Blowing Rock IPA - Boone Brewing Company, LLC

LuthersMug

Virginia

2.9/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer didn't quite hit the right spot with me. I had it at a men's church gathering on a nice spring day after an intense thunderstorm with lightning that hit our house. The smell was fresh and piney. The hops are noticeable, but they didn't balance out the beer. I was hoping for more. It was a decent beer to try, but I would reach out for another.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 05:35:23 | More by LuthersMug

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.26/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - A swirling cascading pour yields slightly more than two fingers worth of crisp slightly whipped light khaki colored head that forms a slightly rocky top as it settles... Excellent retention... The color is deep moderately dark medium gold... Still with no discernible carbonation... A bit of lacing clings to the glass...

S - Subdued all the way around... A mix of pale and toasted malts... Some caramel sweetness... Some doughy bread malt... The hops are truly missing in action on the nose... There is also a slightly odd soapy note buried beneath the surface...

T - As expected the malt base dominates the palate... Caramel... Biscuit... Caramel... Biscuit... Repeat... While it's not a bad start, there isn't much more going on... The finish slightly hopped and there is a slightly off soapy quality to the finish...

M - Medium bodied... Lightly carbonated... Goes down easily enough... Crisp... Clean...

D - Drinks much more like a subdued American Pale Ale rather than an IPA, but it's not a terrible beer by any stretch... It's simple... It's straightforward... It's unpretentious... This one is a the poster boy for average...

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 02:25:34 | More by philbe311

gregu2

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%

02-15-2013 03:49:26 | More by gregu2

KevinGordon

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -13%

01-09-2013 05:12:17 | More by KevinGordon

csustar001

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -5.8%

12-06-2012 23:38:08 | More by csustar001

4Socialanxiety

Tennessee

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%

11-27-2012 18:32:18 | More by 4Socialanxiety

dbrauneis

New Jersey

2.95/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A: Pours a lightly hazy deep copper approaching amber in color with some orange highlights and moderate to heavy amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a finger tall creamy light beige head that very slowly reduces (showing great retention properties) to a quarter finger layer evenly covering the entire surface of the beer with a slightly thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Some light to moderate aromas of malts with pine and earthy hops. Light notes of alcohol towards the finish of the smell.

T: Upfront there are some nondescript malts with just a hint of sweetness, followed by a watery flavor, and then the finish has some pine/resin and earthy hops that lend a moderate to heavy amount of bitterness (almost tastes like the hops are a little past their prime).

M: Slightly heavier than medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation. Some light dryness and alcohol heat in the finish.

O: I'm a pretty big fan of IPAs this year (I know that tastes change over time so who nows if I will be saying this in another year or two) but was a little disappointed... Not as well balanced as some and the hops are rather harsh in their bitterness - definitely better offerings on the market.

Note: This one is for you Tsuki, thanks for the 9+ great years of being my dog and companion. You will be missed!

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2012 23:06:47 | More by dbrauneis

DasBoot2112

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +8.7%

11-10-2012 02:46:16 | More by DasBoot2112

markmccoy

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%

11-08-2012 01:43:07 | More by markmccoy

Saryon

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%

11-02-2012 12:36:29 | More by Saryon

kuhndog

New York

3.5/5  rDev +1.4%

10-30-2012 02:09:16 | More by kuhndog

daliandragon

North Carolina

2.68/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

I am not precisely certain as to why the Boone Brewing Company produces their beer in Wilkes-Barre, PA. It's not as if land is expensive in western NC, or that sixty odd other breweries aren't thriving here. Odd.

Good looking off the bat, with a virile pour illuminating an offwhite head and plenty of lace, although the former dies early in the movie. Body is Opaque and past copper to a light brown. Nose is predominantly malty, with only the slightest underlying hop scent.

Something seems off on this one. Initially caramel and chocolate malts followed by a strange, off kilter hoppiness that doesn't really do the pine and citrus thing so well. The whole thing seems kind of a mess and turns watery in the middle. The aftertaste gets a bit better but it's not so much balanced as two diametrically opposite tastes, neither of them great, pulling in opposite directions instead of blending seamlessly (like in Two Hearted, for example).

