Arbor Brewing Sacred Cow IPA - Arbor Brewing Company

SportsandJorts

Michigan

2.73/5  rDev -27%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

Appearance: a lightish yellow, almost strawy color. a tad too clear. white head that doesn't really stick around

Smell: citrusy hops all day. not bad but i really like a lot more dimensions in my beer

Taste: opens up more with both citrus and breadiness, but very unbalanced and just plan not very tasty to me

Mouthfeel: way too bitter. extremely sticky

Overall: I love Arbor Brewing. This beer just does not do it. It could use a unique dimension or just more balance rather than being a citrusy tangy bitter bomb.

Serving type: on-tap

05-05-2013 03:03:14 | More by SportsandJorts

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the brewpub. Reviewed from notes.

Pours a retty dark copper brown considering he style. A bit of hear. Nose brings some citrus and tropical notes along with some sweetness. Taste is slightly bitter but more so sweet with a bit of citrus. Moderate body. Drinks fairly well all things considered. A worthy brew.

Serving type: on-tap

10-12-2010 11:48:31 | More by Thorpe429

jrallen34

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this at the brew pub in a sampler. This is a middle of the road beer, nothing great nothing really bad about it either, probably not worth trying. A decent ipa, light aroma of lemon and hops, light hops in the taste, more of a pale ale quality to me.

Serving type: on-tap

07-25-2010 00:07:16 | More by jrallen34

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.45/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at The Hunt Club. Yellow with a significant head, and then lacey. Average mouthfeel. Very bitter and then drying, so if there was complexity of flavours it was a jumbe in the hops. Drinkable, but only average for the style. Maybe better on cask the way the brewery began serving it.

Serving type: on-tap

08-09-2009 13:57:32 | More by northyorksammy

guntherhophead

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Golden amber in appearance with thin, lacey head. Scents of light hops with faint citrus. Hop taste with a hint of molasses, apple and peppery spice. The mouthfeel isn't bad but the lingering bitter after-taste, more so than a lot of I.P.A.s, detracts a bit from the overall experience. Not bad though.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2009 23:43:02 | More by guntherhophead

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

jeremyd365

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

It appeared very dark with little head.

It smelled hoppy and perhaps a hint of citrus.

The taste reflected the smell pretty well.

It was quite heavy, perhaps one of the heaviest IPAs I've experienced. The Sacred Cow was good, but heavy enough that it keeps it quite a sipper.

Serving type: on-tap

03-21-2008 20:52:20 | More by jeremyd365

CharlesDarwin

Rhode Island

3.2/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Originally reviewed on January 18, 2006. On tap at the brewpub. Cloudy orange, with yellow fringes. SIlky head of ivory. Buttery pine and floral aroma. Flavor is all hops, with no malt background. Mostly dissapointing. Straight metallic hop bitterness. With lime rind and oak. Finish is completely grassy. One dimensional.

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2006 03:30:41 | More by CharlesDarwin

Crosling

Colorado

3.73/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Sampled on cask @ Arbor Brewing Company in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Golden color with a very small and quickly diminishing above foam. Bursting cascade aroma, spicy, peppery and grapefruity with hints of orange hinds. Pretty vibrant smelling. Bracingly bitter with an extremely dry hop assault. Piney and resiny, with a touch of toasted malt. Pretty delicious, though not balanced and the body could be improved.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2006 22:08:33 | More by Crosling

Roman5150

Michigan

3.54/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

bottle into snifter

appearance: dark cloudy orange, huge white head, very bubbly

smell: hay, very earthy, not much tropical notes,

taste: earthy bitterness, apple, almost a pilsner like body, very minor

mouthfeel: high carbonation, thin body

overall: A bitter IPA that's alright, not a whole lot of flavor but not terrible either. I'd reccomend trying it, but don't seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 04:49:18 | More by Roman5150

Connormick

Michigan

3.09/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer was poured from the bottle to a clean pint glass. The appearance was fairly beautiful, with a nice think head and an interesting tan/copper color.

