Drake Tail India Pale Ale - Williamsburg AleWerks

Dave1999

Virginia

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours an opaque orange colour with a small white head.

The smell is citrus hops,oranges,grapefruit, very nice.

The taste is sweet at first, slightly fruity finishing with a little bitterness. As the beer warms up you can detect a very subtle maltiness to the finish and even some honey.

The mouthfeel medium bodied with medium carbonation.

This was actually a pretty good easy drinking ipa. Pretty well balanced and covers its abv very well. The bitterness is pretty low for an ipa but it doesn't make it less enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 23:45:08 | More by Dave1999

droomyster

Virginia

3.99/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy copper body with a small white head with decent retention. Pleasant aromas of caramel sweetness with a touch of citrus and notes that remind of the whiff one gets upon opening a honey-flavored cereal box. Hops are assertive on the front and back ends, with a caramel and fruity middle. Finish lingers long with strong hints of grapefruity goodness. I like this IPA quite a bit.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 03:51:47 | More by droomyster

ckollias

Maryland

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed this 12oz bottle out of a Belgian tulip glass.

A: Pours a medium-dark golden hue with a white, 2-finger, head that quickly dissipates into a wispy lace with a great trail down the side of the glass.

S: Strong hoppy aroma with a touch of fruity notes.

T: Nice and hoppy flavor with a bitter bite. Hints of citrus and pine in the background

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: This was an excellent IPA – nicely hopped but in good balance.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 19:14:04 | More by ckollias

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.04/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75

Smells like oranges, pear, spice, nice citrusy IPA.

Taste is really disappointing, somewhat stale bready malt, faded hop bitterness, only hints of citrus...not very good.

Pretty good mouthfeel but it doesn't make up for the taste.

Disappointing, pretty mediocre IPA.

5.7/10

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 03:20:10 | More by AlexFields

MQ4188

Virginia

4/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer is a very, very good IPA. No, it is not a huge, 10+ .abv iipa. It follows the style as described by the American ipa standard. Balanced, with a perfect lacing on the glass, hop forward with a peak hop kick near the end.

It finishes with a sweet hop finish.

This is a really great IPA! It follows the style and .abv nicely.

Of course, the beer snobs rate it down because its not Pliny, or Hopslam, give me a break!

Haters need to do a better job reading the criteria for what the different styles are supposed to be. Extreme doesn't always equate to good....

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2013 22:45:19 | More by MQ4188

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

a light copper/orange in color with a small amount of head which quickly dissipated. smells of caramel, grassy hops, grapefruit citrus. very tangy grapefruit taste up front, followed by an earthy bitterness that ligers for a bit then finishes off with a sweet bready malt flavor. medium body (on the lighter end) and highly carbonated. a nice tasting ipa but honestly falls short of being anything special. messy mix of characteristics which would be a lot easier going down with less carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 06:04:58 | More by facundoCNB

seagis

Virginia

3.7/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I purchased a single bottle of this at a local beer and wine store. I poured it off into a glass and noted that the head, such as it was, disappeared almost immediately. I wasn't really terribly put off by this, though.

I like the color. It has a nice, hazy, apple-cider-ish tone to it that was appealing but not necessarily memorable. The aroma has a pleasant citrus touch, though. I say touch because it is not overpowering but rather something that just sort of shows up (for lack of a better way to word it) at your nose and rather blossoms from there. It starts off mild and grows prevalent as you continue to inhale it.

The malt characteristic of this beer is fairly heavy at the onset of the tasting. As it works its way through, though, the hoppy citrus elements begin to really begin to show their strength in a very nice way. The finish is just short of astringent, and I think that's a good thing. It seems to flash from one flavor profile to the other, and it does it well. For a beer that is 7.5% ABV, I think the alcohol profile is well muted. If I were unaware of that I think I would easily go through two or three of these before I realized what I was doing.

The mouthfeel is pleasant enough as well. Nothing great, but certainly nothing to complain about. It starts off a bit muted and begins to have a bit of a bite as the character of the hops begins to show through. It doesn't feel heavy, but it isn't exactly light, either. It has a nice, pleasant, medium body to it that works well with the flavor profile.

Overall, I have to admit that I really liked this. The individual bottle was a shade over $2, so it was money well spent in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 01:03:11 | More by seagis

jtierney89

New Jersey

1.5/5  rDev -58.9%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Hazy orange glow with about a half finger of head that recedes quickly. Very oily hop nose, lots of floral and earthy notes, pungent and stings the nostrils.

