Carolina India Pale Ale - Carolina Brewing Company

wedge

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Clean amber color with a really nice looking sticky, soapy off-white head that leaves behind some loose lace. Ahhh...the aroma actually brings memories of Ipswitch IPA - dark, earthy hops, citrus and sap with a more than solid malt backing. Flavor is delicious as well with its oily floral hop profile and a generous amount of gritty malts to balance it perfectly. Real nice texture in the mouth, medium-fullish with a rock solid bitterness.

Wow, I have a feeling this one's going to be in my fridge a lot. I could picture a Mercury Brewing label on this. It doesn't go out of its way to be over-the-top, out of control hoppy, it just has fantastic balance.

An excellent IPA with influences in both America and England.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2006 01:49:36 | More by wedge

ZEB89

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev 0%

05-06-2013 18:59:46 | More by ZEB89

Duvel

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +6.7%

03-08-2013 14:55:35 | More by Duvel

dpodratsky3

Georgia

3.36/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into pint glass

A: Absolutely crystal clear dark orange, copper, head is nice film of pure white

S: Resiny and floral hops are only aroma

T: Hop forward with resin dominating, other than that its hard to discern much in the way of malt flavors, finishes a little hot from pure hop bitterness, lacks flavor throughout entire taste

M: Medium body, decent carbonation, very dry

O: Ok, doesn't stand out in a crowd but doesn't have any bad characteristics

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 02:27:18 | More by dpodratsky3

Cmaster03

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev 0%

12-16-2012 18:08:46 | More by Cmaster03

jtd335

Maryland

3.25/5  rDev -13.3%

12-11-2012 13:01:38 | More by jtd335

netrioter

Texas

2.95/5  rDev -21.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

9.99 for a growler from Quick Mart in Chapel Hill N.C.

was driving through Chapel Hill near the university and noticed a "questionable" convenient store and i told my girlfriend that i would bet her 100 bucks that you can find drug pipes,condoms,porn and "alternative" herbal smoking blends due to being so close to campus...she would have lost that bet.

They also have a outstanding import and local beer section.

They had 6 different growlers from Carolina Brewing so i picked one up.

Impression from opening....EXTREMELY SKUNKED...im thinking because of bad refrigeration,ive had this on tap before and it wasnt this skunky....it was foul smelling.... i just dropped 10 bucks on it so i threw it in the freezer for 2 hours....here it goes...

Good bitterness,orange hue and even though it was kind of smelly the taste came through.

If youre a Dogfish Head IPA fan you may like this as well.

if you see this in the bottle its worth a try. I think it goes for 6-7 a 6 pack

Serving type: growler

11-17-2012 20:46:13 | More by netrioter

M_Burkey

3.5/5  rDev -6.7%

11-03-2012 21:54:38 | More by M_Burkey

Gavage

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: pours an orange color with a 1" head that lasts a bit.

Smell: caramel and some earthy tones are easily detectable.

Taste: caramel, mild bitterness, soft citrus, and a mild earthiness creates a very mild flavored IPA.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer. Lightly crisp throughout. Short lasting aftertaste.

Overall: a very mellow and mild IPA that is easy to drink but leans more towards a pale ale for me.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 18:00:03 | More by Gavage

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev +6.7%

09-10-2012 01:15:48 | More by t0rin0

wceaton

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +6.7%

09-08-2012 21:54:19 | More by wceaton

fastrodney

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -6.7%

09-03-2012 19:55:04 | More by fastrodney

prototypic

Ohio

2.9/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Carolina India Pale Ale pours a lighter gold color with slight orange highlights. It’s slightly hazy and has a few yeasty particles swimming about. Backlighting gives it more of an orange look. It’s capped with a soft white head that rises to just over a finger in height. Retention is on the shorter side and lacing is extremely light. It’s not bad, not quite good either.

The nose is honestly a little below average. It’s weak and desperately needs more strength. It kicks off with a bit of earthy scent, which is interesting. You don’t encounter than in an IPA often. It’s a little bread-like, as well. Hops don’t come through very strong at all. There are some faint fruity notes of orange and grapefruit. For an American IPA, that’s not a good thing. Alcohol is very light and is mostly unnoticeable. Meh.

