Smuttynose IPA "Finest Kind" - Smuttynose Brewing Company

davidsumner

Virginia

3.45/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

First of let me just comment on the bottles add picture. The two old gentlemen on the front of the bottle. They are drinking this beer out of the bottle; which in my opinion is very unfortunate for them because one of the best qualities of this ale is it's frothy head.

The head is awesome. A good 2 fingers after a moderate, average poor. It reminds me of a vanilla malt shake or an Aweful Awful; for those who've ever been to Newport Creamery. Or a good bubble bath for the kids. It's downright thick! It lasts for the duration and the lacing is ridiculous. So I definitely give a 2 thumbs up for the head. ( let me just clarify, it does, after a few minutes, subside some; but it hangs in there strong).

The nose is good, but not great. There is a distinct yummy malt aroma alongside the hops. It is a really good balance and doesn't take a lot of effort to pick up. But I wouldn't call it strong.

So, eventually after the super suds subside, the taste is good. It's not over the top by any means, like an Imperial, but it's there and it's balanced and nice. This is definitely a good quaffable ale that is nice with meals and outside during a hot day.

Another BIG plus for me is that it is unfiltered. I love that.

But.. my only gripe is that it is a liiittttlllee too bitter on the finish. ( which I know, ought to be a defining character of an IPA ) So my own personal preference isn't really a good factor in my rating. But I tend to personally gravitate towards IPA's with a more sweeter finish and not so dry and bitter. Just my personal taste though. All in All though; This IPA has a lot going for it.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 18:34:42 | More by davidsumner

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

I think I got a fairly old bottle. I'll have to re-review it when I get my hands on a fresh bottle or perhaps try it at ACBF next week if I get the chance.

Appearance: It has a nice hazy golden/orange color to it. It has a nice off-white head that dies down moderately and leaves very nice lacing.

Smell: The aromas give out hints of faint citrus, faint pine with bready and grainy malts.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has some resiny pine, faint citrus, some bready notes and grainy malts.

Mouthfeel: It has a medium carbonation with a nice overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with decent flavors and aromas.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 21:00:18 | More by SebD

dheacck11

Connecticut

2.93/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Slightly hazy pale golden orange with a 1/4 finger of dense white foamy head. Nice lacing.

Nose is pretty non existent. Just a hint of lemon. Nothing spectacular.

Taste is pretty hopforward, with dry, straw flavors. Little bit of lemon and orange in the mix, but finish is lots of super dry hops. Mouth puckeringly bitter from the hops.

Feel is a little too thick for all that hoppiness.

I am skeptical that this beer may have been infected, as the tastes are so far from what I expected. Though as time passes drinking it, it does balance a little more. I think it's just not for me. Too much dry hop. Not enough fruit and juice, nor stickiness.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 00:00:51 | More by dheacck11

Andrew041180

Massachusetts

3.6/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured from a 12 ounce bottle approximately six weeks old. The beer is a light copper color with a slight haziness. The beer poured perfectly into a standard pint glass, with the head just barely coming over the rim of the glass. The head retention is incredible, and leaves nice lacing on the glass.

S - Not overwhelmed by the smell. I couldn't pick out anything in particular.

T - Again, not overwhelmed. It's definitely a well-balanced IPA, but I'm only getting a hint of the citrusy flavors that I expected, and a lot of bitterness that doesn't seem to add much.

M - Matches the appearance. This portion of the beer is solid, but weakened by the fact that I didnt' really want to keep the beer in my mouth for all that long.

O - A bit of a disappointment. I'd had it before, but after reading the reviews here I had hoped that my palate would be more welcoming of this East Coast IPA. Unfortunately it was not to be. Good beer, some great aspect, but didn't meet expectations for me.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 23:49:28 | More by Andrew041180

napier51

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I know it is one of the finer IPA's...I am not a 'hoppy' guy but I can drink this if served to me...impressive for an IPA....Smuttynose rarely disappoints me. It was refreshing and had a citrus after-taste. Probably more bitter than I like but that is the nature of IPA's. I will probably buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 20:18:00 | More by napier51

lsummers

California

4.19/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Pours a solid bright orange. Can't see through this at all. Vibrant and inviting.

Smells of grapefruit and some spicy hops. Definite orange/lemon zest.

Taste really is grapefruit and some zest. There's a peppery note that leads into a slight caramelized brown sugar sweetness.

Mouthfeel is mildly carbonated and slightly viscous. Perfect combination for a great lawn mower sipper.

