Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA - Dark Horse Brewing Company

wedge

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Hazy, obviously unfiltered, orange-amber with a small, creamy white head on top. Definitely a more balanced type aroma for an IPA, but a good one...dark, juicy citrus, lime, flowers, grapefruit, peach, and some sugary malt. Mellow spicy citrus hop flavor with some black tea and grain. Very nicely balanced...when it's done right like this, I can really dig it. Lots of grapefruit, tangerine, and an increasing amount of pine resin and perhaps a bit of wood. Drying, textured medium body. Really quite nice all around.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 23:29:38 | More by wedge

thaghost

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +12.8%

05-19-2013 18:55:05 | More by thaghost

Budinetz

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +19%

05-19-2013 06:37:26 | More by Budinetz

drewone

California

3.5/5  rDev -12.3%

05-19-2013 06:20:47 | More by drewone

Dank26

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +12.8%

05-19-2013 05:56:34 | More by Dank26

NJB145

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +6.5%

05-19-2013 01:11:27 | More by NJB145

nitter

Ohio

4/5  rDev +0.3%

05-19-2013 00:21:52 | More by nitter

Sixbolt

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.3%

05-18-2013 19:15:18 | More by Sixbolt

cwd

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev -6%

05-18-2013 17:19:27 | More by cwd

cosmonick

Indiana

3/5  rDev -24.8%

05-18-2013 14:52:05 | More by cosmonick

DrunkinYogi

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +0.3%

05-18-2013 06:33:42 | More by DrunkinYogi

rkf1976

Michigan

4/5  rDev +0.3%

05-18-2013 02:16:22 | More by rkf1976

Ribsandwhiskey

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +12.8%

05-17-2013 19:33:41 | More by Ribsandwhiskey

TreyIsWilson

Michigan

4/5  rDev +0.3%

05-17-2013 04:26:06 | More by TreyIsWilson

TypsiYpsi

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -6%

05-17-2013 03:25:58 | More by TypsiYpsi

GinsuDave

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +6.5%

05-17-2013 00:51:40 | More by GinsuDave

Nachos4two

Illinois

4/5  rDev +0.3%

05-16-2013 23:19:59 | More by Nachos4two

RobertColianni

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.3%

05-16-2013 18:10:46 | More by RobertColianni

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.99/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

The only good crooked tree is a bonsai... Anyway, this stuff pours a mostly clear sunset bronze topped by a finger of wan cream foam. The nose comprises lightly-tart grapefruit zest, toffee, pine resin, light earthy greens, and a mild pinch of mint. The taste brings in more of the same, though the pine is now the star of the show (though nowhere near the only one) and the grapefruit now favors the peel. he body is a light-leaning medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, a very nice, decently-balanced IPA, one of the better regularly-offered IPAs out there if you ask me.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 04:11:15 | More by TMoney2591

mfnmbvp

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle, no bottled on date present, just a code stamped on the side. Acquired as part of the Crooked Tree IPA variety pack deal. I have had this beer before, sometime last year, and I believe this is the second beer from Dark Horse Brewing Co. that I am reviewing on BeerAdvocate.

Poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

A - Pours a nice two and a half fingers of tall creamy fluffy off-white head. Body is a beautiful dark orange color with some brownish hues to it towards the center. Streams of bubbles rushing to the top, & tons of sediment twirling to the bottom. Excellent head retention. Scattered lacing, but not much.

S - Smell is of citric grapefruit / lemon rind hop character with some bready biscuit malts making themselves known as well. Slightly underwhelming aroma, but still hits it's mark.

T - Taste is of juicy blood orange, tangerine, tart bitter grapefruit, & a lovely fruity sweetness. Biscuit malt is present in the mix also, but this beer is ridiculously well balanced.

M - Feel is sweet, smooth, and clean in the finish. Surprisingly little bitterness lingering.

Overall, a well-crafted and delicious IPA, glad to have been able to land this fresh since there seems to be an over abundance of stale Crooked Tree hanging around a lot of the shops I frequent. An excellent IPA, one I would happily revisit, and I am definitely looking forward to trying it's variations.

Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA ---4/5.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 03:33:04 | More by mfnmbvp

Kerrie

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +6.5%

05-16-2013 02:51:39 | More by Kerrie

twenty5

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.3%

05-15-2013 18:12:53 | More by twenty5

rboinski

California

4.13/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 Oz bottle poured into a wine tasting glass

Appearance: Much darker than I had expected hearing that this was a west coast style IPA. Formed a nice bubly head which which slowly fell to be about a 1/8" ring around the glass

Smell: The immediate smell upon first opening the cold beer was floral hops. Slowly as it warmed, pine became evident as well as citrus aromas and the floral component fell into the background. As it warmed even more, the malt elements became expressed and I was reminded of a three floyds malt character with a grapefruit hop aroma somewhere beneath.

Taste: The taste is similar to the nose except that I am not able to get the floral character on the palate. It is fairly dry, with a slight sweet character that may be ethanol related. Strong bitter component, more than I was expecting from the ABV. I can notice some alcohol heat/sweetness as it warms which is unexpected at this relatively low abv.

Mouthfeel: Nice mouthfeel, but to me it may have a slight excess of carbonation. Puts a nice coat on the mouth but I would not consider this overly sticky.

Overall: Very solid IPA that reminds me of a cross between a three floyds pale and a classic west coast IPA. Neat mix with a little floral character as well. Would never turn this away, but won't go out of my way to get more of it.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 16:51:44 | More by rboinski

CBPAS

New York

3.5/5  rDev -12.3%

05-15-2013 02:02:04 | More by CBPAS

Rob315

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +12.8%

05-14-2013 18:20:43 | More by Rob315