapevine's Monarch: 4.
• Franconia Wheat: 3.
• Miller Lite: 1.