A little too slick, a little too acidic with too much grapefruit and citrus, and a bit too floral. Malt is there enough to create body but not able to create any harmony with the hops. Reminds me of Weyerbachers Hops Infusion but without the in your face dryness of Hops infusion. Tries to be balanced and drinkable and a hop bomb at the same time but ends up confused on the tongue with an overly slick feeling in the mouth and a touch of alcohol heat.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 00:26:42 | More by jtierney89

littlelorib

Virginia

3.68/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

First thing i noticed when i opened the bottle was a big whiff of grapefruit. It pours a golden amber, not quite clear, with slightly less than a fingers worth of head. Smells of the previously mentioned grapefruit with grass and spice. Taste is a bit disappointing, a little of a watery mouthfeel with fairly one dimensional bitterness. Overall, drinkable, but several IPAs with better flavor are easily obtainable.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 00:25:30 | More by littlelorib

CliffBrake

New Hampshire

3.28/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Hazy orange with a small head that dissipates almost immediately.

A bit of orange rind on the nose - a little faint. Orange marmalade and sweet biscuit lead to herbal hops, finishing with an astringent, peppery bitterness.

Medium body. Mouthfeel is dominated by puckering bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 23:03:05 | More by CliffBrake

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.43/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Received in trade from mdaschaf, thanks for the opportunity!
Pours a slightly hazy deep golden/copper color with a smallish off white head that quickly dissipates to spotty lace. Smells of caramel and toffee with a hint of sherry countered with earthy, herbal, and a hint of citrus hops. I get aged barleywine aromas from this one a bit. Taste is sweet and malty with enough earth and grapefruit to call this an IPA. Medium to thick body with a moderate level of carbonation and a sweet almost sticky mouthfeel. Seven and a half percent alcohol is well hidden. This is a nice flavorful beer. Its a bit sweet compared to most ipa's and a few more ounces of hops especially late in the boil would have been nice, but I could drink some of these.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 02:13:04 | More by johnnnniee

drabmuh

Maryland

3.53/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a glass. Beer is amber, clear, big off white head, some lacing, decent retention, some carbonation.

Aroma is piny and sweet with a maltiness to it, interesting.

Beer is pushing it on the single IPA front, dry finish, sweet malty backbone, interesting presentation but overall a weak beer, uninteresting, more sweet than hoppy. Decent I guess but not a repeat at all.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 02:57:37 | More by drabmuh

SDDanC

California

3.83/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

It pours a hazy golden color with about a pinky-fingers worth of white head which sinks quickly into a residual ring. On the nose there is a fair amount of malt and a hint of the piney hop profile. On the tongue it is sweet and malty, then comes the hops. Citrusy hop flavor. Mouthfeel is good, could be better with more carb. As it races around in the tongue it seems a bit thin. With regards to the large malt presence and 7.5% ABV, I would expect it to be a little fuller bodied. Nonetheless, it is very tasty. Im quite thankful to have tried this treat, a nice break from all the local IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 04:45:50 | More by SDDanC

noahfree

California

4.22/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

To start off, I'm a SoCal ipa lover. I've tried multiple east coast IPAs that cannot hold a candle to this beer. Visited the brewery 12/10/11 and fell in love with this ipa that I had to get a growler fill.

A lot of pine on the nose with a hint of citrus. Taste is a glorious and really illustrates what an ipa should be, pure hoppiness without all that maltiness. Lacing is superb, mouthfeel is about standard. Kudos to Ale Werks for not following the standard east coast ipa recipe. If you like Ballast Points Sculpin,(who doesnt if youre reading this) you will enjoy this beer. At $9 a growler fill, you can't go wrong, plus you get to keep your taster glass! Nice touch, highly recommended seek out this beer if you love west coast style IPAs.

Serving type: growler

12-13-2011 00:40:59 | More by noahfree

brewcore

South Carolina

3.85/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Poured from a bottle into a stange glass. Dark gold in color. 1.5 finger white head with good retention. Moderate lacing.

S: Hops smell of pine and little citrus. Sweet malts.

T: Taste very similar to the nose. Hops are piney with just the right amount of bittering. Not picking up much citrus hops. Malts bring some balance but definitely a hoppy beer.

M: Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.

O: Not like every other IPA though I think it does fit the style. High drinkability I would visit this one again.

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 23:16:02 | More by brewcore

Wegomlegging

Virginia

3.53/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a nice golden yellow with decent head and lace. Pleasant hoppy pine aroma. Wow the bitter hop smack, which is saying something in the overcrowded hoppy beer flea market that is our current situation. Great follow on flavor refreshingly washes your cares down. Nice balance of carbonation and chewiness. I really liked this tasty beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 03:42:22 | More by Wegomlegging

AgentMunky

Alabama

4.03/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 ounce glass into a cervoise glass.

