Just Outstanding IPA - Kern River Brewing Company

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

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

Thanks to Deuane for sharing this growler with Team D(r)INK on 5/1/10.

A - Poured a clear, light amber/orange body with golden tones and a hefty cap of white froth on top that receded into a thin patch and produced an elaborate canopy of sticky lacing.

S - Pretty dank, weed-like aroma akin to hemp. Lots of leafy green hops in there with just a hint of sweet malt. There are also some perfumy notes reminiscent of patchouli oil.

T - First toke... er, sip... reveals a leafy hop character eerily similar to the sweetleaf. Malt character is pretty sweet as well. Finishes with a hint of citrus hops, which provides a slight deviation from the dankness of this IPA.

M - Medium bodied with a sllick, oily texture and light carbonation. Finish is quite dry and bitter on the palate.

D - Hippies rejoice! This is liquid weed, or at least it seems to be (never smoked it... honest... but I saw scores of rock and metal concerts, so I am familiar with the smell). Really aromatic, dank and tasty hop-forward IPA that I enjoyed more than the Citra DIPA.

Serving type: growler

05-11-2010 01:29:45 | More by ffejherb

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.33/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a nice lighter golden color with a nice head. Nose was citrus, floral and hoppy. Taste was a a blast of hops up front, the dry hopping was very evident. Mouthfeel was nice and smooth a great hop bite and finish. Very good and highly drinkable.

Serving type: growler

11-15-2009 16:17:58 | More by barleywinefiend

ReDave

California

4.58/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a growler at Kern River Brewing on the way to a camping trip up River, sure glad i did!

Pours a orange golden amber, with a decent head.
Wow what a nose! This is one of the best aroma's I've had in awhile [must not have had a green flash in awhile?]
pine grapefruit.

Great taste Hoppy but a malt backbone, pretty well balanced
Wish this was closer to home!

The Growler was perfect and the carbonation was good
the staff was very nice, and this place didn't pitch a fit with ordering an IPA for a growler like *some* places....
Will be going back some day

Serving type: growler

08-27-2009 19:43:28 | More by ReDave

EgadBananas

Louisiana

4.2/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Big ups to Kenric! Can't believe I've never had this before!

Lightly hazy orange body, off white fire of head, great retention and lace. Aroma was bright with citrus and tropical fruits, pine and flowery aromas. Clean bready malts. Medium bitterness, juicy citrus and lemon zest, mango, pine resins and fresh cut grass. Light bready malt backbone. Medium body, rich and oily, clean bitterness, insanely drinkable.

Just Outstanding is fitting.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 22:00:14 | More by EgadBananas

dougfur

New York

4.23/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours a nice orangey straw color, with a little haze. The head is nice with some creaminess to it. Smell is pretty classic american hoppiness; citrus, pine, etc. It's not really strong, but it's quite nice! The taste doesn't quite live up to the smell though. It's good, but the hops just aren't there the way I wish they were and it's maybe a tad on the bitter side too. Mouthfeel is good in all respects. Overall, this is a really good ipa and I'd be happy to drink it any time, but I feel like it could be easily tweaked a bit to make it better. Just a little more hop forwardness in the taste to match the smell. Oh well, it's probably a good thing that every brewer doesn't think exactly the same way I do...

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 23:50:06 | More by dougfur

flydudehsv

California

5/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

22 oz. bottle from Mammoth Liquor. Lots of caramel in the aroma with some citrus hops, light mango, and faint pineapple. It pours slightly hazy amber with a small white head that leaves behind spotty lacing. The flavor starts with a light watery caramel fruitiness. Almost all the flavor comes in the finish with an increased caramel presence and a moderate dose of grapefruit hoppiness. Medium bodied with a soft mouthfeel and light carbonation. Awesome IPA!

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 08:18:06 | More by flydudehsv

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.95/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear amber color with a really tall frothy off white head. Head is as tall as the beer in the Alchemist glass I'm using.

Smells of juicy American hops, some orange citrus, some floral notes, a bit of bitter pine.

Taste is mostly sticky bitter piney hops, very little citrus. Strong malt backbone, a somewhat sweet bready character in the mouth but finishes mostly bitter.

Carbonation is really good with a full mouthfeel, very refreshing.

Not quite "outstanding" but definitely a really good IPA.