With the glut of decent to good IPAs competing for my drinking dollar I think I can safely say that Pennsylvania can keep this one, although I'm not sure why they'd want to.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 01:45:55 | More by daliandragon

BigTrubble

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +8.7%

07-08-2012 00:13:42 | More by BigTrubble

MikeW51

3.75/5  rDev +8.7%

07-07-2012 22:30:49 | More by MikeW51

tdm168

North Carolina

3.1/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - moderate amber color; quarter inch of dense, off white, foamy head; decent retention

S - floral, citrusy, grapefruit-like hop aromas

T - very light malt; bitter, piny, floral, herbal, earthy hop character; unbalanced; except for a strong bitter finish there is little flavor

M - crisp, a bit over carbonated, medium bodied

This is a rather average IPA. It lacks depth or a distinct character. It's all hops with little balance, and the hop character is not very pleasing. Avoid.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 17:50:01 | More by tdm168

donquixote

North Carolina

4.75/5  rDev +37.7%

04-03-2012 21:03:24 | More by donquixote

VaterRoss

North Carolina

2.9/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

22oz bomber into tumbler

Pours an gold/amber with a white head. Smell is piney and some grapefruit hops. Taste is similar but finishes with a terrible dryness. This is not hoppy enough to quite be an IPA. Mouthfeel is medium weight and way too dry for an IPA, this killed the beer for me.

Very light and dry for the style with strangely subdued hops. Would not buy again considering the huge variety of IPAs out there.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 17:40:37 | More by VaterRoss

taylocd

Alabama

3/5  rDev -13%

02-10-2012 03:52:14 | More by taylocd

rangerred

Tennessee

3.48/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

Pours a slightly hazy copper with a huge two finger head. Head retention is excellent as is lacing.

Aroma of piny hops along with some citrus. There is also a slight scent of roasted malt that comes through.

Flavor is a combination of piney and citrus hops. There is almost a Belgian banana flavor throughout which is a bit odd. Not so much roasted malt in the flavor as there was in the aroma but some caramel malt is present. There is a nice hop bite and the beer finished fairly clean.

Overall a decent IPA but not a favorite of mine. I just don't really care for the yeastiness.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 18:55:48 | More by rangerred

Lantern

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -13%

12-06-2011 15:45:01 | More by Lantern

chinchill

South Carolina

3.8/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz undated (but cryptically coded) bottle served in a pint glass. Labels says "brewed by Boone Brewing Co., Wilkes-Barre, PA ... exclusively for Blowing Rock Brewing Co., Boone, NC".

Pours a fine reddiish amber; clear with visible fine carbonation and a lasting but smallish tan head. Some lacing is left on the glass.

Aroma is a bit light in the hops for style, and a bit more earthy than normal. The Taste is good, but with hop levels about mid-way between a PA and an IPA, and the flavor is more grassy than usual, although more piney than grassy. I enjoyed the taste enough to assign it a 4, but this is a bit of stretch in that it departs a little from style and is only a bit on the upside of the 3.5-4 line. Decent earthy, toasted grains and hops finish.

Good carbonation with a semi-dry finish.

O - a little different; not challenging and more tame than bold for style.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2011 02:12:06 | More by chinchill

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.48/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours light amber with a ring of white foam. Decent lacing. Malty pine smell. Light.

Firm burning hop flavor start to finish. Grapefruit in there. Lip smacking finish, good bite. Lingering bitter. Not obnoxious but clearly intending to leave a mark.

Good IPA.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2011 11:01:48 | More by KTCamm

silver0rlead

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear amber with a thick and frothy tan head that retains impeccably and leavings impressive lacing. The aroma is all hops upfront, with citrusy and floral notes, along with caramel and toasted bread, fruity esters and some alcohol. The flavor is similar with piney and citrusy hops upfront, along with some fruity esters, flinty sharpness, toasted bread, caramel and alcohol. The mouthfeel is sharp and carbonation is a bit high. Decent IPA, nothing I would seek out though.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2011 02:54:42 | More by silver0rlead

JayQue

Virginia

3.4/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

OK IPA, nothing great. Looks and smells good. Pours a clear copper color with a good size, slightly off white head. Good head retention and good lacing. Smell is impressive as well, floral and citrus hops, quite pronounced!!

Taste is a drop off. Bready malts overpower the hops. Some citrus hops and hops "bite" at the end, but mostly a mild malty beer. There is also a slightly metallic after taste.

Mouthfeel is average. Not too light, somewhat crisp.

Drinkability is ok. Nothing special. There are much better AIPAs out there.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2011 00:49:58 | More by JayQue

dataskatt

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I liked this IPA a lot! The smell was incredible! Nice floral notes, with grapefruit, and mild grassy notes. The taste was really good. Grapefruit with a smooth hoppy bite. Very drinkable, with nice medium body mouthfeel. I would definitely buy again, and am looking forward to trying other offerings from Blowing Rock!

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2011 04:14:53 | More by dataskatt