Atwater Grand Circus IPA - Atwater Block Brewery

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.03/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz can. Procured in Detroit, and with downtown Motown maps on the label, but the can indicates that this is brewed in Latrobe, PA.

This beer pours a clear medium copper amber hue, with a teeming amount of thin foamy cobwebbed head, which leaves some chunky bands of rainforest lace around the glass as it sinks away. It smells of strong biscuity malts, some tart breadiness, and earthy, leafy hops. The taste is crackery, biscuity malt, quite dry, like something you'd want to dip in soup. There's some leafy, herbal hops adding to the bitter side of things. The carbonation is moderate, and unobtrusive, the body near medium weight, and a little too clingy and clammy to proclaim as smooth. It finishes malty, but not sweet, the dryness abetted by some lingering herbal hops.

No way, no how should this be labeled as an IPA, of any sort. Now tell me ESB, and we can talk, mostly about how to make this bitter a whole lot better.

Serving type: can

09-29-2011 22:23:53 | More by biboergosum

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a deep copper at Smokin' Joe's the label says it's brewed in Latrobe. Actually pale copper crystal clear with a bright white head flowing thick. Head has trickled thin lacing layers with notes of grassy pale copper. The body although slightly stick with hop oils doesn't hold up to most big or light IPAs, medium body with a moderate level of carbonation flavor isn't bad at all actually quite hoppy and held together quite nicely for a bigger beer from up north in Michigan.

Serving type: can

05-24-2012 02:38:41 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3

I am really grateful that I have not had this beer before. At least I'll get a tick out of the deal. (I didn't check to see, but thought it was new to me.)

Thin and watery with a hop influence that shows and disappears rather quickly. Thin is the word that keeps coming to mind. And there is a dirty aftertaste with some odd orange on there. Dirty and thin. That sums it up for this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 22:30:54 | More by RblWthACoz

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Lumpy head with some webby lace. Rocky settlement. Cloudy, pale amber color.

Clean pale malt smell with a shallow level of hop--slightly off from the IPA expectation.

Interesting pineapple hop flavor, some pepper and grapefruit. Starts with a brief, neutral malt. Good bitterness swallow with a long aftertaste of pepper. Unremarkable body with a carbonation that is as expected.

Serving type: can

12-17-2011 03:25:20 | More by smcolw

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.05/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Yay cans, tasty crack cans...

Anyways, pours a huge pasty white fluffy head of more than 2 fingers, fades semi slowly with nice lacing, over hazy sediment yeast chunk filled orange colored, its really full of sediment.

Nose has some hops, but not much. Candy hops, a bit fruity and hint earthy grassy, slightest touch of citrus but more like citrus candy.

Taste comes fairly bland as well, slight touch of a malty sweetness, but then some hops, candy hops, hint of grassy hops and citrus, bit fruity, and fairly light overall. Finish is drier a decent bitterness, a lot more bitterness than actual hop flavor with no malts to really balance and lack of nice distinct hop flavors.

Mouth is med to lighter bodied, decent carb at least.

Overall meh, not really much going for it except a fairly cheap IPA in a can, cause everyone loves it in the can.

Serving type: can

04-01-2012 17:18:21 | More by jlindros

Billolick

New York

3.43/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce can, purchased as part of a 12 pack, at American Bev. in Brooklyn, NY ($12.99)

Pours lightly clouded almond amber, delicate off white head, leaves a thicker film, collar and fine mostly low lacing.

Nose is of some grassy hops and a hint of malt.

This is an easy drinking, lighter and refreshing IPA. Moderate hop presence, balanced by a nearly equal malty base. Lighter mouthfeel, with a watery note.

Nothing special, but enjoyable enough. Worthy summer sesioner

Serving type: can

08-31-2012 01:08:24 | More by Billolick

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Many, many thanks to Another6Pack for sending me a CAN Care package recently! I noticed that I had one of his Wants and he sent me a four-pack of some really nifty CANs. I CAN always review a new CAN in support of The CANquest (TM) ...

From the CAN: "We drink all we [CAN] and then sell the rest."; "Kick back, relax and enjoy a cold craft beer in your city's 'Grand Circus Park'."; "Beer is good."; plus an underlay of the map of downtown Detroit.

Too bad about the allusion to a Detroit park - I thought that it referred to my classroom.

