Black Iron India Pale Ale - Grand Canyon Brewery

kevanb

Illinois

3.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

This IPA from Arizona pours a hazy copper straw color, a fair amount of sediment floats in the glass while a nice 2 finger head sits atop the beer. The head has pretty decent retention and ample lacing on the glass. The nose is pleasant, a bit weak, lots of lemongrass in the nose with some slight biscuity malt backing, not much in the way of bitter hops, more of a lighter sweeter nose. The flavors match well, mild hop profile which is earthy and hazy, some bright citrus come through that leads to some light bready malt. The flavors and aroma are very simple, but still pleasant and well done. The body is nice, a bit bigger than I anticipated, can definitely notice the sediment, which isn’t a bad thing by any stretch.

Verdict: Simple but good IPA from Grand Canyon. I could definitely do with a 6 pack of these on a warm summer day.

Serving type: can

03-20-2012 05:32:31 | More by kevanb

brentk56

North Carolina

3.38/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a crystal clear amber capped by an inch of foam; the retention was acceptable but there wasn't much lacing

Smell: More malt than hops; earthy, somewhat fruity with grass and pine

Taste: Tastes like the aroma, with the sugary malt forward and grassy/piney hops picking up the middle; a touch metallic in the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with low to moderate carbonation

Overall: Not the most exciting IPA out there - more of a slightly hoppy amber or an ESB than an IPA; drinkable, but not something to seek out

Thanks, mikedR (from the other site), for the opportunity

Serving type: can

04-19-2013 21:05:30 | More by brentk56

LXIXME

New Mexico

3.38/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

A small white to slightly off white head settles into a decent lacing pretty quickly above this clear honey golden colored beer.

Citrus, floral, and light pine in the aroma with just a touch of some light malts.

The taste of this IPA is a little on the lighter side for an American IPA, but it does have some nice hops attributes of pine, citrus fruits, spring grasses, and lighter floral notes.

A dryish aftertaste that brings with it some of the hops characteristics of the taste with this medium bodied IPA.

Lighter in taste than a lot of IPA but the taste that is here is quite drinkable, if you want to introduce a friend to IPA's you might want to start with this one. The hops here are pleasant and won't blow them away and will let them gradually work their way to stuff like Torpedo from Sierra Nevada.

Serving type: can

04-18-2013 23:44:39 | More by LXIXME

ONUMello

Ohio

3.4/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz can poured into a pint glass
A: Transparent orange with a solid two-finger head that slowly settles
S: A touch muted but overall very typical IPA with some grain, hop (pine/citrus rind) and caramel notes
T: This is fairly tame for an IPA - malts take the forefront with hops taking a back seat role. No flaws just not the profile I expected.
M: Medium-bodied with a nice smoothness from the malt and a hint of hop bitterness, but I expected more bite/bitterness
O: Not bad just not quite typical for the style. I don't quite get the bad reviews here but would love to see future batches have more hops.

Serving type: can

03-15-2013 02:42:39 | More by ONUMello

EyePeeAyBryan

Arizona

3/5  rDev -5.7%

03-11-2013 23:17:57 | More by EyePeeAyBryan

deciding39

Massachusetts

2.29/5  rDev -28%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

12 oz. can poured into an imperial pint glass.

A: Pours a hazy orange-gold with a fluffy, three-finger head. May have poured this one with a little too much vigor. Head recedes a bit over the course of a minute or two, leaving half a finger of rocky froth. Decent lacing, although the bubbles appears a bit coarse.

S: Hoppy aroma of lemon and pine. A little bread and grain hide in the back with a slight trace of alcohol.

T: Malt is a little one dimensional - sweet, grainy caramel, followed by a quick juicy hop note of pine and resin that is actually a bit abrasive, with some copper/nickel in there. Finishes bitter with a sharp, astringent green apple flavor. All sorts of yeastiness coming back up in the burp.

M&D: Medium bodied and moderate alcohol, this would be rather drinkable if not for the offputting taste. I really can't enjoy this one...reminds me of a homebrewed IPA I made last spring. I think the yeast is the real culprit here (reminds me of Safale-05), responsible for most of the unpleasant notes. However, I'll also give some credit to the hops which are flavorful but harsh. Don't think I'll be having more than one of these.