7.9/10

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 01:01:37 | More by AlexFields

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

3.66/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From BeerAdvocate magazine Issue #63 (Apr 2012):

LOOK: Dirty peach; thick, creamy white head

SMELL: Intensely floral, orange grove, catty, mint, hemp seed, vegetal, clean alcohol, cookie dough

TASTE: Piney hop, chocolate mint, fresh citric fruits, bready malt backbone, warming alcohol, very juicy, hemp, faint cattiness, yeast, fresh-cut grass, aspirin, caramel, hoppy finish

“Just Outstanding” and “The Name Says It All” might look cool on a label, but it's a ballsy stretch and honestly, we simply expected much more. In a world saturated with IPAs, this one is actually “just good,” which ain't bad either, but it ain't all that.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 00:38:46 | More by BeerAdvocate

rlee1390

Indiana

4.3/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A-Cloudy orange/amber, one finger head, nicely carbonated that leaves behind some lacing.

S-Hops, both grass and citrus. With a nice malt character as well. Slight amounts of caramel.

T-Starts with citrus, grapefruit, grass and even some lemon. Strong malt character as well. Nice bitterness in the finish. Pine is there as well.

M-Medium bodied, hop resins with some carbonation.

O-An solid IPA. Not really Outstanding, but damn good.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 19:33:43 | More by rlee1390

Philousa

California

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Imbibed at Gourmet Haus for Kern Rover tap takeover, 2/11/13.

Pours a very pale yellow, clear, with thick two finger head. Looks delicious in the nonic it was served in. The head dissipated relatively quickly and lacing suffers as a result. Tr aroma is nothing but hops: grapefruit, lemon, and pine in a Pliny type way with more pine. I get a cracker aroma from the glass with a good swirl. Where the aroma is light the taste plays as shade. Flavor reflects the aroma but it turns very bitter. It's not harsh, but overpowering and it lingers. Lets you know what kind of beer you're drinking. Don't really get much malt from this showcase of hops. Finish is slightly dry while feel is light. Just Outstanding is aptly named. I'd pick one up if I ever see it, but its no Pliny clone an stands on its own.

Serving type: on-tap

02-12-2013 17:12:05 | More by Philousa

popery

California

4.28/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a medium amber-gold. A little cloudy/hazy. Mediocre head. Soapy bubbles that require a rather hard pour to build up into a respectable layer of foam, and even then, it fades to an off-white sheet after a minute or so. Big hoppy aroma. Lots of grapefruit, pine and grass notes, and they tend toward the sweet end of those flavors. Mild caramel malt background. Everything blends together really nicely. Very tasty IPA. Lots of hop flavor throughout the beer. Good bitterness, and it never really gets bland. Low to medium malt sweetness, just a clean caramel note. Mouthfeel is medium-light. Pleasant hop oiliness. A round mouthful of flavor. This is a really good IPA. It's easy to drink and has lots of hop flavor. On a sidenote, this bottle doesn't seem to fit my notes about two years ago. I remember a better heard, brighter aromas and a bit more bitterness in the finish. Not sure what's going on with that.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 07:57:57 | More by popery

scottfrie

California

4.01/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle into snifter. Reviewed from notes.

A: Pours golden with a great thick head that lasted nearly the whole beer through. Great sticky lace.
S: Huge notes of citrus and mint on the nose. I get a touch of cat piss Simcoe as well.
T: More cat urine mixed with pine and bitter citrus rind. Malt is barely noticeable but adds some balancing sweetness. The finish is leafy and green tasting with fresh hops and the aftertaste is lingering and bitter.
M: Medium-full body, bubbly carbonation, drinks well.
O: I can definitely see why people love this, it’s a great balanced and super hoppy beer. It’s just not my favorite hop profile in an ipa.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 21:33:31 | More by scottfrie

RashyGrillCook

California

4.15/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served out of a bomber into a Holy Mackerel pint glass while watching the Steelers vs the Cowboys.

A: Beautiful clear golden, orange with a great rocky, two finger head.

S: Mostly pine but there is some bright grapefruit zest to back it up

T&M: Somewhat thick, oily body that coats the back of the tongue thoroughly. Nowhere near as drying as most of the IPAs I've had(which is a good thing). Taste follows the nose but with a hint of bready malt coming in. Pine is still the forefront with some clean citrus notes.

O: A very clean, well made and deserving brew. This is exactly as it has been named. Just Outstanding!

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 00:41:53 | More by RashyGrillCook

Rau71

California

4.6/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22oz Bomber into a Sierra Nevada Tumbler Pint Glass.

Smells like american hops, and I love it.

Pours a Clear Light Amber with half finger head.

