Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA - Dark Horse Brewing Company

Manoftyr

New York

4.46/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Appearance - Pours a murky tangerine with golden highlights, head is a finger thick with good lacing and retention. Seeing as this beer is intentionally unfiltered it doesn't make sense to dock points for its lack of clarity which under normal circumstanced would be only complaint about the appearance. Looks good!

Aroma- Dank and earthy hops upfront followed by a backbone of citrus, some phenolic yeasty aromas towards the back and a sweet blanket of crystal malt forms a consistent undercurrent.

Taste-Bitter and citrusy upfront with flavors of tangerine and other citrus fruits, some earthiness and marmalade like sweetness towards the middle. Finishes dry with a yeasty bite.

Mouthfeel- A bit on the thick side for an IPA, but it works to this beer's advantage rather than its detriment. Carbonation is gentle and on the low side.

Overall - One of the most drinkable and unique IPAs I've had in some time, replaced Flower Power as my go to IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 22:17:51 | More by Manoftyr

SerialHiker

Illinois

3.91/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Pours a golden/orange with some caramel hues…a nice finger width of off white head formed and remained…fairly dense and not overly transparent, I can see some bubble action and a few pieces of sediment floating about…(3.75/5)

Smell: Spicy, earthy, musty hops combined with mild citrus hops notes…very robust hops aroma…mango, bready malts, caramel, sweet yellow cake, grapefruit round out things…there’s an overly light and zestiness here…(4/5)

Taste: Much like the nose…earthy, musty hops mixed with mild lemon/grapefruit/orange citrus hops…much more earthy than citrus, but the citrus flavor definitely rounds out the edges a bit and provides a crispness that wouldn’t otherwise be there…some rye spice flavor as well...fairly straight forward, hops dominant with a touch of caramel (not overly sweet) malts…as it warms, the lightness from the citrus flavor becomes more apparent…(4/5)

Mouthfeel: Medium body with tons of carbonation…fluffs up presenting tons of hops citrus and bitterness…really leaves an earthy feel all over my palate…wet and crisp, there’s a dryness in the finish that I like…earthy hops bitterness settles in the after taste…standard I would say for an IPA…(3.75/5)

Overall: This brew didn’t “wow” me, but it is good and very drinkable…the flavor is full, somewhat robust and is easily something I could drink a couple of in one sitting…a great beer to have around the house for after work, not overly complex but hardy and tough enough to smooth out the edges of the day…a simple review for a simply good brew…(3.75/5)

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 05:01:19 | More by SerialHiker

alphaacid9000

Michigan

4.21/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance - Hazy light amber color with a head that laces very nicely

Aroma - Wonderful hop nose consisting of grapefruit rind, pine and orange with a hit of malt peeking through

Flavor - Perfectly bittered with great hop flavor. Slightly astringent but not in a bad way

Overal - I love this beer. Bitter with huge flavor while remaining very drinkable

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 04:46:34 | More by alphaacid9000

Flounder57

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

On draft at at The Avenue on Allston. Served in a pint glass.

Appearance. This beer had a small head that reduced to a thin layer. It is a hazy orange color with no clarity, but bubbles coming up through the glass. Layered lacing on the glass as the beer was drank.

Smell: Light citrus, tangerine, and orange scents. Some bready and crystal malts in the rear.

Taste: Same as above with lingering bitterness in the back of the mouth.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium to full bodied, medium carbonation, and tingling bitterness.

Overall: Pretty solid beer. The bitterness is a bit much, but still a good IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2013 01:54:51 | More by Flounder57

PsilohsaiBiN

New York

3.96/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Appearance: Golden, cloudy and unfiltered with chunks floating around everywhere. This almost looks like Heady Topper, which is a good sign.

Smell: Bready malt, mango, grapefruit, orange, carmelized sugar. Not overpowering, but nice and complex.

Taste: Not nearly as complex as the smell would imply, but good. There's definitely a nice balance going on here. A beginning hop bite retreats as the malt profile comes forward. As the malt subsides, the hops become more apparent again, and lead you into a grapefruity, bitter, dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Ample carbonation that coats the tongue viciously, nice.