Serving type: can

01-20-2013 00:22:58 | More by deciding39

mactrail

California

2.45/5  rDev -23%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.25

Big foam on pouring into the mug. Actually, the suds last well and this stuff is fairly attractive. The smell is slightly piney. Taste of malt with a little spoiled fruit. Soapy and bitter. Some hoppy notes but primarily just the murky earthiness. Aftertaste of burnt toast and plastic. Fair example of how not to brew an IPA.

Not as bad as the Grand Canyon Amber, but this is definitely a brewery to be wary of. From the 12 oz can bought at a store to be wary of, Total Wine in east Tucson.

Serving type: can

01-12-2013 21:08:41 | More by mactrail

drabmuh

Maryland

3.56/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Can of an IPA from a brewery I've never sampled from? Yes please. Part of my Arizona beer fest I threw myself while in Phoenix. Beer is amber and mostly clear with a big head, over carbonated, and nice lacing. Looks good.

Aroma is mildly piny, sweet, a little malty.

This is a balanced IPA with a little citrus fruit hops and moderate bitterness, a little too malty sweet for my tastes but it is OK, not a repeat for me.

Serving type: can

12-30-2012 06:15:53 | More by drabmuh

HavasuDG

Arizona

2.5/5  rDev -21.4%

12-20-2012 03:10:16 | More by HavasuDG

mvanaskie13

Pennsylvania

2.98/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured into a straight chalice (its thanksgiving) - color is dark gold to copper, head poured very dense and thick, bright white.

Smell is citrus and pine hops, grapefruit comes through most light biscuit or toasted malt note.

Taste is a little on the sweeter side, not caramel sweet but maybe some modified malts, hops are citrus and piney blend, pleasant and bitter.

Mouthfeel is a little too cloying for my ipa taste, a little sweet and strong bitterness combined.

Overall, a decent IPA kind of down the middle, but I prefer mine a bit dryer.

Serving type: can

11-22-2012 20:05:35 | More by mvanaskie13

Rau71

California

3.75/5  rDev +17.9%

11-16-2012 04:26:23 | More by Rau71

t0rin0

California

3.5/5  rDev +10.1%

10-07-2012 03:46:15 | More by t0rin0

Bagoosh

California

3.25/5  rDev +2.2%

09-22-2012 21:29:52 | More by Bagoosh

dorf

Arizona

2.5/5  rDev -21.4%

09-04-2012 01:17:20 | More by dorf

soupermirl

Mississippi

3.75/5  rDev +17.9%

08-27-2012 14:46:51 | More by soupermirl

evilkorova

Washington

3/5  rDev -5.7%

05-20-2012 22:50:31 | More by evilkorova

JasonB

2.75/5  rDev -13.5%

05-02-2012 16:33:39 | More by JasonB

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

1.85/5  rDev -41.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Picked up some AZ cans from Papago while I was there, this was the worst of the worst.

Looked fine, amber colored ipa, carbonated, head etc. . . the aroma, ugh, bitter and soapy, something weird going on, not much in the way of a discernable green hop presence, just there for the bitterness party.

Wow, the flavor was just rough. Like a mix of a bad ipa, with just nothing but bitterness and no hop mouthfeel, in conjunction with some Rodenbach wet wood and sherry type mild sweet and sour infection notes. Thankfully, Corpulent is a trooper/sucker and helped finish this beer off for me.

Cannot recommend, one of the worst ipa's I've had in a long time. Like, almost Kennebunkport bad. Indian Wells etc. . .

Serving type: can

04-12-2012 23:27:55 | More by Beerandraiderfan

MarkyMOD

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +17.9%

04-05-2012 07:22:54 | More by MarkyMOD

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.73/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A fairly standard American IPA, and one slightly on the sweeter side, but it tastes fresh and pleasant enough, and I did enjoy it. As others have said, it pours with little, and an amber color. Both in the nose and by taste, this beer is very floral and somewhat soft in the mouth. Quite a bit of honeyed malt, especially in the aroma. The hops wake up a bit in the taste, with some citrus and pine added to the juicy malt and floral honey notes. A mild bitterness lingers, but it lacks a spicy hop edge that makes an American IPA so nicely bracing. A gentle IPA, but not lacking in flavor, just more subtle than most and the soft malt steps forward a bit more than most. There is a nice citrusy brightness to the beer, though, that is partially obscured by the softness of the mouthfeel. Pleasant enough- I'd certainly drink it if it were my local IPA.