This beer is just like the name says, Just Outstanding. It is easily one of my favorite beers, and a top 3 IPA for sure, it is fantastic. The citrusy hops present a very nice bitterness without tasting skunky or overly bitter. It is smooth and tasty all the time. I wish they had a larger distro area.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 03:21:06 | More by Rau71

suspect

New York

4.35/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle courtesy of blguillen into a Bruery Tulip courtesy of said blguillen.

A: Crystal clear golden color with plenty of amber notes to fit the bill of an AIPA. Mildly aggressive pour leads to a thick huge 2.5 finger rocky pure white head that doesn't disappear not no way not no how. Tons of sticky lacing. Beautiful beer.

S: Big top resiny hop aroma with fresh cut grass and a malt bed that makes the hops the star of the show.

T: Really follows the nose with the grassy Simcoe hop taking center stage and the malt bill to follow. Not bitter, wonderfully balanced.

M: Smooth crisp finish. Medium body. Plenty of good carbonation.

O: Solid IPA. Perfectly suited for little ol' me to take down at least a bottle, probably more. Oh to have Kern River local. A boy can dream....

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 02:11:45 | More by suspect

cfrances33

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pour: Deep, hazy orange with to fingers of off white, incredibly sticky head. Very frothy, and hangs around for a long time. Leaves great lacing.

Smell: Huge burst of sweet, juicy pineapple and mango up front, followed by some grapefruit. Next is quite a hefty amount of caramel sweetness.

Taste: Follows the nose with loads of pineapple. Some grapefruit and tangerine as well, but a large caramel backbone comes in and mingles with the citrus fruits through the finish.

Mouthfeel: Very juicy, but on the heavier side for style. Still, clean, juicy bitterness makes this a real winner. Sticky, but in a good way. Drinks like a DIPA.

Overall: A very nice IPA from Kern. Not mindblowing, but a really, really nice change of pace.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 02:53:46 | More by cfrances33

ThePaleRider

California

4.55/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Toronado in San Diego

A - Perfect orange that is slightly hazy. One finger of white head with small bubbles that sticks to the glass very nicely.

S - Light nose. Pine, light grapefruit, and some bready malts.

T - Light bitter bite. Almost too smooth for an IPA, but this isn't a fault. Easy drinking with crisp pine up front that really mellows out into a smooth, sweet malty finish. Really amazing IPA that gets better and better as you drink it.

M - Medium body with really nice carbonation.

O - Another outstanding IPA from Kern River. Very sessionable and so smooth. These guys are true masters with hops.

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2012 16:44:36 | More by ThePaleRider

kojevergas

California

3.08/5  rDev -27.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

1 pint 6 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a New Belgium goblet in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are through the roof given the reputation of this one. That said, I was very disappointed by the last two highly regarded beers I tried tonight (Bell's Expedition Stout & Two Hearted). 6.8% ABV confirmed

Served after a period of rest from the refrigerator. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a two finger beige colour head of nice rolling smooth cream, nice thickness, and good retention for the fairly high ABV. Colour is a semitransparent copper. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: Floral hops, pine hops, grapefruit citrus hops, clean malts, and cream. An average strength aroma.

T: Floral hops, soap, a bit of salt, some grapefruit, clean malts, and maybe some light pine. I don't know what's going on with my taste buds but I keep drinking IPAs that are soapy and salty. It's decently put together, but I expected far better. Not real well balanced - especially not with those soapy off-flavours. A bit simple. Not real subtle, but nicely clean. Gets better as it warms.

Mf: Smooth, wet, clean, and moderate on the palate. Suits the flavours generally.

Dr: I don't get the hype on this one. Too salty and soapy. I really had high hopes for this beer. I might try it again on draught. Elsewise, I'm content to leave this one on the shelf for people who will enjoy it more. Drinkable but boring. Quite pedestrian.

C+

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 03:53:21 | More by kojevergas

Vonerichs

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clear amber color with a tall white, dense head. There's a considerable amout of retention and lacing.

The hops seem subdued in the smell. There's no mistaking it for an IPA, but the grainy malt really tones down the hops to a dull citrus smell.

The malt plays a pretty strong role in this. The hops are dominant, but there's a strong balance. Grapefruit, pineapple, and some light floral flavors exist.

Mouthfeel is clean and moderately dry. It's has low bitterness.

This was a pretty good IPA, but far from outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 01:47:05 | More by Vonerichs

Hopheadjnr

4.4/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from bottle into tulip glass.

