Arbor Brewing Sacred Cow IPA - Arbor Brewing Company

DrainBamage

Michigan

4.93/5  rDev +31.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a dark copper color with a thin lace of head. Smell is hoppy and has grapefruit aromas. It goes down bitterly and is moderately carbonated. Taste is incredible. Doesn't get much better than this. Drinkability is perfect for an IPA. This is by far the best Arbor Brewing beer (out of bottle) that I've had and a top notch IPA.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2008 06:11:30 | More by DrainBamage

masey222

Michigan

4.9/5  rDev +31%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This beer was a pleasant surprise. It pours a pale amber and is filled with tannons. It is pretty "fizzy" and has a thick wet frothy head that laces the side of the glass well.
The smell is pleasant, filled with grapefruit and rich citrus notes, and has a nice overtones of tobacco and nutty malt. but it lacks a the pungency I enjoy in a good IPA.
After sipping it fills your mouth with a bright spicy citrus hop flavor, that is really tasted in the finish. Its sweetness from the malt really is a pleasant contrast to the bright hops. All-in-all it is one of the more well balanced IPA's I have ever had.
It has the perfect consistency for an IPA and its carbonation freshens up the experience.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2011 01:44:34 | More by masey222

brentk56

North Carolina

4.85/5  rDev +29.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Cloudy light amber color with a huge bubbly head that eventually settles to a creamy three finger cap; virtually coats the pint glass with lace

Smell: Orange blossom citrus with a hint of caramel

Taste: Immediate orange citrus flavor builds upon the underlying biscuity flavor; soft blend of the malt and hops after the swallow, with a slightly floral finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with soft carbonation

Drinkability: Distinctively different in its tremendously balanced character; just extraordinary on cask at ABC

Serving type: cask

07-14-2008 02:35:29 | More by brentk56

Frozensoul327

Michigan

4.75/5  rDev +27%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Amazing offering from Arbor Brewing. On Cask. Totally world class. I cannot say enough about this IPA. Pours from the hand pulled cask to a rich golden cloud of beer heaven, that settles to a royal orange / gold color with a small head of creamy foam. Aromas of fresh sour citrus, hops, and floral notes. Taste was exceptional. Totally amazing. Lots of citrusy-fruits and rich hops, with some bread maltiness and a touch of a yeasty like quality. Hints of cooked veggies and grains. Wow. Mouthfeel was smooth, creamy, oily, utterly amazing. Drinkability? Are you kidding me?! This is one of the best beers i've ever had! World Class. Highly Recommended.

Serving type: cask

06-18-2006 17:31:50 | More by Frozensoul327

ahartmurmur

Michigan

4.72/5  rDev +26.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I tried this beer at a local bar's 'Brewer Night' when the people from Arbor were at the bar. It was a good time.

It was a cloudy gold in the big 25oz mugs at the local bar i love so much. (Crunchy's for anyone interested).

I was in a college bar so my smell was screwed by the ambient smell. there was definitely some citrus hops coming through though.

Started out with a strong balanced bitterness and finished with the taste of grapefruit as if to remind me that i wanted to have another drink.

Full mouth feel, not disappointing in the least.

One of the best beers I've had and that may be due to my fondness of IPAs or my fondness for fresh beer. Either way i could have had a couple more if i didn't have classes in the morning.

Serving type: on-tap

03-29-2008 15:12:17 | More by ahartmurmur

beernut7

Massachusetts

4.65/5  rDev +24.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This great cask ale has a beautiful copper color and a hearty caramel aroma. Hints of oak and espresso make me wish I lived much closer than 800 miles from this brewpub. Just awesome.

Serving type: cask

07-30-2002 08:56:53 | More by beernut7

BrewMaster

California

4.58/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Served from the hand pump at Arbor Brewing on 10/11/04. It was served with a creamy head typical of hand pumped beers atop an orange to amber colored beer. The aroma was hoppy and fruity. The flavor was complex and sweet wih notes of apple, apricot, and layered hops. The middle has a touch of raspberry as well. The ending is malty and clean. The beer has a medium body with excellent creaminess. Bottomline is that this IPA is excellent and would be a daily drinker if I lived close by. Not over hopped and very well done.