The Crack was as loud in the deafening silence of my kitchen as any in recent memory. I decided to go with a heavy-handed Glug into a Sam. Adams Perfect Pint glass just to see if I could get a cascade to result. CAN I get an "Amen, brother!" from the CANstituency? I was soon looking at two-plus fingers of rocky, eggshell-white head that was fading as quickly as red ink in the sunlight. Bye! The beer was a deep golden-yellow with NE-quality clarity and I suddenly wished for a serving of French Fries. Did the color remind me of cooking oil? Or perhaps of golden fries themselves? Either way, one should never hold back anything that comes to mind in doing a review. I personally dig the stream-of-consciousness rave that seems to be the trademark of my reviews. Now, where was I before I got lorded over by some western distraction ...? Oh yes, color. In the meantime, the head had fallen to the point that I could get my nose in there to root for truffles without the fear of foam in my sinuses. I was a trained Locker Leader (firefighter) in the Navy and one time, in extinguishing an oil fire, I did get some of the AFFF in my mask. Speaking of oil, did I mention that I am hungry for French Fries? The nose was pretty weak for an AIPA. Hoppy? Sure, but not enough to qualify as an AIPA. I have to go with El Tigre from Calgary in that this would be a passable ESB and a below-par AIPA. The nose could not seem to allow the malt to get out of the way of the tea-like hops. Mouthfeel was thin-to-medium and the taste was of minty hops on a chewing gum scale. This was my second go-'round tonight with an AIPA with a substandard hops presence. Grrr. Finish was as boring as one of those ponderous documentaries on PBS on Sunday afternoon in which some British talking head goes on and on about the merits of French Fries. Hell, they're not even French! They are originally les pommes frites from Belgium and I still want some. I want them more than I want another of this beer. I CAN only hope that this review helps you in your personal quest for better beer.

Serving type: can

11-23-2011 01:35:17 | More by woodychandler

Brad007

Vermont

3.53/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A buddy brought this back for me. Never heard of this brewery.

Pours a sweet (not literally) golden color with a frothy white head into my glass. It's an IPA! I got a chuckle out of the ABV.

Grassy hops that have a hint of citrus. Sweet malt underneath too. Smells about right for something of this ABV.

Here's where it gets tricky. Hops are not that strong upfront and I get the suspicion that this may be an older can? No canning date or year codes. Just a bit of sweet malt underneath too. I think this is closer to the English style IPA.

Lingering grassy hops and burnt caramel from the malt. Not bad but not great.

You could probably do better for the style. I'd like to see what else they have to offer. Still, it quenched my thirst.

Serving type: can

05-30-2012 00:04:32 | More by Brad007

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Atwater Brewery : Grand Circus IPA

LOOK: Orange/bronze colored brew with a slight haze. White head forms, forms the ring, minimal lace.

SMELL: Aroma of floral and citrusy hops. Orange, green tea.

TASTE: Citrus, green tea, grass, mint. Hop flavors are good and have a distinct tea like element. Where's the body? Where's the malt? Besides a watery caramel flavor, this beer is just about flat and one dimensional.

FEEL: Light bodied, watery, under carbonated. Pretty lame feel, which is sad. With any body this could have a lot of potential. Thin.

OVERALL: Unless you must have it, pass on this.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2013 00:30:15 | More by Stinkypuss

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

2.15/5  rDev -29.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Pours a clean yellow to orange-ish color with an off white head. In the aroma, mellow mix of pine and citrus hops. In the taste, mellow pine hops with a balanced malt. A small hop bite and a medium to lighter bodied mouthfeel, with a dry small hop in the aftertaste. More a pale ale than IPA, EH!

Serving type: can

06-01-2012 20:25:01 | More by OWSLEY069

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Got a bottle of this for a dollar bottled in August 2012

A - Quite dark for a session IPA. Sort of hazy amber brown with quite a nice 1/2 inch of fluffy white head.

S - More herbal than I wanted but a nice bittering pine with equal balance.

T - Eh not bad it's simple enough with a mild acidic sort of hop profile that seems watered down. Kind of boring really.

M - Light to medium I question session ability

Overall a very forgettable session IPA not even worth a dollar.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 02:30:23 | More by DrDemento456

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to the legend woodychandler for yet another canned beer. Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a orange/brownish color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of hops and citrus. Taste is a good balance of hops and malts, not overpowering, slightly bitter with some mild citrus notes. Feels full bodied in the mouth and overall is an enjoyable beer.

