Cyclops IPA - Cascade Lakes Brewing Co.

DenverLogan

Colorado

3.94/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Served from 22 oz bottle...ordered through Letspour.
Poured in medium size Duvel glass...straw gold color with large head.
Aroma of lime, grass hops, slight sourdough bread.
Significant carbonation and mouthfeel.
Flavors of grassy hops, white grapefruit rind, white pepper, white cranberry juice...let's give this 5 minutes...
Already...after 5 minutes there's a lingering head with lace, aroma of tropical fruit - cranberry, hops. Flavors have mellowed a tad in the spice realm, with the malts coming out stronger. Big and flavorful, not as bold as the Cyclop in the label design, but certainly not wimpy for an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 03:21:12 | More by DenverLogan

sam_bliss

Washington

3.43/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pint glass

A- Cloudy golden dark orange with a one inch head that dissipates slowly. Lovely color.

S- Not super strong-smelling. Piney hops and rich grains. A fresh, cool aroma prevails.

T- Lemony sour hop flavor over sweet, toasted malts. I taste less pine and more fruit than the nose suggested, including some fresh-squeezed orange juice.

M- Plenty of carbonation and bitterness leave a tingle on the tongue and cheeks even after the ale's flowed down the throat. Some alcohol burn is definitely present, but isn't recognizable until a few seconds after swallowing because the citrus flavors overpower.

O- Much more refreshing than some of the maltier IPAs. The citrus sour, grainy sweet, and bubbly mouthfeel combine to make it taste like the 7up (or maybe even Squirt!) of pale ales. Which, of course, is much much more pleasurable than actual artificially flavored lemon-lime corn syrup soda. I will buy this beer again, but not again on the first freezing day of November. It would be the perfect IPA to wait in the ice chest for the return from a late summer hike or paddle.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 08:55:47 | More by sam_bliss

barleywinefiend

Washington

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

A: Poured a transparent deep orangish color with good carbonation leaving a decent white cap, light bubbles and moderate lacing

S: Smells of a fruit bouquet and thats about it

T: I swear they stole recipes from Deschutes. Deschutes tends to throw in copious amounts of Crystal and Pale malt which are very distinguishable. The hop bill provides some initial bitterness which lingers coupled with some light citrus fruits. The finish is a bit sweet, lightly slick.

M: Medium bodied, well carbonated with lts of lingering bitterness, not harsh but present

O: Not bad. I would probably drink again.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2012 01:49:40 | More by barleywinefiend

2beerdogs

California

3/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Took a chance on this one to share at my nieces OSU graduation get together. It didn't disappoint nor overwhelm.

Overall had a nice pour, good head, not very strong on the nose. Hops came through as a bit grassy, floral.

First taste hops a little bit up front, but again not overwhelming-more in the piney meets citrusy area. I prefer a bit more. Got a a fairly balanced mix of hops to malt, but a little lite on the mouthfeel and hops. Pretty good, just a tad thin for my preferences.

Overall, I would drink it again. As a cheaper option than many of the other bombers offered up at the store, I'd probably buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 19:17:55 | More by 2beerdogs

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.83/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a hazy medium orange amber with a thin off white head that dissipates to a thick ring around the glass with lacing. Aroma of herbal hops, pineapple, sweet malt and a bit of citrus. Flavor is citrus with light fruit, floral elements. Finishes with light resinous hops and light fruit. Medium bodied with nice carbonation. Flavor and hopping is somewhat subdued, but the fresh fruit and sweet malt backbone is unusual and enjoyable. This would be better with some more intense fresh hops flavor, but I enjoyed it as it is. Unusual enough that I will return to it.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 03:52:59 | More by LiquidAmber

beertunes

Washington

3.45/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into straight pint glass. Poured a fairly typical (for a PNW IPA) orangeish-gold-amber color with just under an inch of white head that had OK retention and good lacing.

The aroma featured a good combination of citrus & floral hops, with some weed notes and a touch of pine at the back. There was just a bit of malt showing through the background. On the tongue, hop profile was mostly pine and citrus, with the other hops having a lower presence. There was a faint grain taste. A pretty typical PNW IPA.

The body was also fairly typical for the style, although a bit thin for my personal taste. Drinkability was very good, the beer went down smooth and finished easy. Overall, a fairly typical PNW IPA, in a good way. This beer is probably above the average and one I'll have again. This beer is certainly worth your time when you see it, and if you're a serious hop head, you'll probably want to trade for a bottle (or 2).

