ImPaled Ale - Middle Ages Brewing Co., Ltd.

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Was much better on cask at the Cask House in Syracuse than on-tap at the brewery. Good IPA, dry and bitter. Grapefruit aroma and taste. Lots and lots of Cascade and centenial hops. An IPA with attitude. Also was soapy at Pizza Plant on cask two years later, fruity but astringent bitter.

Serving type: cask

11-17-2004 15:54:09 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.1/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Smoky amber with a minor contribution from orange juice. The head is rich cream in color, good sized, firm enough to maintain a cratered mesa as it falls and sticky enough to leave thick hunks of lace on the glass. It's a 'by the numbers' look, but is a good one all the same.

Impaled Ale is well-hopped, although it isn't an id-seeking missile for the hopheads among us. It smells of buttery, somewhat citrusy hops; a mixture of English and American varieties if I had to guess. Even though it doesn't have that pungent, citrus zesty snap that is found on this side of the Atlantic, at least one of the 4-Cs is in there somewhere, playing nice.

If you like butterscotch and caramel-drizzled citrus fruit (figuratively speaking) as I do, then you'll like this nose and this flavor profile. Some may feel that there's too much diacetyl, but I think that it adds something positive to this beer and makes it different and interesting. Pink grapefruit and lemon are the focal points, with their more fruity aspects accented early in the mouthful and their more biting, bitter character accented on the finish.

The body is smack dab medium and is just substantial enough and just slick enough to keep the flavor in contact with the taste buds long enough for maximum enjoyment. The amount of carbonation is just a tad high for me, but not so much so that it's bothersome.

ImPaled Ale is a wonderful IPA and is one of Middle Ages's best brews. I could just as easily have granted the next highest score for taste, it's that good. I'd drink a lot of this if I had ready access. Thanks to HappyHourHero for the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2005 14:09:59 | More by BuckeyeNation

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the Chapter House in Ithaca last weekend. The menu just said "Middle Ages IPA," but I'm pretty sure this is what it was, given that it's the only English IPA listed for Middle Ages. Served in a pint glass.

The pour brings an orange-copper brew with a good white head and a bit of lacing on the way down. The nose brings forward some slightly-earthy and floral hops along with a slight touch of diacetyl, though here it works well. Body has some semi-sweet bread and caramel plus light toffee. Some hop flavor, though that comes in more toward the finish, which has a pleasing dry bitterness. Good balance between sweet and bitter, and the yeast threw off a bit of diacetyl that was allowed to remain, but it fits well with the style. Another solid effort; I really enjoyed all of the beers I had from them.

Serving type: on-tap

06-04-2011 13:40:14 | More by Thorpe429

brentk56

North Carolina

3.45/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours an orange-infused amber color with two fingers of head; plenty of lace and good retention

Smell: Bread and butter, with a bit of fruit and earthy hop character

Taste: A medicinal, pithy bitterness intrudes on the bready opening and won't let go, though fruity elements (Delicious apples) and buttery diacetyl are present, underneath

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: A very different take on an IPA, with what tastes like a bit of an American hop bill added to what is otherwise an all English brew; despite the interesting elements, I cannot say that I am a big fan of it

Thanks, sliverx, for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2011 20:51:44 | More by brentk56

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.85/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

With the malty character and balance of Fuller's London Pride and the crisp citrusy hop flavor and bitterness of Sierra Nevada's Torpedo, this hybrid beer does very well for itself.

Medium amber in color and with soft carbonation, the beer forms an eggshell white head that proves good staying power with lacing to match. A good look for any pale ale.

Biscuity, buttery malt character fills the nose along with caramel and estery fruits. American-style aromas come through with sharp and zesty grapefruit that rises as the beer warms and with a few good swirls.

Medium caramel sweetness is met with a hearty bready malt base accompanied by estery appricot fruitiness, mild butterscotch, and shortbread. Sweetness waivers as the hoppy flavor of ruby red grapefruit and orange zest finish the beer with a cleaner, crisper, and refined bitterness that's unexpected for English beers, and more characterized by American ales.