Serving type: cask

10-14-2004 16:36:49 | More by BrewMaster

SometimesIfart

Michigan

4.58/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours copper with a monster three finger head. No lacing.

S - A good mix between grapefruit and malt. No hop presence.

T - Hop resin, grapefruit, strong malt, lemon, wheat, mango, hops hops and more hops. Delicious.

M - Creamy, medium to heavy carbonation with a medium body.

O - Overall, I thought that this was a wonderful IPA. Certainly better than what the rating average would have you believe. I would definitely buy this stuff again.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 03:24:33 | More by SometimesIfart

Dansting

Kansas

4.53/5  rDev +21.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle. Poured a very murky copper color with a thick white head and the most sediment I've ever seen in a beer (which is a positive for me). Strong lacing. Aroma is very hoppy and citrusy. Mouthfeel is very nice. Flavor is a rush of hops and grapefruit. Bitter finish. This beer was a lot better than I expected. Solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2007 04:11:51 | More by Dansting

nomad

Kansas

4.5/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A beautiful hazy orange, this holy cow had gentle carbonation under a finger of tough foam that never receded, session after session. In an imperial pint its a pretty sight.

Estery as all hell, this IPA smacks of gorgeous citric fruit scents and fresh biscuity malt. Has a real husky feel from the high-alpha hops, the unmistakeable Cascades but this time they doesn't smell of the same-old grapefruit profile. More like sweet cones of oily hops.

Tastewise this beer was hugely fruity and nutty as soft peaches and lemons roll around with a bitter earthy flavor. Somehow its not a mouth-drying beer, in fact quite wet. Same contrast with the hops as they are big and aggressive yet smoothed out.

"Wow, this beer is a drinker!" says Alison. Yup, pretty much!

Serving type: cask

05-10-2004 00:39:27 | More by nomad

wardough

Wisconsin

4.47/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Served on Cask at ABC. One of the most balanced and drinkable IPAs that I've had. Serves a light copper into the 20 oz imperial pint glass (ABC still serves Imperials). Taste is wonderfully balanced between the bitter, caramel, sweet, and hop flavors. The cask made this much more drinkable and mouthfeel was beautiful.

If you're at the pub, don't pass up the Cask conditioned version. You won't be disappointed.

Serving type: cask

07-07-2008 22:09:04 | More by wardough

ken3c

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I've had a few Sacred Cows and they were all good. This one was the best. Maybe it was how it was pulled or just that it was a good batch. I don't why but this one was the best beer I've ever had.

The bartender took her time pulling this fine beer in three stages. It was worth the wait. The large head was still growing when she set it in front of me, the fine bubbles still coming up from the bottom. The cloudy yellowish amber liquid revealed itself quickly. As I consumed this treat, waves of foam were left on the inside of the glass. One ring for every sip. It was beautiful.

The strong but not overpowering aroma was a very pleasant fruity/citrusy sense.

Very well balanced with sweetness to offset the bitterness. A wonderfull cascade of flavors with some fruits and malt. Bitterness shows up a little more in the aftertaste but as a high note.

I almost waited until the head subsided a little but I couldn't wait. I stuck my face in that mountain of foam and I can say that the facefeel was outstanding. The mouthfeel seemed a little thin but creamy and foamy.

The beer is very drinkable. When I'm at Arbor, I usually drink one of these first and follow it with something else. After this one, I had to have another Sacred Cow and it was just as good as the first.

Serving type: cask

07-19-2004 04:01:43 | More by ken3c

beergeek279

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served on cask at Arbor Brewing. The color was golden/copper, with a nice foamy white head. The smell was a strong grapefruit citrus hop. The taste was a very good citrusy, grapefruity hoppiness, with a good balance with the maltiness. Mouthfeel was average. As for drinkability, this would be one I could drink very many of!

Simply an amazing IPA, and something I was glad to enjoy with trbeer once the festival ended. A very good citrusy blended IPA, and unlike most cask IPAs didn't lose much of the hop bitem and this would be something I would be pleased to have again!!!

Serving type: cask

07-25-2004 03:19:29 | More by beergeek279

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this handpumped from the brewpub.

A: Golden-bronze with a white head. Nice retention, awesome lace!

S: Plenty of citrus from the Cascade hops; bready malt.

T: Quality pale malt, with a pleasant abundance of Cascade hops. Not as bitter as most IPA's; perhaps it's more of a strong APA?

