ACME California IPA - North Coast Brewing Co.

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.34/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Coppery-tan with a great, lasting head that left a nice cap of light tan foam and sticky lace.

Aroma is some mild floral hops, a smidge of maltiness, a touch of fruits, a bit lacking on aroma but not bad.

Taste is more lightly floral hops with a fairly pronounced bitterness, like it had a big early bittering charge of something strong like magnum or warrior, and a lighter late addition of flavor and aroma hops.

Body is slightly watery with a lingering bitterness.

Overall I'd say it's a bit out of balance, needing more late hops additions, but it's not bad.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 20:56:05 | More by AlCaponeJunior

admccabe

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

A- relatively small head, fancy looking bottle with a lady on it.
S- I can't honestly say, nose is kinda dead right now.
T- somewhat muted hoppiness, dry taste
M- crisp with some bitterness at end remaining
O- of all the IPA's I've had, this one just doesn't stand out much, tasty but not unusually so.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 01:52:27 | More by admccabe

doktorhops

Australia

4.15/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

After an abomination of a Wit, Orange Avenue Wit to be precise, I thought I needed something comical - enter ACME; the company that supplied Wile E. Coyote his weapons grade Plutonium in his quest to kill that damned Road Runner! Yes, sad as it is I was always hoped one day the coyote would win and roast that smug road runner over a slow burning fire (I was a strange kid indeed).

Poured from a 355ml bottle into a nonic pint.

A: Slight cloudy amber body (there is some sediment floating around) and a rough 1cm white foam head, looks tasty.

S: Pine, citrus and fruity hops hit the nose straight away. It's no secret there's some hopping in this ale that is for sure. Apart from that there is not much else to detect grain/yeast-wise... it's all hops here, in fact just taking in another whiff there's a passionfruit hit as well.

T: Undeniably hop-driven taste. It's as described above; Pine, citrus and fruity hops assail with an added herbaceous character thrown in, it's like 'The Hop Brothers' - a fictional film involving two orphan brothers on a mission from God to save an orphanage by touring the country selling a hop filled ale they made themselves. The back end is a medicinal herb bitter but that is to be expected from 55 IBUs (International Bitterness Units).

M: Medium bodied, light carbonation with hop oil slickness that is characteristic of these brews.

D: Damn fine on the Doktor Hops Scale (DHS). Novice beer-drinkers, from countries other than the US, beware! This is a fairly bitter beer due to the amount of hops and lack of (discernible) malt, work your way up to this with an English IPA or American Pale Ale, otherwise if you fancy a right bitter brew then dive in. This is a really top-shelf beer, however at the price you pay here in Australia is not worth it; get a Harviestoun Schiehallion for a brew that is less bitter but much better VFM (Value For Money).

Food match: Straight from their website: Fish Tacos with Citrus Salsa and Cabbage Slaw. Or anything with rocket.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 12:19:03 | More by doktorhops

vickersspitfire

Texas

3.49/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a pint glass, this beer is a good looking light burnt orange color with light blonde highlights near the edges. It’s topped off with thick billowy white cloud of bubbles, and it sticks around for a while too, surrounded by a thin wall of lacing. The aroma really reminds me of pale ale, very light, mild malts and fruits, but I cannot smell any hops at all. The flavor does not disappoint, its bitter overtones are accompanied by a strong, but good tasting hop presence. Plenty of spices and citrus fruits are also detectable- lemon is strong. The aftertaste it bitter at first but then warms up and a slight grapefruit/lemon zest flavor takes over.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 05:59:03 | More by vickersspitfire

Murrhey

Montana

3.21/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass in high elevation Libby, Mont. Reviewed live.

A- Two-finger cream-colored head. Fluffy and large bubbles. Several minute long retention with some white ropes of lacing. Hazy orange color with fairly high clarity.

S- Bitter and spicy hops. Sugary and sweet smell, but with the presence of the bitterness typical of the style. Would be better if it were more complex.

T- Bitter, well balanced. Some strange soapy flavor though that isn't appealing.

M- Creamy and smooth. Nice feel.

O- Wish there were more to say about it. Other than the odd taste it leaves in your mouth it is fairly unspectacular.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 02:45:59 | More by Murrhey

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Well, I didn't get the coyote treatment last time, so I'm gonna press my luck... This stuff pours a lightly-hazy brass-amber topped by a finger of cream-white foam. The nose comprises grass, light grapefruit zest, and rice cake. The taste brings in more of the same, along with a generous dose of orange rind and a soft backbone of toffee. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, a generally solid IPA, nothing overtly special, but an enjoyable enough option.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 07:31:40 | More by TMoney2591

matjack85

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I got this as part of a build-your-own six pack for $9.99 at the Binny's store in Bloomingdale, IL. 12oz squatty brown bottle with no freshness date.