Early richness is attributed to slightly lower carbonation, medium malty richness, and slight oily feel. But all that subsides as the bright citrusy bitterness helps to dry the beer and the alcohol gives an evaporative ethanol dryness.

English maltiness and American hoppiness always work out well together. If for a slightly better attenuation and less buttery notes, this could be an absolutely irresistable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-01-2011 17:50:39 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

3.55/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Tried this while in Buffalo,liked the label.Unfiltered orange color with pretty good frothy head.Typical citruis hop aroma maybe a little grass,pretty sweet and balanced for a IPA.Very drinkable,I have gotten a few MA beers and liked them all will get more next month when Iam in Buffalo again.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2003 15:19:31 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

7% ABV. Pours a hazy, orange-tinted copper body that's topped by a frothy bone-white cap. The head holds well and leaves some fairly nice lace throughout the glass. The nose expresses a distinct note of buttery diacetyl that blends nicely with some apricot-like fruitiness and a soft & sweet floral hoppiness. It's very nice, and in fact, I think all of the Middle Ages beers prove that the Ringwood yeast strain can produce some excellent character. The body is medium, but its very fine carbonation is creamy in the mouth and gives the impression of a bigger body. The flavor starts hoppy and finishes hoppy! There's a nice jolt of fruitiness up-front, followed by some soft malt before finishing with a flourish of hop bitterness that leads into a long dry finish accented by lightly earthy and floral hops. Eventually a mild touch of buttery diacetyl also reappears. It's well balanced with a solid bitterness, but it never overwhelms the palate. It expresses much more character as it warms and that's attested to by the fact that it took a Silver medal at the 1998 Real Ale Festival in Chicago! Very nicely done, and well worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2003 09:43:59 | More by NeroFiddled

WesWes

New York

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a golden color with a thick frothy white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is decent. It has a wonderful malt scent that boasts of pale and light crystal malts. It has a nice fruity Ringwood yeast aroma, but not much in the hops department. The taste is good. It has a smooth and balanced flavor that boasts of pale and light crystal malts as well as Ringwood yeast and a bitter hop aftertaste. It isn't as heavy in hops as some IPA's , but it drinks great. The mouthfeel is good. It is a medium bodied beer with good carbonation. This is a decent IPA. It should have a little more hop aroma and taste, but it drinks well.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2005 00:40:01 | More by WesWes

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.58/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a reddish tinged full copper color, with a frothy cream colored head. The aroma is a clashing mix of buttery diacetyl and citrusy hops. The diacetyl seems to dominate, especially up front, but the citrusy notes of grapefruit and orange are definitely here in the last part of the aroma. The taste is lightly sweet up front with a grapefruit note that quickly leads to a lingering bitter finish that has been flavored with buttery diacetyl. Amazingly enough the diacetyl and hops are mixing to form something that is actual drinkable, usually I am so turned off by diacetyl that I end up dumping beers with it. The diacetyl definitely plays a heavy hand here, but the hop character (both flavor and bitterness) hold it in check.

The hop character also manifests itself in a dry pine-like character that has hints of menthol around the edges. The bitterness is nice and solid, it in fact grabs hold of my taste buds and shakes them furiously until they tingle. Now I could certainly do without the diacetyl in this beer, but it is not so overpowering that I am not enjoying this beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2005 23:17:55 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.88/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep gold color, with a large white head that fades very slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is kind of faint but contains light caramelized malts, pale hops and some citrus.

T: The taste starts out hoppy with a burst of citrus & caramel sweetness up front. There's a hearty malt character that comes in quickly and balances things out a bit. The after-taste is slightly bitter.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean and dry.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, decent kick, good representation of style, this is the type of beer that blurs the boundary between the English and American IPA styles, it's a good flavorful beer with some substance that is worth drinking a few of.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2008 03:22:40 | More by TheManiacalOne

Gavage

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a burnt orange color. Had a thin head wth large bubbles. The head receded to the rim rather quickly, some lacing was also produced. Malt and hops were quite noticable in the nose.

The hops were nice and pronounced in this IPA, and the malt levels were also good. Some fruitiness was detected. The bitterness lingers on the tongue for a bit. Some dryness also detected. A nice beer, but a little sweeter than expected, so drinkablility is lowered a bit for me.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2003 19:06:10 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to armock for this one!