Serving type: can

12-02-2011 14:33:46 | More by tone77

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

2.88/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle and served in a tumbler pint, the beer is a hazy, pale, somewhat lackluster copper coloring with a foamy, low profile, sparse, white filmy head. The head starts promising, at around an inch and a half, but quickly settles out. Well balanced nose of light citrus sweetness and light, green, fresh hops aromas. Flavors are strong initially, but a bit watery overall, with a strong roasted and dry hopped flavor profile that has some char character. The hops go fairly unbalanced, with only a slight hint of the citrus that was present in the nose. Decent cling along the glass while you drink, which is one of the few redeeming qualities. The aftertaste is resiny and strongly roasted, with a drying feel that makes the finish quick and clean. A slight tang left behind on the tongue, but not much else at the end.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2011 02:11:06 | More by GarthDanielson

Boto

Connecticut

3.38/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Draught @ Headkeeper: This one pours a clear, golden color. There was a small white head that left some lacing. Lighter nose for an IPA. Pine and some grapefruit notes. The taste is along similar lines. Pine and grapefruit hops dominate, with some biscuit and earthiness. Dry, almost stringent. Just rates an OK.

Serving type: on-tap

07-11-2012 14:49:37 | More by Boto

cosmicevan

New York

3.1/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to genuinedisciple for tossing this my way. We do get Atwater locally, though I've never seen this brew anywhere. Bottle is notched June 2012 so I better drink this puppy now.

a - brew poured a pretty murky and opaque orange with a massive foamy white head that had an almost bubble bath look to it as it fizzled away. big chunks of lacing.

s - soft hopping. crisp and clean smelling. sweet malts.

t - pretty malty and has a bite. some subtle hopping. lacks a lot of what i look for in an ipa...no fruitiness, no hop citric flavors. all in all fairly bland.

m - fairly watery. finish is odd, kind of bitter without any hop kick.

o - overall, when i saw the reviews i was a bit nervous...that combined with the notch on the bottle, but this isn't all that bad. this is definitely not a beer that i would seek out to try again, and it feels slightly a step ahead of BMC, but not a big stretch.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2012 23:40:57 | More by cosmicevan

puboflyons

New Hampshire

3.1/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

From the 12 fl. oz. can stamped 1062-1523. Sampled on September 23, 2012.

It pours a slightly hazy golden copper-yellow with a tremendous amount of fluffy white head that fizzles after a minute.

Loads of grains on the nose but fewer hops. Pretty average in the aroma department.

The body falls into the light to medium range and it is smooth on my tongue.

The taste is much like the aroma with a big up front grainy character while the earthy hops are noticeable but somewhat played down. One of the milder IPA"s I have had in awhile.

Serving type: can

09-23-2012 19:35:00 | More by puboflyons

WoodBrew

Illinois

4/5  rDev +30.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Atwater puts out some decent beers...this is no exception. The Grand Circus is a nive IPA. Pours an orange clear copper color with 1/4 finger head that is lacing. The smell has mostly bitter hops with slight citrus. The taste follows suite....very bitter towards the end that eventually zings hints of Grapefruit. The mouthfeel is mdeium to light body with good carbonation. Overall its good.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2012 00:19:09 | More by WoodBrew

Brenden

Ohio

3.8/5  rDev +24.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The color is a hazed dark orange-brown, beyond amber but not quite copper, with a bronzed sort of darkness in the depth. A nearly pure white head grows to 2 fingers in height and shows stick, retaining one finger the entire time after it recedes and leaving lacing in broken sheeting down the glass.
A nice raw, leafy, green sort of hops bitterness with a citrus element is what greets the nose. Another sniff gives off more of the rich, raw, pure hops cone aromas.
The flavor is pretty good, but it seems more effort was put into hopping for the aromatics.
Crispness and smoothness are on par with a light carbonation in a medium body that sustains itself well.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 07:10:22 | More by Brenden

crossovert

Wisconsin

3.68/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 bottle, just under 3 months old, hopefully it holds up.

It is rather low in abv for an ipa. It pours a hazy amber with a foamy white head.

The smell is mostly citrus. Orange is a prominent scent. Maybe some peach in there too. Light fruits, subtle malt sweetness.