The beer poured a slightly hazed golden apricot color and started coming out the top of the bottle the second the cap was popped, so have your glass handy as soon as you open it. Nice 3-finger white head that lasted awhile with plenty of sticky lacing.

There's a good amount of tropical fruit in the smell - mostly pineapple, but not all that hoppy for an IPA. There's some sweet malt as well, but overall not a strong smelling beer.

Everything about this beer screams "mild". Mild caramel sweertness, mild fruitiness, and even milder piny and citrusy hop bitterness. Not sure I want an IPA to be that balanced and mild though. Sort of miss the hop dominance, but there's only 55 IBU's in this one.

Medium bodied with a little higher than medium carbonation.

Not a bad tasting beer, but not that IPA-ish.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 03:40:52 | More by matjack85

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

2.8/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

12 oz bottle into a Samuel Smith pint glass.

A: Pours a murky orange-amber color. The head is a two finger offwhite shade with a nicely consistent texture, even after much of it has receded. Lacing is patchy.

S: Quite floral. There is a lot of pine, lavender, biscuit, and mild caramel. Not much citrus quality, sadly.

T/M: Tastes like...well, an IPA. This one in particular starts off malty with notes of biscuit and toffee, while a light citrus quality pops up past the midtaste. It actually tastes a bit yeasty, and certainly feels that way. The heavy feel, chalky finish, and moderate astringency all take away from an otherwise balanced but bland IPA. I'd reckon its best feature is the building dryness on the aftertaste.

O: I love the simple but retro labeling - shame the beer itself feels about 10 years behind the 8 ball. It's too heavy-feeling to session and too mild for serious IPA drinkers. Others out there will like it, though.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 22:36:01 | More by ThisWangsChung

AmitC

Indiana

3.69/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from the 12 oz bottle.

Clear amber color inside the glass. A good frothing head around three fingers thick, of off white color. Super awesome lacing, that is just phenomenal. Excellent head retention. Some minor bubbles are seen rising up, slowly.

A good amount of malt in the nose, a bad news for an IPA. Very low on aromatic hops. One of the faintest smell from an IPA i have ever opened. Very slight earthy and flowery hops. Citrus - yes, piney - not much.

A lot of caramel and bready malt taste in the nose. Some bitterness as it enters the tongue. A dry slightly bitter aftertaste. Very malty and caramel flavored for an IPA.

Mouth feel is medium bodied. No astringency, slightly higher than moderate carbonation. A little more thick bodied than normal IPAs out there. Not enough oily or resin like feel.

I am not sure of the bottling date but it is an average IPA at best. Only thing that stands out is its appearance.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 01:01:43 | More by AmitC

cocojoe

Oregon

3.08/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz Bottle poured into snifter

A: Clear copper color, with about a fingers worth of off white head.

S: Mango, white grapes, light caramel notes, sweet, light zestiness. Clean and crisp.

T: Dark caramel flavors, fruity, floral and sweet, bready. Subtle lingering bitterness.

M: Medium body

O: Caramel malt flavors are very prevalent, with subtle fruity and grainy/bready qualities. Definitely a more malt forward IPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 03:50:11 | More by cocojoe

thebrood1987

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I get a caramel bready sweetness from the malts and a floral hop smell. Its very smooth and rich in caramel bready malts and ending with a floral bitter bite from the hops used. Im not sure if its an older beer or not but the malts on this are pretty tasty.

You only get a slight bite in the beginning and its mostly at the end of the taste that you get the aftertaste bite but the malts take over the front the hops take over the back end of the taste. Its a pretty cool ipa being that it does this.

Not the best IPA from California but perhaps one of the most balanced I've had. The malts really shine on this one as the hops are more of a floral bitterness that the malt tries to compete with and wash away with its sweetness. The hops still prevail a bit though. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 03:36:30 | More by thebrood1987

Mic-Lee

2.68/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Dull copper orange color is translucent. Hop forward and bitter. Hops are lightly floral in the finish. A little boozy and the bitterness lingers a bit. Medium body and carbonation.