Pours hazed golden with a foamy, slightly off-white head. Trailing lace sticks.

The smell is citric and herbal with an orange marmalade-ish malty tone in the back.

The taste is of herbal, citric and floral with an orange marmalade backing. Ringwood yeast character is there, but not dominant. Sweetness turns to a bitter, citric finish.

The carbonation could be a bit softer, but fine as it is. It has a slightly buttery, smooth medium body.

Well-balanced but style hoppy enough to fit an English-style IPA. Nice English character with an American (Cascade) hop touch in the finish. Very easy to drink!

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2009 19:37:25 | More by jwc215

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Lovely orange-amber with white head. Very good lacing and head retention. A very nicely balanced EIPA. Fruity aroma with citrus and a touch of hops. Taste has a bit much diacetyl, a smaller amount would be ideal. Ringwood does a nice job with this beer though, esters and hops compliment the malts. Very drinkable and feels nice. A very unique IPA, everyone should try this once!

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2006 23:39:18 | More by tempest

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.78/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Light golden orange amber hue with a decent sized white head dwindles rather quick leaves specks of lacing. Aroma: Has a funky vanilla tone, some diacetyl funk showing signs of age and floral hops English style malts gone bad. Taste: Unbalanced mix of wrotten malts and bitter blast of hops equals, blah. Mouthfeel: Medium bodied not good can't really enjoy this one. Drinkability: Not into English style IPAs, plus I think this one is past it's best by date.

*Update* much fresher sample.

Appearance: Light caramel amber orange tone with a creamy textured caramel hued head nice. Aroma: Citrus hop profile with slight woody tones some caramel malt patches nice English style IPA. Taste: Great mix of citrus hops with butterscotch and caramel highlights from the malt profile finishes with a touch alcohol in the flavor. Mouthfeel: Medium bodied slight even carbonation smooth as all hell, nice brew. Drinkability: The balance makes this a perfect candidate for a session brew, the citrus hop profile is a awesome match with the butterscotch and caramel malts. Last time I had this one it was definitely past it's best by date, a different beer this time no diacetyl.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2004 04:20:50 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very slightly hazed amber with a light tan head that really sticks around. I cannot remember the last time I saw this much retention of head, so I am going to give this one a 5 on appearance. Nose is very hoppy with those pine and citrus tones. The flavor is subdued and doesn't present itself as a hop bomb or that style. It is more of a gentle hopped ale. Feel is thick with bubbles and slightly meaty on the liquid. Definitely drinkable. It is a smooth and even IPA that doesn't have any overly showy attributes. I would be interested to see what this one is like on tap...or better yet on cask.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2007 05:25:01 | More by RblWthACoz

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Light orange-amber color with a thin off white head. Nice lace, considering the thinness.

Interestingly high caramel malt aroma with very slight (for the style) hop bouquet.

Excellent balanced flavor without being gyped on the hops. The aftertaste is largely hop, but not in a lip-smacking way. I think the malt flavorings are superior--creamy with a good mouthfeel that is a little thin for my tastes. There's also a high level of carbonation for an English style IPA.

I think this is an easily quaffable beer. Worthy of regular drinking. This would likely make my top ten if they generously dry-hopped the batch for a better bouquet.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2005 02:10:16 | More by smcolw

Wasatch

Utah

3.53/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks goes out to orcasteve for this brew.

Pours a very nice golden yellow/orange color, nice carbonation, nice two-finger off-white head, with some nice sticky lacing left behind. The nose is malty, very slight hop note, slight citrus, fruity. The taste is slightly sweet, malty, some hop notes, but not much, slight citrus, with some fruit notes. Medium body. Drinkable, a nice little brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2009 20:01:49 | More by Wasatch

jdhilt

New Hampshire

2.63/5  rDev -31.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a two-fingered cream head that fades slowly leaving some lace. Cloudy amber color. Hoppy nose with hints of apricot. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Starts hoppy with some sweetness; finish does not have the intense hoppiness of some IPA's like Dogfish's 60 minute. $1.85 for a 12oz bottle from Hoosick Street Discount Bev. Troy, NY.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2004 00:29:10 | More by jdhilt

Jason

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: 12 oz brown long neck with no freshness date to be found.