A...pours a hazy amber color with a nice two finger head.

S...malty, yeasty and can actually smell some alcohol

T...a very robust yet balanced taste overall. There is alot of malt in here an d tons of hops. Really comes together nice. The bitterness of the hops is balanced out by semi sweet
fresh baked bread.

M...nice carbonation. A pretty full mouth feel. Nice body.

O...a really good ipa. Gives you all the hoppyness youre looking for but, keeps it balanced. Very pleasant beer. I wrk definitely buy again.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 02:58:44 | More by Hopheadjnr

cxr1037

California

4.23/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle (thanks Alex) into a tulip. I was afraid this bottle was going to explode as I rode a train with it all the way back home from Bakersfield, but it held up just fine!

appearance: A clean, warm amber color. Modest head that fades away gradually.

smell: Hops, but not overpowering. A little phenolic/resinous. Piney. Lots of malts, too.

taste: Citrusy, piney, with lots of malt balancing things out quite nicely. The bottle says it has a "large malt character and a huge hop profile". This is pretty accurate, and I think both come together perfectly in this beer. Other reviewers say refreshing, and I absolutely agree!

mouthfeel: Good carbonation, not much but certainly enough. Bitter on the palate but not too heavy.

finish: Citrusy bitterness, balanced out by the "large malt character".

overall: After a short train trip up to Bakersfield and back, this is the perfect way to end the weekend. Very refreshing, well balanced...this is now one of my favorite IPAs. I can't wait to try more Kern River Brewing Company beers!

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 03:28:36 | More by cxr1037

stxSS07

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bomber into a tulip. Huge thanks to beachstrength49.

A- Pours a great-looking luminescent golden-orange with 2 fingers of pillowy white head that fades away pretty quickly, but leaves some of the nicest cobweb lacing I’ve seen in a long time. Beautiful looking brew. 4.5

S- Piney/grassy hop resin, bright citrusy orange juice character, good amount of malty backbone comes through with a touch of graininess. 4

T- Not as bitter/dank as the nose suggested with WAY more citrus notes present. Juicy orange and grapefruit slosh around with waves of pine/resin to make some kind of delicious hop-punch. Bready malts with just a hint of toast follow up on the end. Dee-licious. 4.

M- Incredibly light-bodied for how much flavor this packs. Reminiscent of Zombie Dust in its super-refreshing character. 4.5

O- Easily one of the better IPAs I’ve had. 4.5

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2012 04:59:53 | More by stxSS07

kemoarps

Missouri

4.1/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big ole' head on this, capping a rich hazy amber brew.

Good balanced smell, I can pick up the hops, but they don't dominate. Resinous with a light sweet backdrop

This is a very well balanced beer. It's not as underwhelming as some sweet/malty IPAs I've had, but the hops aren't as overbearing as many of their west coast counterparts. Well balanced, with almost a subtlety to it. The maltiness doesn't dilute, but compliments this citrusy hop presence. I've been excited to try this one since I picked it up, and do not feel disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 23:25:26 | More by kemoarps

UCLABrewN84

California

4.38/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy honey orange with a 2 inch foamy light tan head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. A foamy latticework of lace coats the glass on the drink down but slowly dissipates over time. Smell is of citrus fruit, citrus zest, tropical fruit, and some herbal hop aromas. Taste is of citrus zest, grapefruit juice, tropical fruit, and some malt on the finish. There is a fairly mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp and medium bodied mouthfeel. Overall, this is a great beer that is tasty and super easy to drink with its awesome aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 02:14:41 | More by UCLABrewN84

WillCarrera

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bomber, no bottled-on date, poured into a tulip glass. Picked this up just 3 days after it arrived at the store, so it should be pretty fresh.

A- Slightly hazy golden color topped with an inch of fluffy white head, nice retention, leaves tons of thick, crusty lacing.

S- Grassy, fruity hops, grapefruit and pine resin, it smells nice but pretty standard. Not picking up much malt aroma at all.

T- More tropical fruit and pine, fruit flavors of grapefruit, orange and pineapple. The hops are moderately bitter, not as strong as I was expecting for a West-Coast IPA. Light caramel malts provide balance. Finish is bitter and grassy with a bit of peppery spiciness.

M- Medium-bodied, medium to low carbonation, smooth feel with a dry finish.

O- A solid IPA, it's very drinkable but the hop flavor isn't quite as bold or vivid as I would have liked.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 05:43:04 | More by WillCarrera