Jaipur IPA - Thornbridge Brewery

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.23/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Handpump half-pint at the Coal Hole.

A: Slightly hazy gold body under a thin white head. Not much in the way of retention, but nice lace. Not bad.

S: Bitter, floral hops, bready malt, and a hint of sour, fruity funk - lacto?

T: Definitely a little funky, but not in a terrible way. Sour fruit opens things up, followed by some biscuity malt and a hugely bitter, grapefruity finish. Flawed, but nice intensity.

M: Hugely effervescent for cask, with tons of fine soft carbonation filling out a medium body.

O: I assumed at first that this was an example of a poorly-kept cask, but it didn't taste stale or oxidized - just slightly infected with crisply sour lacto (and hence the fault of the brewer, and something I believe deserves to be mentioned in a review). I kind of enjoyed it, but can't score it too highly for the style. If I get a chance to try it again, I certainly will - the grapefruit finish suggested that a cleaner version might be really tasty.

Cheers!

Serving type: cask

06-20-2011 00:55:21 | More by woosterbill

nick76

Florida

3.28/5  rDev -19%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The aroma is sweet and hoppy with citrus, grass, carrots, and caramel malt. The appearance is hazy amber with a huge head for an IPA. The taste is like the aroma but a touch of vegetables and astringent chemicals. Not a good way to finish but thankfully the bad stuff was the weakest part. The palate is thick for an IPA. The beer is drinkable overall but not a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2010 23:22:18 | More by nick76

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

3.28/5  rDev -19%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

500ml bottle: best before 1st Nov 2012, poured into my Abbot Ale glass tankard during an IPA and Porter tasting evening on 11th Aug 2012.

My cask review of this beer wasn't overly complimentary: this bottle review is a bit better.

The beer is a citrus hop brew: it's always hazy/cloudy, smells and tastes hoppy and citrusy. It's fine, but not great in my eyes.

Still can't see the fascination of this beer: nothing wrong with it, but I'm underwhelmed compared to most of my mates.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 19:26:22 | More by BlackHaddock

WeedKing4

Ontario (Canada)

3.3/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up at the LCBO. Had a best before of july sometime this year. Pours a bright golden yellow with a good amount of head. Tastes of grassy and lemon like notes. Has a crisp taste to it, but the flavour fades kinda quickly to an average finish. Don't think I will go out of my way for this one again.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 22:17:29 | More by WeedKing4

ZenAgnostic

Texas

3.43/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

1 point 0.9 fl oz bottle poured into a Duvel tulip. No date found.

Appearance - Super cloudy yellow body. Enormous white foamy head. Decent to low stick. Great retention.

Smell - Musky corn. Wet cardboard. Yeast. Mild citrus character.

Taste - Moderately hoppy. Lime peel bitterness. Citrusy all around. Balanced. Light bodied overall.

Mouthfeel - Sharp. Medium bodied. Plenty of carbonation to smooth out the texture.

Overall Drinkability - Enjoyable. Decently complex. If I was in the mood for something bitter, or was trying to pair this with a meal, I might enjoy it substantially more because it has good balance and presentation of characters. Unfortunately, it's not so great at being a stand-alone beer on this ocassion. Still worth checking out. No off characters.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 04:48:20 | More by ZenAgnostic

claspada

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a light honey golden shade with a peachy hue, a small white head atop, dissipates averagely.

Aromas are lighter with some biscuit malt and faint leafy hops. Really not much hops though, not typical of any IPA style but I will hold judgement.

Flavors have a decent spice kick to them, a bit of hoppy sharpness (all earthy/citrus hops but they are balanced well, subtle), malts are drier than I would have anticipated from the nose. Mouthfeel is good on carbonation and the malt backbone is just enough to keep the bitterness from everwhelming. I wish I could try this fresh or on tap/cask to truely judge/appreciate.

A good beer; a citrus dominated India Pale Ale, but I would call it an ESB if I didn't know better.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2010 21:27:12 | More by claspada

sholland119

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at TJ's, 4/13/11.