A: The beer pours clear and with little head until I swirl around the last third of the bottle and pour the unfiltered yeast into the glass. Two fingers of head take up residence, showing little inclination to leave. The beer transforms from a clear amber to a murky yellow-brown full of noticeable chunks of yeast. Head excepted, it's not very pretty.

S: Pine resin, presumably from NW hops.

T: I still think this beer is incredibly tasty. The hop profile is the most interesting. Some noticeable classics (e.g., Cascade) but others elude me. Primarily earthy/spicy with a hefty dose of floral bitterness and a resiny aftertaste. A sweet fruitiness enters for a little while on the maintaste, offering a balanced, pleasant IPA.

M: Substantial and exactly what I wanted in my IPA. Lightly carbonated and...thick. Yum!

O: I prefer it on tap, but the bottled version is good..more subdued, but also more complex. The hops come out a lot more. I really like most everything AleWerks has done, and the Drake Tail is no exception. Recommended. Will seek out to have again.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2011 00:45:25 | More by AgentMunky

Brent

Kentucky

3.5/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pretty middle-of the road, without a lot of attributes to either love or hate. Moderate hopping, a bit nondescript with some pine rosin notes. Malt carried lightly roasted flavor. Finish was a little astringent. ETOH at 7.5% is a surprise, as there were no alcohol notes of significance.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 15:01:10 | More by Brent

engagechad

Virginia

3.4/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Purchased as a single from Tom Leonards in Richmond, VA - DFH snifer.

Pours a nice amber honey color with good head and decent lacing.

Smells grassy and dirty, not in a great way.

Tastes bitter and funky. Hops are there for sure, not much on citrus or pine, just earth funk and some acid bitterness.

Feels nice and bitter on the back

Overall this is unfortunately the first beer from Williamsburg that i am not a fan of.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 02:19:02 | More by engagechad

dball

Virginia

4.47/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Super extra delicious unfiltered IPA that looks great poured in a glass. It lightly laces the glass but the unfiltered settle after the pour is beautiful. The aroma is floral and the flavor is also floral with a fine balance of sour fruit and malt. I'm interested in drinking beer that doesn't travel too far and this one is less than 150 miles from home and ranks very high! Grab a Drake Trail, you'll be glad you did.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2011 02:07:50 | More by dball

barleyroad

Pennsylvania

4.58/5  rDev +25.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

IPA, dark gold to amber. Wow. this is an IPA worth drinking. Smell is good, fruity and the taste is very exceptional as IPA's go. Mouthfeel is very good, nice bitter and good finish. Try this with a prime rib, wow. We here at barleyroad will drink this any time, fridge worthy.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 01:38:49 | More by barleyroad

tvv375ia

Iowa

3.4/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

poured from 12oz bottle into pint glass

A-color is a burnt orange with about a 1 finger head that dissapated to a soap bubble like cap

S-first a burst of orange citrus followed by some pine and finally a little malt at the end

T-pine more in the taste than the smell and then some light malt

M-good carbonation a little bit on the thin watery side but not bad

O-not a terrible IPA but not really the best, but I wouldn't turn one down if offered

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2011 02:20:56 | More by tvv375ia

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.13/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The Drake Tail IPA from AleWerks was purchased from Vulcan Beverages in Birmingham. This beer was medium copper color with thin white head that appears to be lacing. The smell is subtle...not much going on...slight hints of malt and citrus. The taste is heavy with malt counterbalanced with hops...both in an attempt to mask the high ABV. The mouthfeel is downgraded due to the higher ABV....one would be plenty for me.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 22:09:45 | More by WoodBrew

rdub

Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into my new Williamsburg AleWerks pint. I tried most of their offerings during a recent visit and found a common thread with all of them. Could it be the water?

Medium ruddy brown color yielded a white one finger head and a bit of lacing down the glass. Fresh pine aroma with a bit of citrus and quite a malt backbone. I felt this was quite balanced. I tended to like this a little better cold than warm-ish. Perhaps with some tweaking this could go a bit higher. Good attempt from a newer brewery.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2011 18:55:02 | More by rdub

Another6Pack

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Batch number blank on all six bottles. This was brought to the Midwest by a friend, so I'm confident it is reasonably fresh.

Pour is a dark copper color with a relatively short head that receded very quickly. Lacing is solid and holds firm around the perimeter of the pint glass. Nose includes some hops and sweet malt notes, but is otherwise unremarkable.

Taste is a good balance of hop zing with a noticeable malt presence. Hop flavor prevails, which gives it an extra .5 in my book. Nice and dry, plenty of carbonation to bring out the hop presence. Overall a decent Am IPA.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2011 23:31:49 | More by Another6Pack