Overall, this is a great ipa that's stands out from the crowd. The color, smell, mouthfeel blend excellently.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 17:26:41 | More by lsummers

ElderBeagle

Maryland

3.81/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A: Wow very cloudy yellow with chunky precipitates floating around all over. Definitely different than what I am used to.

S: Good citrus, grapefruit, and also grain smell.

T: Very dry IPA. I taste the usual cirtusy hops, but man this reminds me alot of a grassy alfalfa flavor as well. Its honestly not very refreshing like a West coast IPA.

M: Medium to full body

O: Full disclosure I had a couple of these after moving furniture for several hours so I was quite thirsty. It was not what I wanted at the time (not thirst quenching). Nonetheless, this is a different IPA and not quite like any other I have had before. I suppose this is an East coast IPA, which is not a bad thing.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 00:25:48 | More by ElderBeagle

Cobrito

Georgia

4.83/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Bottle, best by date of September 2013.

Simply put, the Smuttynose Finest Kind IPA is a standout East Coast IPA for those who love the West Coast style. It's pale golden, unfiltered, and the flavors are beautifully integrated, as indicated by the unique aroma and taste. It combines fruity and vegetal qualities nicely. Perhaps the best thing about it is its long-lasting, gloriously bitter and hoppy finish. Unusually pungent for an East Coast brew, Smuttynose is one of the few East Coast breweries to really get an IPA right. A must try for all true hopheads.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 18:42:26 | More by Cobrito

jimmah120

Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle best by middle of may

chunky golden orange look, smell is like a hoppy wheat beer. lots of tropical fruit in the nose, taste too. sweet and savory marmalade syrup malts, bitter pine and earth hops, and some slight roasty chocolate flavor. leaves a depth of flavor on your tongue.

Very sweet, bitter, and fruity.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 21:20:25 | More by jimmah120

CorvetteMike

Rhode Island

4.2/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

First introduced to this IPA on vacation in Florida.

a: Golden orange color with a 2 finger white head
s: Slight yeast, and malt smell
t: Smooth good taste with some bitterness to it
m: Medium body with slight lingering bitterness
o: Good IPA would recommend this brew. Will buy again in future

Lucky to have another good New England beer

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 01:22:40 | More by CorvetteMike

mfnmbvp

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle, with a best by date of 04/30/2013. Snagged this six pack on sale from the local beer store for $7.99. Haven't had this beer since sometime last year, but I remember enjoying it quite a bit! Poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

A - Semi-aggressive pour yields two fingers of off-white head comprised of tightly packed microbubbles, which falls into a thick white foam. Body is a bright golden orange color with plenty of bubbles rushing to the top, and plenty of sediment floating around the glass. Nice rings of fluffy lacing present themselves as the beer drinks.

S - Nose is comprised of a musty yeast & malt type of smell. Some fruity apple. Some bitter hop presence, but not the typical citrus fruit hops that I'm used to smelling. Some acidic qualities to it also. An underwhelming nose.

T - Again, some bitter hop presence, but not the usual citrus fruit hops. Has a strong malt presence, paired with a bit of sweet green apple skin.

M - Feel is of hop bitterness with a dry finish. Some sweet green apple sweetness, and maybe a touch of mineral water aftertaste.

Overall, a nice take on the style from Smuttynose, the first beer of theirs that I ever tried. A bit more of a malty IPA than I remember, but sometimes it's nice that not every IPA in the world is a citrus hop bomb. Drinkability is high with this one, with a rewarding 6.90% abv. Definitely a sessionable IPA.

Smuttynose IPA "Finestkind" ---4/5.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 00:20:55 | More by mfnmbvp

JMScowcroft

Vermont

4.19/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Smuttynose Brewing Company - Smuttynose IPA "Finest Kind"

Look - Pours copperish amber almost clear (slightly hazy but not what I would call unfiltered) with a good soapy head. Good lacing. Minimal carbonation.

Smell - Malty and bready with faint citrus hoppy overtones. Not aromatic like I wanted or expected but can't win them all.

Taste - Quite a pucker bitter hopt and malt blast, has some bite. East coast style for sure. Crisp and refreshing.

Mouthfeel - Sticky, malty, and rests quite comfortable with citrus hops standing. Not boozy. Mouthfeel is like a DIPA.

Overall - Interesting, from pale ale to IPA to DIPA in one sitting. I found it to be a little overrated in regards to the ratings on here, but I would still recommend this brew and I think it is great.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 11:22:51 | More by JMScowcroft

secondtooth

Indiana

3.8/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Pours a murky golden-amber, with a lush and extravagant head of white suds. Lace is thick and extensive.

Nose is citrus and floral/herbal hops.

