Blasé amber-hazed moderation with softer piney hop bittering and less prominent grapefruit influence than Zeus and Simcoe hop-based variety. Unobtrusive grapefruit-tangerine fruiting, indecisive evergreen freshness, perfunctory spicing and indistinct floral nuances bring down insubstantial dry body.
Tag Archives: india pale ale
SAMUEL ADAMS LATITUDE 48 IPA – ZEUS
Strongest, but not best, of deconstructed Latitude 48 India Pale Ale series, lacks specificity. Passable coppery-glowed medium body brings prominent grapefruit pith tartness and resinous piney hop bittering to muted honey-sugared apple-peach tang. Dried floral, wet leaf and lemon pepper illusions scarcely scoot through blanched yellow-fruited alacrity.
SAMUEL ADAMS LONGSHOT FRIAR HOP ALE
Interesting limited edition (circa 2011) hybrid ale with copper-paled hue crosscuts ripe India Pale Ale fruiting with spicy Belgian Ale yeast funk. Lemony grapefruit-peeled orange-dried bittering contrasts candi-sugared banana, peach, pineapple, cherry, apple, and blueberry scurry. A floral perfumed waft spreads across tropic fructose. Black-peppered hop bite stiffens backend. Ancillary coriander-clove nicety nearly lost.
SAMUEL ADAMS LATITUDE 48 IPA – SIMCOE
Resinous pine-needled oaken wood dryness affixes grapefruit-peeled pineapple and orange tartness above sugar-spiced crystal malting. Bitter blueberry-juniper conflux overtakes black-peppered oregano-basil-thyme triage at herb-encrusted citric finish.
SAMUEL ADAMS LATITUDE 48 IPA – EAST KENT GOLDINGS
Nebulous coppery amber medium-bodied India Pale Ale with ineffectual English hop variety falls short. Closer to a British pub ale, gathering dank black tea mustiness, cellar-bound mushroom-like yeast fungi, and citric-rotted apricot desiccation. Murky crystal-caramel malting beat down by everlasting alcohol-burnt bittering to dirty earthen wood spine.
COTTRELL MYSTIC BRIDGE I.P.A.
Easygoing copper-hazed fleshy-headed East Coast moderation perhaps stylistically closer to a mild English-styled IPA, or better yet, a toasted lager. Roasted caramel malting takes the reins, leaving expectant pine-fruited dry-hop prickle to tend softer backend. Cereal-grained marzipan, almond, and buttered pecan graze dewy earthen peat, lemony orange-grapefruit sass, and minor alcohol burn.
TROEGS OLD SCRATCH #40 I.P.A.
TROEGS OLD SCRATCH #39 I.P.A. SIMCOE
Woodier hop dryness, deeper citric tartness, and sharper piney recess than related Old Scratch #40 (both limited edition small-batch offerings served at Jersey-based Andy’s Corner Bar). Lemon-soured grapefruit bittering stays above winsome pineapple, peach, mango and melon tropicalia. Advertised Simcoe hops never overwhelm sweeter aspects.
SIERRA NEVADA CELEBRATION ‘FRESH HOP ALE’ 2010
GREAT SOUTH BAY MASSIVE INDIA PALE ALE
Approachable piney-hopped citric-ripened mocha-malted Long Islander not far removed from new-sprung Black IPA styling. Resinous hop char deepens cocoa-chocolate bittering above rounded spruce-tipped red grapefruit, orange marmalade, pineapple, and mango sweetness for truly amiable, well-balanced delight.
SAMUEL ADAMS LATITUDE 48 I.P.A.
Though textural fruiting, malting, and hopping could be ‘upped’ for supposedly ‘unique IPA with intense hop character,’ easygoing moderate-bodied alleviator proves very approachable as crossover fare for lighter ale dabblers. Sugary crystal-caramel malting sops up strong, but subsiding, piney hop-roasted floral-herbed grapefruit-peeled bittering that’s rounded instead of sharp-edged. Heather, hibiscus, and wildflower illusions waft by ancillary apple-apricot-orange conflux. Subtle juniper nip never overstays welcome.
STONE LUKCY BASARTD
Adequately familiarized 13th anniversary celebrator combines brewers’ renowned Arrogant Bastard Ale with offshoot Double Bastard and Oaked Arrogant Bastard for respectful limited edition amber-hazed strong ale redux true Stone heads are accustomed to. Spruce-sapped brown-sugared caramel malting protrudes above resinous oaken-pined hop sharpness, grapefruit-peeled orange rind bittering and dry juniper berry swipe. Peach, pear, pineapple and apricot ripeness shines through midst, gathering hazelnut-pecan-almond nuttiness. Just another typically fine, well rounded, fruit-ripened, dry-hopped India Pale Ale-styled Stoner.