The smell was a little lackluster. I didn't smell much hops, which is something I think a good IPA should showcase. I did smell some nice fruity blend however.

The taste had a little more hops than the smell, which is good. I also tasted various citrus and floral-like flavors. But the drink lacked a taste of focus in it's taste, everything just sort of blended together without anything sticking out.

The mouthfeel was really interesting. It was pretty sparkling and fairly carbonated. Some people may not like it, but I loved the tiny shock I got every time I went to take a drink.

Overall it's a pretty good IPA. I'm not really a fan of IPA, but this one appeals to me. If you're not a huge IPA drinker this may be a good introduction into it. It may not appeal to big IPA drinkers, however, because of the lack of a hoppy focus.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 04:22:35 | More by Connormick

buschbeer

Ohio

3.35/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle
Served in a perfect pint glass

A - It is a dark amber with gold highlights. Three inches of beige head lingers atop.

S - I get some floral hops that remind me of soap. I just do not get much on the nose.

T - I get some light caramel malt. Some bitterness grows the more I drink. It's not citrus or pine. Just a growing bitterness.

M - Medium

O - This is a weak ipa. I would be better labeled as a pale ale. I guess I could see it passing as an English ipa. It's not terrible, just not a great ipa by any means.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 14:18:59 | More by buschbeer

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

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A present from a friend and a truly pleasant surprise, significantly better than the IPA I remember sampling at the pub two years ago. I wouldn't have purchased a bottle based on that memory, but will now definitely give them a second chance.

Pours a hazy copper colour with a decent head and much lacing, despite a lack of obvious carbonation. Aroma is subtle and malt-forward with a slight metallic tinge. There is no indication of brew date on the bottle that I can see, and although I received it recently, doesn't mean it was purchased fresh. The flavour ends with a delightfully bitter finish, one that lingers for an impressive length of time. Some citrus and tea hop tones in the forefront play well off the caramelized malts, but the bittering hops with their grapefruit note are the true highlight.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 02:20:22 | More by hopsolutely

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

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Eh. This is decent, I guess. It doesn't really pop in my mouth like I would hope an IPA would. Carries a thick body and a lasting flavor. Considering the style, I suppose that I have greater expectations. So, overall, this falls short and doesn't really do much for me.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 16:34:30 | More by RblWthACoz

Beer_Runner

3.85/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

No enjoy by date on the label.
Slow pour into a standard pint glass.

A: Poured to a hughe four-plus fingers of creamy and fizzy, khaki colored head that disapated to one finger and left some lacing. The brew is a medium copper color and a little cloudy.

S: The aroma is mild and consists of a light, piney hops and some sweet caramel malt.

T: The taste has a strong herbal and earthy hops bitterness. There is very little malt in the flavor, but just enough smooth the harsh edge of the hops bitterness.

M: The body is medium to light with a lot of carbonation - almost a stinging and tingling amount of carbonation.

O: This is truly a hops forward IPA. The malt is not there to balance the hops but only to every so slightly dull the harshest edge of the hops bitterness. The brew does not have much complexity to the hops, and it could use just a little less carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 21:42:17 | More by Beer_Runner

jeremy13586

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle that I received from one of the regulars at my bar a couple of months ago. I wish that I had gotten to it sooner.

The color was a very cloudy copper. Poured a two-finger fluffy head that was a very light khaki. The head stuck around for a while, but then deflated rather quickly. Also, a shit ton of floaties. It would have gotten a higher rating if it weren't for that.

Pretty malt-forward in the nose. Toasted bread and caramel. Some light citric and grassy hops ride just beneath the malt, though they did come out more as the beer warmed.

Aaahhh, there's the hoppiness. Matches the nose in that the same flavors/scents are there. The hops are now predominant and they take on a very orangey taste. The bready sweetness is now underlying and it finishes a bit muddy, but there is a nice bit of caramel to make you overlook it.

This was an incredibly smooth IPA. It had an average body, but the drinkability was very nice.