Overall: I found this brew to be much too bitter for my tastes and a bit too boozy as well. It is 6.9%, so it’s somewhat to be expected, but the complexity wasn’t really there either. Starts off with the big bitter bang and tapers off to some floral notes, but nothing in between. Sessionable if you want to get drunk fast, otherwise, go elsewhere.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 00:23:37 | More by Mic-Lee

gcamparone

Rhode Island

3.83/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Samuel Adams pint glass. Purchased at Nikki's Liquors in North Providence, Rhode Island.

A- Pours a slightly hazy golden orange body with a medium 2" white head with medium retention and lacing.

S- Smells fresh. Fruity, floral, and hoppy.

T- Starts out with a hoppy bitterness and grapefruit, and ends with a nice caramel-vanilla malt backbone. Good balance for sure.

M- Slightly thick for an IPA with medium carbonation.

A decent IPA. I prefer a little more hop characteristic, but this is worth a try nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 19:21:27 | More by gcamparone

DannyHartman

3.53/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

As I pour a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass, a clear orangish/gold brew appears.... A thick 1-2 inch head that has good retention floats atop it.... During the drink, decent lacing is left behind.

I take a whiff, and I get pine up front.... Following that, I smell maltiness and citrus like that of mostly grapefruit.

The first thing I notice when tasting is how bready it is.... Then I get citrus (lots of grapefruit).... It's a little hoppy (slightly floral).

This is a medium-bodied brew that is well carbonated.... It's an easy drink that leaves an immediate dry feeling on the palate, but goes away quickly.... Certainly has a decent lingering aftertaste.

Overall, this is an easy-drinking decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 18:54:45 | More by DannyHartman

BierStein711

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a solid beer,

An IPA for people who don't like IPAs.

Two finger head, bottle poured into chalice

Burnt orange in color

Piney, hoppy, and malty like most IPAs, but not as potent as Sierra Nevada.

Mouthfeel is typical for the style.

Overall, this is a fine beer. But, I'm hunting it down for for a six pack soon.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2012 01:46:54 | More by BierStein711

jbphoto88

Texas

3.25/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Acme IPA pours crystal clear and copper blonde in color. Plenty of bubbles with a creamy white head that laces the glass. It's a pretty beer with great curb appeal.

The nose is delicate and not as bold in the hop department as I'd like from an American IPA. It's mostly a roasted grain scent that is toasted and sweet but lacking any resin, citrus, pine you'd expect from this style.

The taste rebounds slightly with a hint of hops but not enough to really save this from average. The grains like the nose take center stage, tasting sweet, toasted and bready. Not much in the hop department which again is disappointing.

Mouthfeel has a delicious coating feel to it that in my opinion is the most pleasing part of this brew. Medium to full bodied with a nice carbonated sizzle makes this an easy session beer despite the lackluster hop presence. I'm happy to drink this one as it tastes good and satisfys my basic need for a beer but it's a middle of the road IPA and one I probably won't recommend to a self respecting hop head.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 22:51:57 | More by jbphoto88

DavidST

Texas

4/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass, impossible to read notched (apparently) bottle date. This pours a light golden color with a large off white head which has decent retention and leaves a lacing. The smells are of hops, some floral, and pine along with some caramel malts. The feel is medium. The taste is pretty good, some spicy flavors, along with some bitter hops and a nice sweet sugary finish. Not the best IPA but a good tasting beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 04:17:22 | More by DavidST

mpedara429

Massachusetts

3.38/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: A hazy, golden color. Poured out with two fingers of white head with good retention and sticky lacing.

S: Not too overpowering with floral, lemon, and piney notes. Sweet caramel malt is definitely present.

T: Similar to the smell. Seems kind of tart probably because of the lemony citrus hops. There is a big herbal and floral flavor. Light malt backbone.

M: Light to medium body with light carbonation. Goes down smooth and clean with little residual.

O: I'm not interested in having this one again. It was bland and boring. If you are into floral/herbal IPA, then this is a must have. Otherwise, It didn't seem much better than other IPAs I could get for half of the price and worse than ones I could get for the same price.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 07:14:25 | More by mpedara429

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

3.93/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

ACME California IPA poured a clear golden color, with a nice head. Their wasn't a strong aroma, but hints of floral notes. The taste had a nice solid hoppy flavor, with slight bits of malts coming through. Good full flavor, and drinkable. Overall a very solid IPA.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 02:50:43 | More by vette2006c5r

harperman69

Tennessee

3.85/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up in Corinth Ms, usually a wasteland for craft beer, but Pizza Grocery is a nice little oasis and their food is pretty damn good as well. On to the beer!