Appearance: Copper in colour with orange hues. The head is huge and dissipates slowly ... yeah it is quite a stick mass also.

Smell: Delicate hop aroma ... sweet and floral. Some fruitiness comes through along with a bit of malt.

Taste: Thick medium body with a chewy malt mouthfeel. A big dose of hops hit the palate though it is rounded off by malt sweetness, big fruit and a touch of grain. The hop bitterness and flavour lingers for a bit while a shadow of diacetyl show in the taste.

Notes: Well crafted and well balanced ... maybe a little too fruity but what do you expect for the Ringwood yeast strain. One of the top IPAs in the US ... this is the real stuff.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2002 11:36:54 | More by Jason

Billolick

New York

4.22/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

sampled a 12 ouncer, without any freshness dating to be found. Pours basic almond,lifting an off white head with good retention that clings to the glass and leaves nicely developed lacing. Grainy hop nose. This is an aggressively hopped ale. Boldy crafted of a nice bready malt base and a nice blast of citric, grainy and pine sap hops. Pleasant and satisfying IPA. Worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2004 01:16:24 | More by Billolick

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle obtained via trade with Shippos. Thanks for the opportunity...

Poured in an imperial pint glass, forms a 1" off-white head, which laces well. An amber hued brew with a tinge of orange, with a slightly buttery yeast aroma, with minimal hops apparent, as is often to be expected for the EIPA. Taste is hoppier than the nose indicated, and the malt and slight buttery flavors round out the sharp hops edges. Mouthfeel and drinkability both good, although the butteriness could get old after a few. I think it's worth the risk.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2004 21:48:30 | More by ppoitras

weeare138

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appears a murkey orange/brown with a 1 finger fluffy white head that lasts. Some streaky lacing forms but dies out after about 10 minutes.
Smell...ringwood anyone? Diacetyl butter, citrus, and spicy hops.
Taste is sugary but not really of malt. Tastes almost like a candied version of pine sol would taste. Can't really say that's good.
Mouthfeel is tingly and a bit overly carbonated with a mild sweetness and a settling of bubbles in the middle of the tongue.
Drinkability is ok but I'm not a huge fan of this. I can definitley pick this out as being a Middle Ages brew. I'm not sure if that's a good thing though as I haven't been won over by any of their beers yet.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2005 17:28:46 | More by weeare138

Bighuge

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cloudy fiery orange color. A small amount of yeast sediment is noted and a large amount of gas bubbles are also noted. The ivory white head is pillowy. It forms many craters as it dwindles gradually. Aroma is sweet, perfumey, citric, piney and oily. The carbonation in the mouth does not match the carbonation viewed. It's not overboard with gas. Rather, the mouthfeel is fairly smooth and creamy. The bitter bite that I like in IPAs is lacking in this one, but it does taste decent. There are some nice citric and herbal tones here and there. The malt backing is sufficient. A slight lingering bitterness. If I lived in New York, this would be one of my session IPAs.

Thank you Davo for this IPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2002 21:12:25 | More by Bighuge

Gusler

Arizona

4.03/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A murky orange to amber color crowned with a humongous light tan head that is semi-creamy in consistency, the lace a fine veil to hide the glass. Hop floral nose, citrus like crispness, and all fresh and clean with the start somewhat sweet and nice malt profile, top is middling in feel. Big hop finish, spicy and potent with a moderate acidity, very dry and slightly bitter aftertaste, another darn good beer from a great brewery.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2003 20:32:54 | More by Gusler

DrJay

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Clear, light amber colour topped by a fluffy, eggshell-coloured head. Nice lacing and great retention. Clean hoppy aroma, citrus, floral and a little grassy. Moderate bitterness, malt is much more forward and contributes some bready sweetness. Light fruity esters and medium hop character. The short finish is balanced and slightly drying. Medium body, medium/low carbonation, smooth and not quite slick texture. Easy drinking, tasty, and well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2005 23:33:59 | More by DrJay