Wooden Nickel India Pale Ale - Crown Valley Brewing & Distilling Co.

Runofthemiller

Delaware

1.88/5  rDev -41.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

This had a Heineken-like skunk to it. This tastes nothing like an IPA, and certainly nothing like an American IPA. Sorry but I really thought about pouring this out. It got worse as it got warmer. Given the very high price, I will never buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 02:21:33 | More by Runofthemiller

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.08/5  rDev -35.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Bottle at SAVOR 2011. Served in a goblet.

Pours a clear strawy-yellow color with a small white head and sparse lacing. The nose is very, very grainy and doesn't really carry any hops at all. I can say the same thing about the flavor, which is quite unfortunate. Perhaps the mildest bit of citrus lingering in the background, but only if I really search for it. Light to medium body and no real bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2011 21:20:28 | More by Thorpe429

sendsilk

Florida

2.48/5  rDev -23%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Received as an extra in a recent trade. I'm freaking killing myself to down all of these ipa and dipa extras from trades! Please send stouts/porters/whatever with a decent shelf life.

A- Looks okay, good, not great

S- Not too much there to smell. Okay at best

T- This is where is goes south rather quickly. Fuck it. If you make an IPA or a DIPA it should be MANDATORY that you date it. Either this is old or it is just plain not too good. tastes like syrupy straw. Pass

O- Stay away unless you know it's fresh. Even than I'd try something else.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2011 05:16:35 | More by sendsilk

inlimbo77

Delaware

2.58/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle. I see no date but probably old.
Central Waters globe

A: Pours a yellow orange color. Barely any head even though there looks to be good carbonation. Not leaving much lacing.

S: Initially smells of cardboard. Trying to dig in and get either fruit or pine but it's all died off.

T: This is not my kind of IPA. It mentioned citrus and floral hop notes but I don't get any of that. There is some hop bitterness but not sure what I am tasting aside from maltiness. It's an old beer. Wonder if the fresh would produce more hop flavor? The close is the normal IPA bitterness.

M: Medium bodied.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 15:06:03 | More by inlimbo77

emerge077

Illinois

2.68/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Bottle has an inkjet code on the bottom of the bottle, a possible julian date of "1141" which would be April 2011.

Pours placidly into a goblet, yielding a moderate sized head of cream colored foam on top of a hazed dark orange body. Head settles after a few minutes, leaving a collar of drippy lace behind.

Smells like floral hops and caramel, impression of the "stock recipe" middle of the road IPA right off the bat.

Tastes like old caramels from last halloween and grass clippings. A buttery sweet and alternately bitter taste. Specialty malt and meager hops... sort of a dull melange of mediocre flavors. Body is medium, light on carbonation and a bit sweet. Pass.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 02:14:24 | More by emerge077

bnes09

Illinois

2.7/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Bright orange color with towering white head and tons of soapy lacing.

Most sweet aroma with caramel, toffee and mild herbal hop.

Flavor is sweet and follows the nose. Hint of rye. Hops are weak for the style with a subtle medicinal character that doesn't take charge. Unbalanced.

Medium bodied. Weak carbonation makes it feel watery. Not much texture.

Undesirable. With the popularity of this style, you would think that microbreweries would have figured out how to make them by now. Avoid!

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 03:53:45 | More by bnes09

Florida9

Illinois

2.78/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A: Hazy amber in color. Forms a nice inch or so of off-white head that offers up some good retention. Some spotty lacing.

S: Rather muted nose. Maybe some grainy caramel malts and some light citrus hops.

T: On the malty side of the spectrum for an IPA. Lightly sweet caramel malts mixed with seltzer. Minimal citrus hops. A little grapefruit. The faintest accent of pine. A mild to moderate bitterness. Malty sweetness on the finish. Not necessarily a malt bomb, but not exactly much in the hop department either.

M: Medium bodied with fairly lively carbonation.

O: A below average IPA. Malty, underhopped, and overcarbonated with nothing going for other than not being bad enough to drain pour.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2011 01:33:54 | More by Florida9

StlHopHead77

Illinois

2.83/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A-Pours out a sunset orange,mildly hazy body that was topped by 2 1/2 inches of dense,bone white foam that reluctantly shrunk away leaving considerable rings of lace.