Flavor is bitter on the acidic citrus/grapefruit hops, with a nice dose of sweet and sticky malts to balance it out a bit. Finestkind isn't a hop-bomb by any means, but it is a solid American IPA.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 23:08:53 | More by secondtooth

smiga

New Jersey

4.45/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A- Unfiltered, cloudy. Golden orange color with haze - dusk. Original.

S- Smells citrus cross of orange and grapefruit, not over done. inviting. laid back. seaside.

T- Taste LEAPS! Big Wow. Lovely sides of tongue bitterness. Sweet and bitter at once, creamy citrus. A bit of tropical fruit & apricot. Malt is balancing but in background. Lovely stinging, salty, swimming kind of beach sunset IPA. A top East Coast IPA.

M- Great mouth feel & finish. Weighty. Oily. Resinous. Imperial IPA mouthfeel, but not alcoholic.

Food - went great with salty tomato pasta with ham and mushrooms. Would be great with seafood. I got this in the sampler and want to upgrade to get all their IPAs. A great food beer, a great find.

SOUNDS LIKE... you gotta get this one fresh. Check the date as the reviews are great when fresh.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 00:33:33 | More by smiga

nickapalooza86

Wisconsin

3.19/5  rDev -22.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

Well this beer poors a perfect hazy peach color with lots of floaters....

S- Grapefruit, maybe just a small amount of just about everything else, really blends well.

T- Is Perfect a flavor? Well no but grapefuit, citrus and pine are and they are all represented well.

M- Just enough body to keep ya goin. Dry enough to keep you wanting more, but wet enough to make you refreshed

O- If you are a IPA fan and have this in your area drink this instead of whatever IPA you are drinkin right now, Torpedo used to be my #1 but that is no more...

Edit, April 013...

Man I did not want to do this... But I am sick of repicking this beer up... I used to love it... There were floaties then, seems to be semi filtered now, no floaties, just hazy. Had it at different freshnesses over the last couple years and it has just not been consistant...

Smell is malt ya I said it MALT at first, minor citrus in the back

Taste is bitter hops, bitter grapefruit, and muddy malt.. Odd aftertaste...

Mouthfeel is average for the style

Well I have purchased this for the last few years... It seems to have changed a lot in the last couple, I guess it is time to stop buying it. I know they changes something, it used to have floaties fresh and now it does not at 3 months...

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 03:13:19 | More by nickapalooza86

claspada

New Jersey

3.74/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

From notes, pours a dark golden color with a small amount of white head that recedes to leave some spotty lacing.

Aromas begin with a solid citrus and grapefruit hoppiness soon followed by an emerging pine hops presence. As it warms I get some herbal/floral hops with some lesser sweet pale maltiness and toasted white bread.

The tastes follow the nose with a brief blanket of malt sweetnes soon oversome by a big resinous pine and astringent citrus, grapefuit punch. Floral bitterness flavors in the background.

The mouthfeel is medium-light bodied with medium carbonation. Finish is quite heavy towards the bitter, dry end; more resinous than I expected.

Overall this is a good IPA but just not the flavor profile I look for in my IPAs nowadays. These intense grapefruit and pine flavors were fine when they were novel, but now I would much rather prefer a more aroma forward or balanced offering.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 19:14:52 | More by claspada

KYGunner

Kentucky

3.79/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Fresh bottle poured into a pint had a golden coloring. Nice fluffy head held on for some time.

Light lemon essence in the nose there was a thin maltiness. Hints of grapefruit and floral hops end the scent but all in all entirely too weak.

Touches of piney resin mixed with brewed tea, malt and earth tones. Hints of citrus balance out the flavor but don't come to the forefront.

Overall not a bad IPA, easy to drink, hints of diversity and a telling smoothness.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 22:26:47 | More by KYGunner

Bones10

Illinois

2.8/5  rDev -32.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.75

Very disappointed.

Opened a bottle dated best by 8/25/13.

With 4 months left on the best by date, I was of the assumption I would be in for a fresh treat. Wrong! I am kicking myself for passing on some March crafted Two Hearted(Crap!).

Smuttynose, get some QC quick, your beer was good last year, now it is bad. I had a single a while back and enjoyed it. This batch tastes like they forgot all the hops except the amarillo, its just a bitter mess. I would have been kinder had I not known what a good batch can be. Very upset at this offering, I feel like Smuttynose owes me an apology.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 03:35:48 | More by Bones10

stewart124

Ohio

4.4/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Pours a deep golden color with sediment and a dense white head. The label warns about sediment. Very pretty spider lacing.

Nose of pine, grapefruit and just a bit of juicy fruit.