A-Clear straw gold with a very thin white head that leaves some nice white lacing.

S-Biscuit malt, some noble hops, very light aroma for the style.

T-Crisp biscuit malt with a light finish of noble hops. The mild bite is fine for the style.

M-light bodied and crisp, slightly buttery.

O-If this were 4.5% ABV, I'd think more highly of it. Too much alcohol and too little flavor for my taste.

HV

Serving type: on-tap

04-14-2011 19:38:04 | More by sholland119

Durge

Connecticut

3.48/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Happy to try this at My Place in Newtown, CT, this English IPA shows a clear pale amber color with a fair white head and very little signs of lacing. The aroma brings solid pine citrus hop and biscuit malt hints. Not bad as English styled IPA's go. The flavor brings very much the same profile as the aroma, no surprises, decent enough and probably a bit more hop than many other British hop brews. I find it to be medium bodied with decent carbonation for a very solid, liquacious feel with a little tinglation. Very nice IPA, not highly memorable but plenty drinkable and worth a revisit anytime.

Serving type: on-tap

10-23-2012 05:48:05 | More by Durge

IronDjinn

Alberta (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Jim at Sherbrooke for the sample. From a 500 ml brown bottle, best before date on back label listed as 07.12.11. Pours out a hazed straw colour, chunky foamy off-white head. Lots of thick, sticky lacing.

Spicy, herbal hops appear first on the nose, along with some dry grains, while bright sweet citrus esters show up later.

Neutral bready malt up front in the flavour that quickly is overlapped with leafy, spicy herbal hops, finishing with more citrus character hops. Very clean finish and aftertaste, the hops are utilized well without being allowed to roam free and go wild.

Medium-bodied mouthfeel, a bit soapy in texture, low carbonation.

Quite the easy-drinker for the style, it holds its own and delivers a hop kick that is more than simply one-dimensional. Malt presence is pretty absent, this one is all about the hops.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2011 21:42:14 | More by IronDjinn

canucklehead

British Columbia (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The main trouble with English beers coming over to BC is even when they just arrive in stores thye often don't taste fresh which is a problem for a beer which relies on floral hops notes and a subtle citrus note. I liked the beer but could detect age in the flavour and a drop in the level of the hops used. It ended tasting a lot like the Brockton IPA from Granville Island when I know fresh it probably more sublime. Not worth the $7 a bottle when I can get fresh Brockton in cans for $12 a six.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2011 15:27:17 | More by canucklehead

jampics2

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Winking Lizard. Served in a pint glass for about $7.

The beer looks nice in the glass. It's a mostly translucent orange color with copper highlights and a touch of gold around the edges, slightly hazed with alluring depths. A beautiful white head leaves great lace.

The smell is OK. I'm not a fan of traditional English IPA's compared to American ones, but I can throw out my preference enough to say this has a good hop bill, full of citrus and flowery notes, atop a solid malt base.

The taste is also good, but nothing great. Some grassy hops have touches of citrus and flowers and the malt base has caramel notes with a touch of breadiness. Some spice and biscuit are noted, along with grapefruit and lemon notes and a touch of honey. The fruitiness emerges and the tart touches subside, resulting in lingering bitterness.

The mouthfeel is acceptable. The beer is a bit chewy and grainy in my mouth, but the medium body is bolstered by a decent carbonation. The overall score is between average and good. If you love English IPA's, this is your beer. Not my thing, but a good example of the style overall.

Serving type: on-tap

04-18-2011 15:14:24 | More by jampics2

shanblur

Indiana

3.53/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Local Option in Chicago. Served in a tulip. Slightly hazy straw color. Thick white lacing clings to the glass. Muted hops and malts with a distinct floral aroma. Wheat flavor with a floral hops finely integrated. Not overpowering. Medium body with a light carbonation. A nice easy drinker. Recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2012 20:28:48 | More by shanblur

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Best Before 24.07.12. Poured in to Founders Tulip.

A - Medium bright yellow, very slightly hazy. One finger of bright white head formed with good retention and moderate lacing.