Overall: Glad I got to try this beer. Can't say it's my favorite IPA, but I'd drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 03:33:52 | More by PsilohsaiBiN

tdm168

North Carolina

3.89/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

A - dark orangish amber with a tall, thick, white head that has great retention

S - sweet, bready, some birthday cake-like notes, citrusy aromas

T - bready malts, citrusy, piney, some sweetness

M - medium bodied, well carbonated

This is a decent IPA. It's a bit more malty than hoppy which is fine by me. I liked the malty sweetness throughout, but I wish there was a hop character that balanced better with the malts. The hops here are bitter and piney with some citrus, but they seem like they're trying to force the balance issue against the sweetness. Nonetheless, this is a good IPA that has good drinkability. I'm not sure I'd choose it over some of my favorites, but I'll certainly never turn it down.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 02:39:54 | More by tdm168

dfillius

Michigan

4.31/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Aggressive pour yields 1 finger of white head with good retention. Amber red liquid.
S: Toffee, caramel, PNW hops.
T: Sweet, strongly bitter and slightly astringent. Tobacco is strong in this beer!
M: Bitter, punishingly so!
D: I would order a second. I'm glad I gave it a second chance, this bottle was much fresher than my first and it was excellent. Above average. I would buy again.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 23:45:56 | More by dfillius

AmitC

Indiana

4.03/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Was in search of its bigger bro, had to settle for this. No bottling date on this one.

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into snifter. Orange amber in color. A lot of haze and suspension. Very clumsy. Excellent two finger thick off white colored head with super long retention. An awesome lacing on the sides. Beautiful if you ignore the haze. Opaque. A lot of bubbles rising up and a lot of carbonation.

Nose is a bit earthy. Grape fruits, Orange peel and a little bit of flowery notes. Lacks piney punch or oily resin like stuff. A good amount of caramel malt presence. Strength is just decent. Nothing that blows the mind out.

Flavor is almost entirely the nose. Some raw bitterness upfront supported by a big malt presence in the middle and slightly bitter finish towards the end. Extremely clear dry hopped IPA. Very earthy and grounded hops. Bitterness increases steadily.

Mouth feel is medium to slightly full. It is certainly heavier than most. Drinks easy, has good bitterness. Moderate to high carbonation. Little bit of hop derived astringency.

Style Rate: 4
Personal Rate: 4

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 21:14:34 | More by AmitC

Amalak

New York

4.11/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A. It has a cloudy caramel color. Opaque. It has a decent white foamy head with some lacing. Some sediment.

S. A grape hoppy scent.

T/M. At first the taste is very astringent. A sour mix of grass herbalness and a spicy hop underneath. It takes more than a sip to get used to, but it is complex and very tasty. There's a watermelon sweetness there. Tart and medium to full bodied.

O. Takes a bit of getting used to, but it is a really interesting IPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 00:03:15 | More by Amalak

SometimesIfart

Michigan

3.24/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Pours amber with a massive five finger head. Left good lacing.

S - Toasted malt, bananas, grapefruit.

T - Sour rotten banana, grapefruit as is typical of the style, moderately malty, bitter in the finish.

M - Light watery body with medium carbonation.

O - Overall, a decent IPA. I don't think I'd buy I again. Perhaps this was just a bad bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 02:28:30 | More by SometimesIfart

--Dom--

Missouri

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

Poured for a 12 oz bottle into a snifter. Pours an opaque honey with a few floaties due to sediment. Not much head.

Smells of pine hops and sweet caramel. The smell almost reminds me of a belgian if it weren't for the hop aroma.

The taste opens with piney hops, not overwhelming at all. Following immediately after is a generous dose of sweet maltiness. The flavors complement each other well. Finishes with a more classic bitter grapefruit. Alcohol is nearly non-detectable. Mouthfeel is decently carbonated.

Overall, I more than really like this beer. Has just enough of everything to be balanced. I don't love it, perhaps due to me preferring a higher gravity beer. However, whatever it may lack can be accounted for simply by the fact that it is billed as a standard IPA, not anything bigger. I'll respect that, and rate it accordingly. I think it's just a great representation of the single IPA style. With this being as good as it is, it makes me really want to get my hands on Double Crooked Tree. It's definitely worth grabbing a 6 pack of it.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 05:45:17 | More by --Dom--

fallopia

Indiana

3.13/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a tall pilsner glass.

Appearance: Orangish-golden amber color with a 1 1/2 finger white lacy head

Aroma: Fresh fruit, especially oranges are powerful and don't allow for any subtle hints.

Flavor: The fruit aromas aren't backed up in the flavors. An astringent hops flavor is initially distasteful but with multiple sips becomes more muted.