The flavor is slightly better. Enough to warrant a score bump. The malt base is bready and biscuit-like. There’s a touch of sweet caramel, but it’s subtle. Hops have a light citrus grapefruit and orange flavor. They’re not all that strong. It is a little bitter, but not all that much. It has an interesting earthy flavor. It is somewhat reminiscent of aspirin, as well. Kind of odd. Alcohol is light and doesn’t come through strong. Finishes with a biscuity, slightly bitter flavor.

The body is lighter. Carbonation seems light and soft, but it’s too thin to attain any level of smoothness. I’m splitting the growler, but could probably finish it solo. Although, I’m not sure I’d want to.

Carolina India Pale Ale is an okay release from Carolina Brewing Company, but does very little to distinguish itself amongst a sea of great American IPAs. It’s just not all that hoppy or tasty. Needs work in that department. It’s not horrible and might be worth a try. That’s about it.

Serving type: growler

08-12-2012 03:57:23 | More by prototypic

HipHopinHooligan13

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev 0%

07-16-2012 01:33:09 | More by HipHopinHooligan13

Jason_Quad

3.75/5  rDev 0%

07-09-2012 21:39:35 | More by Jason_Quad

Sicem99

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev 0%

06-04-2012 00:54:00 | More by Sicem99

KajII

North Carolina

3.33/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

[Best served in a Shaker glass]

The pour was a medium copper amber with an average sized (1-2 finger) white fluffy head that reduced to a medium cap which lead to some really nice streaky lacing.

The aroma was of a mild straw malt, floral and citrus hops and an earthy yeast with notes of caramel and citrus (grapefruit and orange peel).

The taste was moderately bitter with a mild sweet maltiness and a touch of caramel early on, and then progressed into this hoppy bitter taste that had a good note of citrus towards the end. The flavor lasted for quite a long while with the hoppy citrus flavor fading nice and slow.

Mouthfeel was just above light in body with a decently dry texture and a moderate carbonation.

Overall an IPA that gets back to the basics: hops, citrus and a mild caramel malty taste. You really don't need much else...

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 19:13:12 | More by KajII

carrollmel7

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev 0%

03-04-2012 21:43:25 | More by carrollmel7

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

3.23/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

part of a sampler pack from Mark, the owner. Thanks!

Pours deep amber, almost deep orange. Initial swirling head, disappears and leaves nothing. No carbonation, no head, nothing.

Its actually very light for an IPA. Good bittering hop feeling, hints of pine, loads of earthy herbal hops. Metallic earthy hops, i mean it bears repeating. Bitter bite from the hops. Finishes dry, with more earthy medicinal hops coming upon exhale.

Very clean, which i wasnt expecting for an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 19:51:15 | More by VncentLIFE

StateMech

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -6.7%

01-21-2012 02:20:59 | More by StateMech

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.3/5  rDev -12%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark, coppery amber, almost mahogany, that is crystal clear and has a fairly thick, fluffy and somewhat persistent off-white head. Aroma is hoppy and fruity, not strong but still appetizing. Hoppy flavor has subtle woody and fruity notes and minimal bitterness. Texture is smooth, firm-bodied and fairly fizzy. Not spectacular, but still enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 21:36:53 | More by Cyberkedi

KTCamm

New Jersey

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

Served on tap at the RDU airport main terminal - Vintage Wines store, but always 4 good micros on draft. Server didnt seem too excited about walking me through the though.

But I digress - pours a medium amber, with good foam, and a decent stickiness. Strong pine/grassy smell. Taste is a firm hop, but with a good malt balance that blends in really nicely. Good carbonation - the whole beer comes together very nicely. Very drinkable, and an excellent pre-flight option.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2011 21:10:33 | More by KTCamm

ROGUE16

Delaware

4/5  rDev +6.7%

12-14-2011 23:16:14 | More by ROGUE16

nmann08

Maryland

4/5  rDev +6.7%

12-05-2011 01:57:51 | More by nmann08

brandoman63

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -6.7%

11-29-2011 02:41:29 | More by brandoman63