S - Big grassy hop aroma up front with some earthy tones balanced by some sweet bready malts. Bitterness is seemingly low to moderate.

T - A fairly big bitterness up front. Big grassy hop profile with a touch of lemon. The malt base provides some sweetness and some grainy/bready notes. The finish is better and dry.

M - Medium body with moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2012 01:51:34 | More by TheSevenDuffs

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours out as a clear golden color with a thin fizzy white head on it. The lacing it very light but does show around the glass. The smell of the beer is lightly citrusy with a good amount of malts in there too. The taste of the beer is a little on the weak side, I do like the flavor flavors it does have though. Mouthfeel was pretty thin actually, the carbonation was limited but had enough to kelp it interesting. Overall it's a pretty nice regular ipa.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2011 23:39:53 | More by Knapp85

TerryW

Ontario (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Good looking beer, hazy golden yellow under a long-lived head that leaves lots of lace.

Nose is grassy and hoppy with lemon citrus. Appetizing. Taste is grapefruit peel, grass, hint of lemon in the finish. Strong bitterness that lingers for quite a long time. Comes across with a full mouthfeel, not a light brew.

Decent worth and worth a try, but a little too bitter to be a fave.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 22:26:48 | More by TerryW

uno99

Ontario (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Wanted to try this one ever since it was mentioned and featured on the UK show "Oz and James Drink to Britain". I'd recommend this show to any beer geek; it's a fantastic trek across England in search of the perfect drink, and offers alot of laughs and insight.

A: Poured straight into the bottom of my Duvel Tulip did this beer justice. The head is huge and bright, and leaves some fantastic lacing and a little mound of foam floating on the top.

S: Quite ripe and fresh smelling despite the few month old bottle. Not sure what these hops are but they aren't particularly floral or citrus. Somewhere in the middle. Slight honey, earth scent.

T: Hops are more citrus on the finish. Lemon and grassy. Finish is long and pleasant.

M: Love the dry and long finish. carbonation is fairly high but some swirling gets rid of that a bit.

Overall, I wasn't blown away by this but its certainly sessionable and well crafted. I would love to try the cask version or a fresher bottle.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 23:45:38 | More by uno99

Cozzatoad

Italy

3.68/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle, best before february 2012

A- Light golden with a hint of haziness. Dense one-finger white head that shows nice retention and lacing

S- Quite strong fruit notes of citrus and grapefruit among a biscuity feel from the malts. Simple, nice aroma. Maybe the slightest hint of floral hops as well

T- Malt profile is on the back of things, but still appears to have it's own complexity, with caramel notes and some vague kind of a buttery feel that has the beer feeling quite strong in body. Then of course hops: citrus, grapefruit, mango as well as a slightly resinous feel. A nice, refreshing bitterness builds up in the aftertaste, which is quite more bitter than the palate suggested

M- Not so light in body despite the slightly lower ABV if compared to similar beers (and i mean beers that cross the borders between english and american ipas). Carbonation feels quite active and dense on both tongue and palate, but somehow manages to feel nicely delicate

O- A nicely balanced and easily drinkable ipa. Felt a bit heavy on my stomach for a couple for hours, but maybe it was just me

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 19:03:41 | More by Cozzatoad

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.68/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a hazy deep blonde color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and some pretty good lacing. Aroma of floral hops with light dry notes with clean cereal notes is quite enjoyable and seems to be split between an American and British IPA. Taste is also a great mix between some floral and hoppy notes with a dry finish with some clean cereal notes with some light residual sugar coming through. Body is about average with good carbonation. Love the mix between citrus hops and floral dry British hops notes.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 19:45:35 | More by Phyl21ca

haz77

United Kingdom (England)

3.7/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a pale gold with a thick 2 fingers of white head. Looks to have very little carbonation. A thick cap firmly sits atop the liquid.

S - Lime zest, herbal hops, peach, mown grass.