Serving type: can

02-17-2012 04:57:32 | More by Georgiabeer

jenray

Texas

3/5  rDev -5.7%

11-25-2011 13:49:37 | More by jenray

arizcards

Arizona

3.58/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a single at Total Wine in late August for $1.69.

Beer poured orange with very little head.

Nose is a nice citrusy hop that is still very pungent after the initial pour.

Taste is a decent malt backing surprisingly balanced by a decent amount of citrus hops.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and moderately carbonated.

Overall not a bad beer but nothing special.

Serving type: can

11-12-2011 00:00:09 | More by arizcards

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +24.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A last shout-out for today's New Beer Sunday (Week 339) to bennetj17 whose Arizona CANTrade led the way for a trans-Pacific daylong adventure to China, thanks to boatshoes and his box that had lain like a sleeping dragon for too long. My crew has gone ashore, vowing never to set sail with a scurvy dog like yours truly ever again and I CANnot blame them as even I am feeling the effects of the day's adventures in beer. However, The CANQuest (TM) must forge ahead!

From the CAN: "We encourage you to recycle, pack it in, pack it out."; "Black Iron I.P.A. [-] This is our tribute to the black iron that paved the way to get to the Grand Canyon. Black Iron I.P.A. is a high hopped, fragrant, ale that is as deep and as wide as the Grand Canyon itself!"; "Trains and Beer [-] 1901 was the grand arrival of the first passenger aboard the new railway from Williams Arizona to the majestic south rim of the Grand Canyon. Originally these black iron steam engines hauled ore for mining operations. Now, millions of people have seen this natural wonder by taking the Williams train. This country was founded on trains and beer and apparently the canyon is no different."; "Legendary Brewery [-] The Grand Canyon Brewing Company is located in historic downtown Williams, Arizona. Stop in the next time you're near the southern rim of the Grand Canyon."; "[Undersigned] - The Peasley Brothers John, Josh, Jeremy".

If you hang around male beer enthusiasts long enough, you will find that other commonalities are facial hair and trains. This beer makes a perfect marriage of two sides of that triangle.

The Crack & Glug went well and resulted in a fizzy finger of tawny head with moderate retention. Color was a deep orangish-amber with NE-quality clarity. Nose had an unusual orange zest citrusiness along with a mild grassiness and a slight caramel sweetness. Mouthfeel was medium and it tasted of Brach's orange caramels from when I was a kid. I have tasted this combination in other AIPAs and thoroughly enjoyed it and such was the case here. Finish was more orangish than anything else and the flavor lasted well after the swallow. I am of the opinion that there CANnot be enough well-made AIPAs in a CAN. This would definitely rate cooler space and especially if I were going on a train outing, like to Strasburg here in Lancaster County.

Serving type: can

08-14-2011 23:12:05 | More by woodychandler

trappistlover

Arizona

3.05/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

(12oz can). Pours a hazy dark golden color with off-white head. Decent carbonation and some lacing. Aroma has hard candy, some dank hops, with some cardboard. Taste is very sweet that overpowers the hops. Old can? Medium bodied with a slick texture and smooth finish. I’m quite surprised at how faded the hops are. Not a bad beer at all, but not what I expected from an IPA. Will have to re-rate when I’m at the pub.

Serving type: can

04-27-2011 04:57:35 | More by trappistlover

mmciz

Oregon

2.5/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Kudos to the tiny town of Williams (pop. ~3,000) for supporting a craft brewer. All those Grand Canyon tourists help, no doubt. I've had a few of their beers at festivals but none made a huge impression. Time to try this black can.

A: I see others have had problems with this pours -- I got about 3/4 of an inch of creamy white head. The beer itself is an unremarkable amber and there seems to be some sort of residue suspended in it, which doesn't bother me.

S: Very lightly floral, like a sprig of baby's breath. This is definitely not a super-hoppy west coast IPA.

T: The brewer's boast of being "as deep and as wide as the Grand Canyon itself" isn't on point. It tastes more like something New Belgium would brew -- though not as polished. Sweet on the tongue with a lingering alcohol burn. Reaching for "average" within the style but not quite getting there.

M: Slides smoothly.

D: Kinda boring considering I can feel it pretty strongly -- one can will suffice.

Serving type: can

02-10-2011 05:28:47 | More by mmciz