M: Lightly carbonated; moderate body is creamy, and slightly acidic in the finish.

D: Great!

From their website:
"Sacred Cow Cask Conditioned I.P.A
A West-coast style India Pale Ale with an over-the-top cascade hop presence that gives it a spicy nose, citrusy ruby-red grapefruit palate, and a dry, floral, hoppy finish. I.P.A.s are big strong ales, heavy on both the alcohol and the hops. Unlike conventional ales which go from fermenter to serving tank fully carbonated and under pressure, cask ales leave the fermenter flat, and are transferred to a cask along with unfermented malt. In the cask, the ale goes through a secondary fermentation which leaves it gently carbonated. Stored and hand pulled at cellar temperature (53 - 58 degrees). 6% ABV. "

Serving type: cask

03-04-2006 19:37:18 | More by Derek

granger10

Wisconsin

4.38/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Review from notes

This Arbor offering poured a glowing orange color with a creamy white head that fades after a few sips. Aroma is lighter than most IPA's yet I still get grapefruit bitterness and an acidic twang. The body on this beer is really smooth and rounded as well as medium in thickness. The flavor play very well off this. Fruity sweetness begins the flavors but is soon rounded out by a floral hoppiness. The hoppy flavors grow more intense and bitter with a piney edge to them but get rounded out by a nice sweet yeasty flavor. Finish is not dry but almost creamy. Very nice all around, a great cask IPA.

Serving type: cask

07-19-2005 11:50:35 | More by granger10

nmyers

Michigan

4.35/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Golden with a hint of orange, a little cloudy, with very little head.

S- Hoppy with a touch of sweetness.

T- Nice hop flavor all the way through and a sweet, but bitter finish.

M- Medium bodied, with a slight but pleasant bitterness.

D- Very drinkable and I could see myself getting in trouble with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2008 02:44:12 | More by nmyers

DannyDan

Michigan

4.35/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours out a copper color with a nice thin white head that maintains good retention and really nice lacing. The citrus, floral and pine comes through nicely in the nose letting you know this will be a beer worth drinking. The taste starts out with some citrus and pine hops and than get some sweet malts and more pine, citrus (grapefruit, tangerine, and little orange) and a hint of floral hops. The mouthfeel is smooth and dry, but pleasant to drink and overall one of the most balanced IPA's I have tasted. This is every bit as good as Stone, Loose Cannon, Avery, Sierra Nevada, Founders, Dark Horse and Mount Pleasant breweries IPA's. Highly recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good IPA.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 06:19:33 | More by DannyDan

proc

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at the brewery during the Ann Arbor BA event. One of two beers that stuck out enough to rate from the evening.

A fine IPA. Poured out to a light brown to amber color in the glass. Aroma is that of hops and citrus. Taste featured grapefruit predominant with a very nice finishing dose of hops. Some IPA's are too big to be drinkable. This bucks that trend. Extremely easy to drink with hops that add taste instead of power.

Serving type: cask

04-08-2003 17:46:21 | More by proc

mentor

Colorado

4.33/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Serving was a 12 ounce bottle obtained fresh from the Arbor Brewing a couple days prior to opening (July, 2004). The fridge-temp bottle poured a orangey-straw colored beer with a two finger head of fine bubbles. Some lacing stuck to the sides during the tasting. A ring of head remained in the beer while consumed over the course of a half hour.

Smells faintly hoppy, with citrus characteristics and some malt sweet with a possible crystal grain contribution. Taste is tame grapefruity citrus sweet with malty sweet blending quite nicely. A nip of apricot somes in late with the hop bitter...which is present, but not overbearing like an extreme IPA. There is an overall smoothness, not quite creamy, but refined. Medium bodied, which I find appropriate for the gentle play of flavors in this beer. A really nice offering. Amazingly, this bottle is better than the tapped beer I had at Arbor Brewing just a couple days ago.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2004 20:42:39 | More by mentor

GJ40

North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sampled on cask in a tulip pint glass at Arbor Brewing Co while on a business trip to Detroit. I had just reviewed this in the bottle the night before and the experiences were completely different.

A - Golden and hazy. A moderate white head with good retention.

S - Fruity and floral hops. Very nice.