I'd say this is a fairly average IPA. The lacking nose was actually a nice lead-up to how the beer tastes, but I absolutely hate floaties. I think they ruined it for me. If I ever have the chance to try another one of these, I'll have to make sure that I try it immediately.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 05:06:14 | More by jeremy13586

Jason

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz brown bottle with no freshness date.

LOOK: Dense rocky head, hazed golden amber

SMELL: Oily citric rind, nectarines, estery, toasted biscuits, nutty yeast, mild caramel

TASTE: Orange zest, mild toasted biscuit, warming alcohol, hop bitterness, yeasty, taffy, evergreen, mango, bitter semi-dry finish

A solid IPA, 80 IBUs? Sure it is bitter but I focused on the well rounded hop character rather than just the bitterness. A balanced drinkable IPA.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 00:58:32 | More by Jason

warnerry

Michigan

3.63/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a cloudy amber with one finger oh head that dissipates quickly.

S - Floral and citrus hops are about all I get from this. Smell is pretty appealing though.

T - Nice hop bitterness up front. The is some pine in the taste that I didn't get from the smell. Pretty good.

M - Medium mouthfeel that coats the palate somewhat. Good carbonation level.

O - Not the best IPA around, but one of the better beers I've had from Arbor.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 00:54:12 | More by warnerry

gopens44

Virginia

3.7/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Mountainous beige frothy head rests on the translucent caramel colored beer. A bright immediate citrus aroma drifts ahead of a more malty fragrance. Taste leaps out as quickly with the citrus taste as the nose brings it about but the difference here is the overwhelming bitterness followed by a peppery finish. Body is thin and highly carbonated with an aftertaste that is bitter but also a little cola like, odd as that may seem. Overall, this does not dissapoint. Tasty and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 00:58:06 | More by gopens44

tapman

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

1 finger of rich, creamy off-white foam. Body is a dark red-brown and is quite opaque from even a careful pour. Sweet, fresh baked toffee-chip cookies and fruity, floral, and slightly spicy hop notes in the nose. Malt flavor is heavy on the darker malts and has a sweet, raisin-like red ale quality while the hops are moderately high in bitterness and taste vegetal and soapy. Mouth is a dry and a little grainy from all the beasties floating around.

A decent brew, but very heavy all the malt. I prefer them slightly cleaner, but still pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 05:09:23 | More by tapman

tenaciousp65

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

a- pours a dark amber with a nice one and half inch head

s-it smells like an ipa but with a more earthy, grass smell. hard to describe

t-the hops come through quick but quickly move out of the way for a gentle and deep balance of malt that almost tastes like corn

m-this is really smooth and none of the flavors are overpowering

o- this is a really nice IPA. I don't know if I'd rush out to buy or recommend this one but it certainly gets the job done

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 02:29:01 | More by tenaciousp65

Spiekerbox

Michigan

3.4/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Deep orange, amberish. Cloudy with a moderate white head that dissipates in a couple minutes while lacing on the glass.

S- More bitter pine and herbal but there are some citrus notes. Malt is also present behind the hops.

T- Mostly citrus hops and maltyness up front with pine at the end of the drink. Nice malty sweetness is also present. Not very bitter of an IPA, but the finish has that orange-peel bitterness which lingers afterward

M- Creamy and sticky with low to moderate carbonation. Body is moderate to thin.

O- Decent IPA but not one of my top choices, pretty easy to drink and is one of the few IPAs that you can drink for a while.

Not a factor in my rating but personally the fact that it is made in Ann Arbor gives me no desire to seek this one out.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2011 02:22:35 | More by Spiekerbox

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I need to pay more attention when pouring some of these wonderful beers...I F'ing hate FLOATIES!!!! Pet peive...sorry. The Sacred Cow from Arcadia is a decent beer. The color is a cloudy copper and thin white head that seems to be lacing quite well. The smell is bolstered with apricot and maybe some sublte pine. The taste isnt bad. I am catching some belgium malt character which isnt my favorite, but there is some citrus and pine that helps to keep this beer towards my favorite. The mouthfeel is ok I porbably would choose to session this beer, but I could. Certainly worth a try if you can.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2011 23:23:05 | More by WoodBrew