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 19:03:07 | More by beertunes

cpolking

Iowa

3.98/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a slightly hazy orange copper in color. There is a short creamy and foamy head, that is off-white to light brown in color.

The aroma is sweetly and aromatically floral and grassy, citrus fruits and golden grains. I am intrigued by the aroma and can't wait to taste this.

The taste follows the aroma, this drinks like a dry-hopped lager or a hop forward American pale ale.

The finish is intensely bitter and dry, yet it drinks light and refreshing. It is hard to believe this is 6.9% ABV. Very nice.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2012 21:11:50 | More by cpolking

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.55/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bomber, no dates.
Deschutes tulip glass.

A: Pours a slightly hazy bright orange color. Not a lot of head. Only about a quarter finger of bright white head.

S: Smells of mild grapefruit and cat pee astringency. I get a good amount of pale malt breadiness in there as well.

T: Up front you get some hop bite, but it's by no means a bitter hop bomb that I was expecting. It's more of a fruit hop: grapefruit and peach, than pine. The malt really takes over this beer in the middle of the mouth. Don't know if that is intention or age. You get a lingering hope dryness on the back end.

M: Light to medium bodied.

O: Overall, I have to go B- on this one. Is it bad, no. But it really tastes more like a pale ale to me, and no where near the best pale I have had recently either.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 20:33:14 | More by inlimbo77

spicelab

Australia

2.25/5  rDev -33.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Bomber purchased from the Buggy Stop, Redmond. Reviewed from notes.

Turbid amber with a two finger off-white head which leaves haphazard lacing. Head reforms nicely on swirling.

Fairly dim citrusy behind a dominant baked toffee and biscuity malt character. Pretty tame.

Caramel malts and candied orange verging on orange concentrate. A dose of earthy bitterness salvages things, but barely.

Medium body, moderate carbonation and a deceptive bitterness on the rear which would be satisfying if there were actually flavours for it to play off.

Don't know the age of this bottle, but it was purchased in the brewery's hometown, albeit from a convenience store. One of the more unremarkable IPAs I've had in a long while.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 23:19:16 | More by spicelab

Vancoubeer

Washington

4.18/5  rDev +22.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I felt like having and IPA and went for this one based on that brewers notes on the bottle and that it was an IPA rated at 65 ibus. It looks like it should. Its got that IPA color with some haze but not filtered to the max like some. Really nice white bubbles in the head. Looks tasty. The smell is awesome. Its not intense but there is that hint of the citrus you get from the hops and not bitterness. Really good dry hopping done on this to get the smell like this. However its very subtle bit its there. The flavor is as described. Hoppy but not in the bitter sense. It has a very balanced taste and all of the proper citrus flavors that should be there. Just the type I was hoping to purchase. It has a medium yet sticky mouthfeel due to the acidity from the hops that cleans your palate off waiting for more. Nice beer by a kind of small yet consistant local brewer.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2012 01:09:57 | More by Vancoubeer

djbreezy

Washington

3.85/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - transparent gold, white full head, medium lacing

Smell - citrus, flowery hops and sweet malts

Taste - mostly a balanced IPA, slightly hop forward. It the flavor profile of the hops are faint, floral and citrus notes

Mouthfeel - medium body, slightly oily

Overall - good hop flavor, could be a bit more pungent especially based on the brewery description

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 03:42:12 | More by djbreezy

ccrida

Oregon

3.43/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bomber poured into my large Gulden Draak tulip, Cyclops IPA is dark gold with a white head leaving nice lace.

Smell is citrus hops and caramel, orange marmalade.

Taste is also fairly hoppy, nice citrus, not overly pungent, smooth bitterness. A little iced tea note from the crystal malt.

Mouthfeel is on the oily side, medium bodied.

Drinkability is pretty good, it's a solid IPA, but the orange marmalade is a little one note, I'd like to see more complexity from the hops. Decent though.

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2011 04:58:11 | More by ccrida

Reidrover

Oregon

3.88/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle from Fred Meyer, Wilsonville. $3.79 Nice cloudy orange body with an absolutly lovelly head..thick,cream coloured and bubbly. Fine hoppy aromas..citric and flowery most powerful Taste is on the other hand a more resiny hop bitternesssweet at the end..semi sweet really..caramel malts..then another hop attack in the after taste Odd mouthfeel the hops seem to come in waves ..but its nice. Nice IPA

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 03:50:50 | More by Reidrover