T - Bitter and citrusy with a nice grapefruit flavor. Not over the top (as I like them best) but good. Just enough malt to do its job. Very smooth and balanced.

M - Nice body and perfect cask carbonation.

D - It could do with a little more hops but still a very good IPA. This was much better than my bottle experience. I can't believe they came from the same recipe (I guess maybe they didn't).

Serving type: cask

09-11-2008 12:27:59 | More by GJ40

neenerzig

Ohio

4.31/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured out of a 12 oz bottle into one of my pint glasses. This beer pours a fairly hazy/cloudy medium copper color with a nice off-white/tan head that is well over an inch thick when first poured. head eventually settles to a nice surface coating with a nice thick ring lining the inside of the glass. Excellent lacing here too! Nice pine and citrus ho aroma followed by a bit of toasted malt. Has an excellent pine and grapefruit citrus, earthy hop bitterness upfront followed once again by slightly toasted caramel malt sweetness. The hop bitterness certainly dominates, and there is a good balance with the malty sweetness. Has a good crisp, frothy, somewhat prickly, medium to full bodied mouthfeel with moderate carbonation. A very good beer that is spot on in pretty much all aspects for this style of beer! Too bad I can't buy this beer here where I live because I would certainly like to drink it again!

Eric

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 04:19:13 | More by neenerzig

TurdFurgison

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this on cask at the brewpub in Ann Arbor. It's got a hazy appearance, copper-amber color, frothy wet foam.

Nice aroma, grapefruit and other citrus notes, fresh and hoppy. This tasted really good too, you almost can never go wrong with a cask IPA. This one had the creamy and smooth body you'd expect, generally solid in every category. If I wasn't trying to hit other brewpubs in the same night I might have stayed here and ordered a few more, this really hit the spot.

Serving type: cask

05-24-2011 13:16:52 | More by TurdFurgison

marburg

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazy sunset copper hue. Big fluffy head and low carbonation. Powerful aromas of citrus fruit and lemon-scent Pine-Sol. Some spicy hops tingle the nose. Big flavor though hardly extreme. A very silky, creamy texture seems to help the flavor -- grapefruity, a little sweet, with a nice hoppy finish. Pretty delicious.

Serving type: cask

08-22-2003 02:39:43 | More by marburg

kohoutek

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

In the past few months the Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti has been upping the production of Arbor offerings. Many of them are finding their way into the bottling line. I am a huge fan of the Sacred Cow served on cask at both of their pubs. I decided to try this bottled version.

This beer pours with a beautifully deep orange hue and a foamy white head that is thick and persistently clinging to the glass. Small flecks of yeast and sediment meander through its depths. I love the character that the yeast lends to this beer.

This beer flows with aromas of caramel, Graham cracker, bready Munich malts and yeasty baguettes. Apricots, peaches and subtle hints of perfumed citrus rind add many layers to the malty backbone. The aroma hints that this is not a west coast hop smack down. It runs more in the vein of an American Pale.

The flavors are well integrated and balanced. A full, mouth filling combination of malts and fruits run from the biscuit malt and the subtle roasty melanoidins to the fruity, herbal hop finish. The bitterness and hop flavors remind you that this is an IPA. Geranium, devil's claw and turmeric root. A long resinous finish that lasts and lasts.

The mouth feel is a balance of some residual sweetness, subtle soft carbonation and sticky, juicy, hoppy fruit.

This beer drinks very well with no apparent annoying habits.

Overall, I think I prefer this beer on cask. It has some maturity in the bottle, which rounds out its character, but its hops become subdued in this aging process. The cask version is more hop forward and its lower level of carbonation makes it a bit more drinkable. However, the cask offerings are often a bit green.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2007 19:32:39 | More by kohoutek

GbVDave

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass. Thanks to HeatherAnn for the assist!

A: Pours a glowing, golden-amber color. Unfiltered-lots of suspended sediment. Small, tight, and creamy head that leaves barely any lace.

S: Nice aromas of toasted malt, big hops, and spicy caramel.

T: Piney hops, toasted bready malt, and pepper. Very nice interplay between the hops and malt.

M: Juicy yet dry. Bitter and hoppy the whole time with a nice spicy finish.

D: I found this to be very sessionable. This is a great workhorse AIPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2008 23:20:14 | More by GbVDave