The flavor is decent. It isn't too sweet which is nice. It also isn't too massively hopped. With .5% less abv it does have a better flavor than Founders All Day IPA. It is not too sweet, but still nectary. Plenty of fruits and citru, medium to low bitterness in the finish.

It looks like the cans are brewed at Latrobe. The bottled version is fine, it looks like the canned version has some issues.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 02:18:49 | More by crossovert

Florida9

Illinois

2.85/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Very clear yellow in color. Forms about a 1/4" of fluffy white head. No lacing.

S: Smells of toast, biscuit, and woodsy hops, but there is also butter and diacetyl.

T: Toast and biscuit malts. Mild to moderate bitterness. Dry, almost vinous, but not in a good way.

M: On the lighter side. Dry, chalky, and grainy. Appropriate carbonation.

O: A fairly weak IPA with an odd, not overly pleasant aroma. I've only had two beers from Atwater and both had been fairly unimpressive. I wonder if this brewery has the capacity to make anything worthwhile.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2011 01:50:04 | More by Florida9

david131

Michigan

2.48/5  rDev -19%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A- Pours a hazy straw yellow liquid with a few streams of carbonation making their way to the surface. The white head is thin and rather generic looking. As a whole, this looks like a macro lager with some haze to it.

S- Pears, apple juice, steamed vegetables, and a bit of citrus rind. Not very good.

T- Apples and pears along with some orange rind. There is a vegetable aspect to it that definitely detracts from the overall experience.

M- The carbonation has a bit of a bite to it, but there is some lingering astringency and not much bitterness. Odd.

O- For an IPA, this is not all that great.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 03:21:00 | More by david131

TheSarge

Illinois

4/5  rDev +30.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this in the can, so to speak, and poured it into a standard pint glass.

Produces a good two finger thick foam crown, and the body is hazy and copper color.

The aroma is caramel up front, a little mineral esque, lemons, and dry white toast.

In the taste, I detect hints of lemon, and caramel, with a little spruce.

Feels light in body, a bit thirst quenching (I just ran 4 miles), and wetting to the palate. Not bad for a lower ABV'd IPA. Quite sessionable.

Serving type: can

04-07-2012 19:23:59 | More by TheSarge

hosehead83

Ohio

3.7/5  rDev +20.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a standard pint glass.
Clear, light gold in color, with a moderate head of bone-white foam.
Aroma-Herbal, grassy hops.
Taste-Toasted malt, herbal hop leaf bitterness up front that hangs on and lingers to the finish.
Decent flavor for what could be described as a "sessionable" IPA at 4.2ABV. A bit unbalanced towards the bitter side of things, this beer cries out for a food pairing. Maybe a blue-cheese burger or just a good hunk of aged cheddar.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 18:27:11 | More by hosehead83

jsprain1

Minnesota

2.63/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A- Golden-amber, with a tinge of orange. Thick white head lasts fairly poorly.
S- A fair bit of sweet malt. A bit doughy with a piney bitterness.
T- This doesn't really have much flavor to it. It's lightly sweet up front, with noncommittal hop bitterness. Just a touch of orange character in the finish.
M- This comes across watery. I know it's only 4.2% but it's light and low carbonated.
O- This one didn't work for me. It's like a couple hop leaves dissolved in water. Meh, it's drinkable but not interesting.

Serving type: can

02-10-2012 04:36:06 | More by jsprain1

jjanega08

Minnesota

1.88/5  rDev -38.6%
look: 4 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 1.5

No freshness dating. Bottom of can dated 2421 1403 maybe...

A= Pours a deep amber color with a two finger off white head on it that holds some steady retention and lacing.

S= A little light on the hops for an IPA on the nose. There is a little grassy floral aroma reminicent of the English variety hops or some sparingly used American versions. It has a sort of sweet wort smell to it as well that actually reminds me quite a bit of unfermented wort in a mash.

T= The taste matches the smell to a tee. The grassy hop notes and an unfermented wort flavor. It may have a little bit of a wheat taste to it as well. Really nothing to write home about.

M= This is about the only thing they got right. Lightly carbonated and perfect for the style I think.

O= This reminds me of a homebrew a lot. Unfortunatly this reminds me of a few homebrews of my own that I didn't hand out because I was ashamed. This is a mess of an IPA and barely a beer judging by the unfermented flavor.

Serving type: can

06-05-2012 04:47:35 | More by jjanega08