S-Restrained citrus and stonefruit,wheat toast,caramelized nuts and a minerally,vitamin-like finish on the nose.

T-Kind of drab.Second American IPA I've had in the last week that was too English.Lifeless hop presence,wet bread,some caramel sweetness and some cracker-like malts.This beer has an identity crisis.It's stuck somewhere between English IPA and Amber Ale.

M-Light to medium bodied with a slight hop bite and subtle dryness on the finish.

O-Disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 11:55:38 | More by StlHopHead77

Kitt

Delaware

2.83/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

One finger head over a rich, unfiltered, golden color....quite pleasing. Head dissipates rapidly but lacing persists.

Aroma of rich, sweet, eclectic malts. I'm getting ripe banana and peach undertones with a hint of caramel.

Taste - slightly bitter with the same aftertaste. The rich malts prevelant in the aroma are all but hidden -- vieled behind heavy carbonation and mildly bitter monotone hops. Taste is very much a disappointment given the exciting appearance and aroma. Not much going on here at all.

Mouthfeel overwhelmed by heavy carbonation.

Drinkability is nice due to a light and frothy hit on the palette.

Overall, a slightly below average run-of-the mill IPA with little to shout about. Quite bland in fact and the monotone, slightly bitter hops, could use an injection of "spicey" eclectic flavor. One thing this beer has going for it is a light mouthfeel which bodes well for a sunny afternoon IPA rather than the heavy and bitter dinner companion which I much prefer.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 03:35:42 | More by Kitt

TMoney2591

Illinois

2.85/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served in a Gale Sayers shaker pint glass.

Wooden nickels are ruining the economy! ...ahem... This stuff pours a partly-cloudy sunrise amber topped by over a finger of off-white foam. The nose is filled with dry, woody pine, with a touch of mild caramel way in the background. The taste brings in more of the same, though the caramel is muc stronger now, and, unfortunately, everything else comes across as harshly bitter on the tongue. The body is a light medium, with a moderate carbonation and a dry finish. Overall, I can't say that I'm a fan of this IPA, though I've had many that were much worse. Either way, I'm probably not gonna be picking up another one of these any time soon.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 06:02:52 | More by TMoney2591

drabmuh

Maryland

2.98/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Served in a wine glass. Beer is yellow and has a small white head with very little lacing, low carbonation, looks OK.

Hello? Hops? HELLO? You're an IPA right? All I smell is grains.

There is a mild hop flavor in the late midpalate with only a hint of bitterness on the back. Not a whole lot of anything. Boring boring thin thin not and IPA IPA.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2011 18:04:23 | More by drabmuh

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.05/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Tan and clear with a few small rising bubbles and a fluffy white head with some staying power and pretty good lacing.

Biscuit and floral aromas, not terribly hoppy for an IPA, I'm getting more caramel malts than hops really.

Flavor follows right along. It's biscuit and caramel malty, with a decent woody piney hops crispness and lightly spicy bite to it.

Could use a touch more carbonation. Light to medium bodied. Slightly slick, alternately sweet and hoppy aftertaste.

It's probably more of a pale ale to me than an IPA. Not bad, certainly plenty drinkable, but not an especially outstanding IPA. Re-package it as a pale ale and i bet the ratings go up.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 16:24:52 | More by AlCaponeJunior

jsh420

Illinois

3.08/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

pours cloudy yellow gold with a 1+ finger head that covered the glass with lacing

smells of bready malt and light floral and citrus hops

taste is more tangy bready malt then hops - but the hops are there and do balance this light flavored beer

mouthfeel is a medium light body low carbonation very smooth and creamy

overall this beer just does not pack the hop punch needed to be a real ipa in my book

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 05:06:57 | More by jsh420

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.1/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Took a chance on this a part of mixed sixer, Nothing from these guy has wowed me yet, but there's always a first time..