Puckering initially. Whoa. 75ibus. Hop resin and its like biting into a grapefruit. The pale malts do little to hide the hop bitterness but I believe that was the point. Medium mouthfeel and a dry finish.

Lingering pine on the tongue and my tastebuds scream for more.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 01:18:36 | More by stewart124

Burkbom23

Connecticut

3.68/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Dull, cloudy gold in color with a nice foamy white head that doesnt go anywhere. Tons of sticky lacing all the way down. I wish this head was on a better looking beer! Got whiff of barnyard as soon as i put my nose to it which was a little off putting at first. As it warmed up got notes of citrus and orange peel and some wheat aroma as well. The smell was more pleasant as it went on. When I tasted it I sensed some faint malt/sweetness and a little breadiness up front. Not far into the sip the hops take over and completely dominate the beer from there. Hopsgalore. Very bitter hop profile. Some alcohol. Taste of hops lingers long after you have put the glass down. Medium body with a warming feeling from the alchol and a really good bite. This is beer is far from balanced. Hops are the star of the show and make it a bold brew

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 03:12:18 | More by Burkbom23

ktblue22

Vermont

4.45/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Delicious wonderful IPA from my birth state :-)

Gorgeous hazy burnt orange in color with a frothy head. Very citrusy lots of grapefruit delicious IPA very refreshing! Mouthfeel is gritty and highly carbonated - you can tell how fresh this beer is. Highly recommend with some smoked chipotle salsa

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 22:30:03 | More by ktblue22

Greywulfken

New York

4.04/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: into a nonic pint, pushed up a mass of tan bubbly foam - head persisted all the way down, but had a congealed squishy look toward the end that wasn't too appealing. The beer was deep gold but with a some rather chunky pieces of sediment in the haze.

S: crisp citric hops and fresh pale malt

T: bitter, up-front hops suggestive of lemon pith and with a bitterness like that of an unsweetened espresso; great pale malts and floral hops.

M: smooth, crisp, lingering bitterness, light body

O: a really good IPA - a good go-to kinda beer - definitely has an American workingman-beer feel, and I guess that was the idea... Thought the appearance was a little off-putting for an IPA, but that's just my opinion (I infer that they were going for that from the description provided).

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 20:33:08 | More by Greywulfken

AmitC

Indiana

3.96/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter. Best before date of 6/4/13

Color is strawish pale. A lot of haze and suspension. Too much yeast and hops floating around giving it a dirty look. One finger thick white head with decent retention. Excellent lacing on the sides. Heavily translucent.

Aroma is low to moderate in strength. Very disappointing for an exceptional IPA. Weed like notes, very slight grapefruit and raw mango. Some grass if i may say. A good amount of malt with some spices added in. Everything faint as hell and asking you to sniff it out.

Taste is better. The hop profile is complex and a mix of lot of different type of hops i would assume. Some weed like flavors, very slight citrus and some earthiness. Malts do take a back seat but support the hops really well. Bitterness is mild yet is felt.

Mouth feel is medium bodied. No warmth and no astringency. Smooth and drinks really well. Just a very decent IPA nothing exceptional about it.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 05:03:10 | More by AmitC

HeadyHopper32

New Jersey

4.46/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

A- Unfliltered; very cloudy. Burnt orange color when held up to a light.

S- Smells like an orange with a bit of cinnamon sprinkled over it. Spicy, but a bright spice. Not one of the best smelling IPAs, but it's not off-putting in any way. Still, not it's strongest category.

T- What it lacks in smell, this beer makes up for in taste. Wow. Big back of the tounge bitterness. Sugar coated grapefruit; a bit of tangerine. Over ripened apricot. Malt flavor is detectable but is used for backbone and not for taste, just the way I like it.

M- Oily. Resinous. Thick. Double IPA mouthfeel.

O- I gotta admit I used to hate on Smuttynose IPA, but now I'm thinking it's because had older bottles. The bottle I'm drinking now is extremely fresh and I think it really makes a difference; this is definitely an IPA that must be drank fresh. It's damn good folks. If you love the grapefruit forward IPAs look no further. When I say I can drink this all day I really mean it. An IPA worth rambling over!

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 03:11:03 | More by HeadyHopper32

JasonTaverner

Virginia

4.64/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I love this ale. It is a staple in my line-up. A citrusy smell with a good solid mouhfeel. A delicious piney flavor upfront with a nice slightly bitter after taste. I have enjoyed almost all the beers I have tried from Smuttynose. I wish I could fine this on draft somewhere locally.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 02:43:23 | More by JasonTaverner