T - Initially citrus comes through and becomes more rounded in the middle as the creaminess of the mouthfeel smoothes it out. Ends with a nice tangy herbal hop bite and a long finish of tobacco and pine

M - Really good. Moderate, initially cleansing carbonation disappears in the middle of the drink and a velvety mouthfeel takes over in the middle of the drink. This is nicely offset by the refreshing kick of hops that comes though at the end.

D - Not the most overly complex IPA, but nicely balanced and an impressive mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2011 11:27:40 | More by haz77

CuttDeez

Virginia

3.73/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On cask into a snifter

A - This pours a hazy golden with a few brass notes. There is not much head but I did not expect on with the cask.
S - A very light floral hop with a little bit of fruit. It is an herbal hop and not an overly sweet hop.
T & M & O - A very smooth IPA. There was a small amount of malt taste and some very nice herbal fruit notes. Very much mimicing the nose of the beer. Once again the cask made it not carbinated, but it did make the beer creamy and more medium bodied.

I want to try this beer with some carbination on it. Until then I believe this is a good IPA but nothing that will blow you away.

-Cheers

Serving type: cask

03-23-2011 02:00:14 | More by CuttDeez

gatornation

Minnesota

3.73/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

from a 500ml bottle into pint glass

A- pours a light golden tea color with a fluffy head and some good lacing,minimal lacing with a fresh collar

S- pine and citrus hops abound with malts and grass,some grain and bread

T- is nice its a nice floral hops start with wet grass and malt a biiter pine taste and sweet bread

M- like a pale ale with malt and hops,medium carbonation

O- tasty and crisp a nice hop profile with malts..like a PA to me

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 21:57:21 | More by gatornation

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from the LCBO, best before July 24, 2012. 500ml into a tulip.

Hazy yellowish-orange, surprisingly almost no head was formed (no hiss or pop either when I popped the cap...). Some clear bubbles form a head, but that's about it. Faint floral and lemon quality to the nose, touch of citrus zest. More citrus, lemon, and grainy flavours on the palate, definitely some English character to the malt here. Medium body, but a surprisingly very low carbonation. A good beer, but based on this experience (or bottle), I'm not sure if I'd grab another right away.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2012 22:02:55 | More by liamt07

bark

Sweden

3.73/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

The colour is surprisingly pale, reminding of a pilsner (6 EBC) tan anything else. The white head is compact and white; some lacing occurs.

The smell is hoppy with medium bitterness (for an IPA) and quite a lot of thick sweet notes of pine needles, grapefruit and lemon curd. Minerals and dought in the background.

The taste is bitter and semi-sweet. Lots of citric fruits and -peels. Not much malts, and almost no caramel at all, it is just enough to create a balancing background to the hops. It it clean and focused. Light to medium body. Orange peels, some perfume and grapefruit juice in the aftertaste as well as some clean alcohol and hints of cereals plus a touch of butter. The finish is clean with citric bitterness.

The carbonation is strong; the many small bubbles fresh. The liquid is light and somewhat dry.

A very refreshing and innovative take on the American IPA style. Enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 19:54:26 | More by bark

patre_tim

China

3.74/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Golden unfiltered with lots of white particles floating in it. 3 finger slight yellow head fades moderately fast. Little visible carbonation.

S: Malty, some sourdough, slight musty cellar like quality, grass.

T: Malt, some sourdough, dull bitterness lingers but is not overpowering. Definite English IPA. Bright, quite dry, balanced, relatively smooth.

M: Medium body, medium low carbonation.

O: Good but surprised at how highly others are rating it. It is well balanced. Very versatile, as its pretty middle of the road in taste.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 00:17:00 | More by patre_tim

nerdrocker101

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cask at the Porter.

Pours a clear golden with a rapidly fading and loosely packed, fluffy white head.

The aroma is a little pepper with a pine bouquet.

The taste is a little woody with some flavors of bread, bitter grapefruit and pine.

Warm with low carbonation. Medium body with a lightly syrupy texture with a light bitter finish.

Serving type: cask

09-04-2010 16:18:09 | More by nerdrocker101