Mouthfeel: Light-to-medium bodied with a lingering bitter taste

Overall, the appearance and aroma are misleading as the unbalanced hops make this a difficult to drink IPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 03:34:15 | More by fallopia

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Yard House in Raleigh, NC

A: Pours a hazy golden copper in color with some moderate amounts of orange highlights and moderate to heavy amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a finger tall foamy light beige head that slowly reduces to a very thin film covering the majority of the surface of the beer with a thick ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Light to moderate aromas of caramel malts with stronger aromas of citrus hops - lemon and orange blossom stand out.

T: Upfront there were some light amounts of caramel malt sweetness but the flavors in this beer were dominated by the citrus hops (both lemon and orange blossom). Light amounts of lingering bitterness.

M: Medium bodied with slightly heavier than moderate amounts of carbonation. Light amounts of dryness in the finish.

O: Overall a pretty enjoyable IPA from a new brewery for me (chosen from the menu without any research). Easy to drink and definitely one I would have again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-21-2012 23:08:45 | More by dbrauneis

hoppytobehere

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle, can't find a date on it. Weak.

A: Dull copper color. Very hazy and some stuff floating around. Minimal head, but good retention and lacing.

S: American hops, pine. Not a very strong aroma, even after letting the beer warm up from fridge temp.

T: Well-balanced IPA. Great hop flavor, lots of pine and citrus with it. Enough malt for me.

M: Very nice. No major flaws here.

O: Great IPA that I'm glad I got my hands on.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 02:27:33 | More by hoppytobehere

nUgZ

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours a very hazy orange color with a 1 finger head and decent lacing. Some sediment in suspension.

S: A good hop aroma along with some subtle malt and pine scents. Not a super strong nose though.

T: More malt flavors than most of the IPA's I drink, but enough hops to balance it out. Very well balanced in fact.

M: Medium bodied with good carbonation. Very smooth and easy to drink.

O: Not typical of most of the IPA's made today, but quite impressive. Very well balanced. Even people who don't like IPA's would enjoy this beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 00:12:52 | More by nUgZ

Fux

France

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

A: Hazy orange, with a thin white layer of foam that leaves some lacings.
S: Smell is quite hoppy, with some herbal, grassy scent, notes of citruses (orange, orange peel), light passion fruits, some piny flavor, with also a malty backbone (biscuit, grain). A bit spicy and yeasty with some dried fruits come also.
T: Malty, with biscuit and caramel malt, some fruity hoppiness (citruses, pineapple) and still the yeastiness foreseen from the nose. Overall well balanced. Light bitterness on the finish.
M: Quite smooth given the ABV. A good carbonation, and a dry finish make this very drinkable.
O: No explosion of hop here, but an interesting IPA, quite complex for the style, still refreshing and easy to drink. A nice one!

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 21:55:53 | More by Fux

righthereisay

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I am NOT an IPA fan. In fact, I really think all of this bitterness talk is rather lame.

With that said, this was the best IPA I have ever had.

Appearance: dark orange, off white foamy head....

Smell: fruity hops as expected, but with a nice toasted malt.

Taste: Sure it was hoppy, but also had some great citrus/fruity flavors, yet nice and malty. Very well balanced. I appreciate it.

Mouthfeel: Nice, smooth, no alcohol feel/taste, really nice body. The opposite of most IPAs I have had.

Overall: For somebody who dislikes IPAs, this is the best one I've ever had...maybe that says something about this beer to IPA fans....

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 01:49:31 | More by righthereisay

mpedara429

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Cloudy amber in color. Big particles floating around. Barely off white head a good amount of lacing.

S: Spices malt, bread, tangy and tart citrus.

T: Spiciness up front followed by pine and grapefruit. A hint of pineapple and other tropical fruit. Good hop bite with nice malt balance.

M: Medium body with medium-heavy carbonation. Pretty clean but it is just a tad oily. Very little bitter aftertaste.

O: From the depths of the monotony of the IPA world comes this beauty of a beer. It's really unique, yet still really IPA. I would gladly drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 04:46:21 | More by mpedara429

Alextricity

Michigan

3.88/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours an extremely hazy orange color with super thick particles and heavy sediment at the bottom of the place. I actually thought it was contaminated. The bottom of my glass had some slimy goop. Not very attractive. At least it has a nice head with some pretty nice lacing.

Smell: Grapefruity hops and spice.

Taste/feel: There's certainly a good bit of hops, but there is a LOT of spiciness and malt in there. This feels more like a spiced up, exciting pale ale more than an IPA. Regardless, I still enjoy it. I also get a bit of alcohol in there as well. The feel is good -- pretty smooth with low carbonation.