Poured a light golden color leaving a finger tall head. Smell is somewhat piney with a little more complexity to be desired. Left a thick beautiful lacing as it drank.

Mouthfeel was spot on for what I expect out of an IPA. carbonation was mild, nothing too bubbly as I poured it down the gullet.

Man those floral hops came out as it slapped the taste buds. Got a good citrusy vibe mainly grapefruit as it broke down. Clean and crisp and way easy to drink, this is really on the verge of being a great session beer might be slightly high on the alcohol side. Will definitely buy again.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 16:40:12 | More by harperman69

BryanCarey

Texas

3.4/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Golden in color with tinges of orange, this beer has a nose that is mild by IPA standards, but still offers some noticeable citrus, bread, and a touch of pine. The foam is good at first, but it settles down and behaves itself for the duration.

Taste- wise, this IPA is a little milder than I expected for a North Coast product. Its flavor profile is one of citrus, light pine, and lightly toasted malts. The finish is bitter, but only slightly so, and the taste continues to go back to that of citrus fruits like tangerine and grapefruit.

This is a nicely balanced IPA, but I must say that, for a North Coast product, it leans a little too far toward the tame side. After all, this is the company that brought Old Rasputin to the world and with a beer that big, bold, and incredible, I expect greater things than Acme California IPA. Still, it is a decent beer overall and certainly nothing I would turn away. It has some nice flavor characteristics but I wish North Coast would develop them more thoroughly so that I could rate this a great beer. Until then, it is still a good beer that most will like but not the amazing beer it promises to be.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 04:02:44 | More by BryanCarey

ubenumber2

Arkansas

3.48/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I feel bad reviewing an IPA because I'm not a huge hop head , but for people who are not maybe this will help.

Poured from 12 ounce bottle , its a very pretty beer , thats what my wife said anyhow. Nice head and I've have never had a beer that had lacing like this beer had.

Smell and flavor were pleasant , they didnt go overboard with things I dont believe , crisp tasting beer with that citrus aroma .

Over all its a good beer , I proballly wont purchase another ,just because I'm not an huge IPA fan and I just wanted to try another North Coast product

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 19:07:49 | More by ubenumber2

chinchill

South Carolina

3.78/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz undated bottle served in a Samuel Smith becker.

pours a clear amber with a large off-white head. The head settles fairly quickly but leaves an exceptional coating on the glass. A small amount of sediment lines the bottom of the bottle.

A fine aroma of citrus hops with a touch of earthy and herbal elements. The herbal part is more prominent in tasting. The flavor is juicy but becomes more earthy by the aftertaste. Medium bitterness and hop flavor.

O: A good if not particularly distinguished IPA.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 00:53:13 | More by chinchill

blackcompg

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from their 12oz bottle...

Appearance - Poured 2 fingers of gorgeous foamy eggshell head, body is a slightly hazy orange amber, a full cap remains for the session and leaves intermittent lacing.

Smell - Not a big nose on this one - light bready malts, mild citrus, touch of grapeftuit.

Taste - Starts bready malts with light citrus and tropical flavors of tangerine, ruby red grapefruit, touch of mango - also getting some nice floral hop flavors, there is some grapefruit pith long into the finish.

Mouthfeel - Lighter side of medium, medium carb is smooth and barely cleansing, a foaming silky feel to it. The finish is slightly dry with a hint of chalk. Nice overall and pretty drinkable.

Overall - There are some nice flavors here and some complexity, fairly well balanced. The floral hops win the show with this ipa, a little more citrus would go a long way, but still a very nice ipa. If you like floral hops then try this one for sure.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 04:19:13 | More by blackcompg

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.08/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a tulip glass

A- Pours a very hazy golden orange with a one finger off white head. A classic unfiltered IPA.

S- A lot of sharp pine in this one. There is a ton of grapefruit. Some lighter lemony citrus. A big breaddy malt backbone to smooth it out.

T- A relatively low bitterness up front. Followed up but a piney resinous hop flavor. A really clean palate. Slight caramel breaddy malts. A crisp pilsner style malt. Some lemon grass. A really nice tasting IPA.

M- This beer is low on the bitter scale of IPA's. It has a nice feel to it, extremely silky. clean palate. Very drinkable.

O- Another impressive beer from north coast. This is a classic west coast IPA. While it may not be on par with a stone or green flash IPA, it holds its own and wont disappoint.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 23:33:38 | More by TwelveOunces