I'm not sure what to think. I don't find it to taste like an american IPA much at all, rather a pale ale. But then again, this is more bitter than an APA. To say this beer is interesting would be an understatement. I'm not too fond of the chunky appearance (makes me understand why many breweries like filtering their beers), but I can't deny the taste.I find the rating on this site to be a bit high, but to each their own. Still a good one.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 20:01:58 | More by Alextricity

Biffster

Michigan

3.6/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer is served in a pint glass out of a 12 oz bottle. The sample is very hazy, but has a low persistent off white head.

The aroma is not all about fruit and citrus and c hops It is intensely lemony and peppery and grassy. Pleasant, but unorthodox for an IPA in this day and age. Its fairly clean - no off putting aromas from a rough fermentation. There is some rye crust/graham cracker maltiness in the aroma that opens up as it warms.

The beer is surprisingly, almost bracingly bitter It hasnt got much for malt - what it does have is at least somewhat complex - bready and almost butterscotch like/ All of that is countered by a crisp hop bite that starts at the tip and accelerates toward the swallow.

The mouthfeel is light - not at all slick or cloying. The body is moderate to light and while not spritzy, the carbonation in my sample is substantial.

Overall, this is Pretty tasty IPA - a little off the beaten path for today's IPAs but very good.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 12:43:41 | More by Biffster

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.05/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a pint glass

This beer pours hazy deep orange color with a white head. The nose on the beer is more subtle then the intense flavors. The beer hits first with an average bitter intensity. The first thing I notice is the feel, the feel is full bodied and has a crispness that almost reminds me of a rye beer. Speaking of rye, I get an ever so slight earthy spiciness out of the beer. However the highlight for me is the fresh hop characters. The beer has a moderate amount of citrus, ranging from lemon to pineapple. I think the most notable aspect is the pine flavor, and I mean evergreen tree type pine. This is a great IPA, Dont miss out on the Double Crooked Tree as that is one of my favorite IPA's.

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2012 22:45:33 | More by TwelveOunces

mvanaskie13

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass, color is copper, and a little dense/translucent; head is off white, light lacing.

Smell is hop bitterness, pretty well blended grass/citrus/pine flavors, malt comes through as lightly toasted.

Taste is a pretty neutral blend of hops and malt, light toast and caramel malt notes; hops are citrusy and piney, a little sharp, overly bitter and drying in the finish; there is unidentifiable malt flavor that is different than the toast that presents itself, more of a blend of the crystal and toast flavors.

Mouthfeel is strong on the tongue with hop bitterness overriding quickly and lingering strongly.

Overall, satisfying ipa but a little to bitter and drying from the hops.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 23:02:34 | More by mvanaskie13

porcelli426

Colorado

2.73/5  rDev -31.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into tumbler

A – Hazy orange. Lighter rather than darker, Half a finger head.

S – Not overall very fragrant. Hints of citrus and florals. Somewhat dank

T – For an IPA, really light on the bitterness and other hop characteristics. Has nice citrus flavors and a clean finish.

M – Has a great mouth feel. Plenty of carbonation and full bodied.

O – Overall disappointing after seeing the great reviews. Not a bad beer by any standard but I like an IPA with a great balance between different hops and malts. This beer is fairly streamlined from what I can gather.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 01:01:49 | More by porcelli426

mntlover

Tennessee

3.7/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a nice cloudy copper color with nice fluffy two finger head that falls slowly to cap and laces well. Love a cloudy looking brew just looks more natural for some reason.

Aroma is nice good malty caramel notes with nice ripe fruits everywhere, mango, pineapple some grapefruit. Nice hop flavors but also big on malt very balanced and sweet fruity smelling more so then bitter hops.

Taste is like the nose more or less big malt notes with deep ripe fruits notes, it is good but not quite IPA per say or maybe more English in style. Fruity notes are good and there is some average like bitterness in the finish, say like light grapefruit with hints of pineapple.

Mouthfeel is fairly solid medium with lighter level of carbonation. Feel is good and suites the brew and style.

Overall looks nice smells good but little mellow in the taste department for an American IPA. But it could be a nice change from hop bombs of the day.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 00:58:40 | More by mntlover

JackieTH

Minnesota

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

On tap at 2012 Autumn Brew Review, from notes. Poured light orange amber with a light creamy foam head. Smells of orange citrus, grapefruit and pine resins. Taste replete with grapefruit pith, orange, pine and subtle pineapple. Moderately bitter. Medium bodied. Crisply carbonated. Finishes dry. Classic IPA across the board even if it doesn't stand out from the crowd it's quite tasty.

Serving type: on-tap

09-16-2012 17:12:41 | More by JackieTH