Pours honey colored with 3 + fingers of frothy cream colored head. Good lacing & head retention

S: Grassy & bready notes

T: Much breadyness, some grassyness, some aspirin up front. Honey notes, some lemon & a bit of herbal/aspirin bitterness as this warms. Finishes grapefruit bitter, somewhat crisp & with decent breadyness

MF: Light/medium bodied with fairly firm carbonation. pretty good balance

An alright take on the style that is way better than most of their offerings

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2011 13:13:03 | More by russpowell

bump8628

Oklahoma

3.15/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The bottle said "honey brown color" so I was already dreading the pour since I typically prefer malt-minimal America IPAs. Luckily, it was more like honey gold with a thin bit of white foam. The brewery's website says Fuggle, Cascade, and a "high alpha American hop" are utilized. I don't know why that last one is a secret since this thing isn't blowing me out of the water with it's hoppiness. I'm going to take a shot and say Chinook with the somewhat coarse woody pine needle thing that it has going on. Anyway, not a lot spectacular about this beer. It falls more in line with a pale ale with the lightly caramel sweet malt body and and modest hopping. The 60 IBUs listed are surprising, I would have guessed more like 40. Again, a woody, leafy hoppiness pretty much drives the beer. It doesn't have any overt flaws, but I won't revisit this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 20:09:11 | More by bump8628

rangerred

Tennessee

3.18/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a slightly hazy copper-orange with a one finger off white head. Just a little bit of lacing.

Aroma of citrus hops along with a little bit of dark bready malt. Some spicyness to the aroma as well.

The flavor is pretty middle of the road for in IPA. Citrus hop notes fairly well balanced by bready maltiness. There is some biscuit in there along with perhaps a touch of rye spice. Bitterness is moderate for an IPA leading to a clean finish.

Overall, a drinkable beer but nothing really makes it stand out. Worth drinking if you find it but not something I would go out of my way for.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 17:43:07 | More by rangerred

Tone

Missouri

3.33/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear, copper/golden color. One inch head of a white color. Great retention and great lacing. Smells of citrus hops, hint of floral hops, slight sweet malt, and a hint of pale malt. Fits the style of an American IPA. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of citrus hops, slight floral hops, and slight pale malt. Even on draft, at the brewery, this was served in a frosted glass. When first tasted, again from a frosted glass, the floral aspect was overpowering and off-putting. It tasted as if you were licking a wax plant. As the beer warmed, this completely went away, and was a balanced beer. I still can't get over them serving this so cold.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2011 12:28:55 | More by Tone

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Copper, bronze, and honey colored amber with a huge head of foam that slowly recedes from a mountian, to the shape of a brain with lots of stickage. The copius, slow bubbling adds to the overall awesome look of this beer.

Citric hop aromas meld with some melba toast crackers for a simple, straight forward IPA aroma.

The taste starts with meium citric bitterness upfront and maybe some pinapple rinds. The middle is a nice toasty mlat of crackers, toasted white bread, and a little caramel. The finish is all hops and bitter orange peel with a heavy, long lasting metallic twang on the tastebuds.

The mouthfeel is well carbonated, but tinny. This takes away from the sessionability of this IPA greatly.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2010 19:45:50 | More by scruffwhor

Vonerichs

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Slightly hazy golden color with a thick layer of white head. Lacing is spotty.

It's not much in the smell department. Hops are a faint floral scent, but otherwise it reeks of grain and sweet malt.

The hops pick up a little more in the flavor, but not by much. They're floral and citrus. The grainy malt overrides the hops.

Mouthfeel is crisp with prickly carbonation.

Overall, it's a drinkable ipa, but very plain. It's not one I'd seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2011 02:07:16 | More by Vonerichs

zeff80

Missouri

3.55/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured out a slightly hazy, golden-orange color with a two-finger, off-white head of foam. It left thin trails of lace.

S - It smelled floral and citrusy with a malty touch in the background.

T - It tasted of nutty caramel with a citrus hop bite.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry finish.

O - This is a nice IPA. It tastes a bit like an English one, but has just enough citrus and pine to feel American.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2011 00:17:35 | More by zeff80

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.58/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle - $1.79 at Hop City in Atlanta, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours out a hazed, orange-toned body with a fairly sizable, sudsy, off-white head. Smattering of lace on the descent.

Smell: Lightly grainy-scented malt, faintly sweetish in the nose, certainly yielding to the more forward hop notes of citrus, florals, and spice.

Taste: A biscuity blend of pale and pils malts underscored by some graininess and accompanied by small, fleeting tastes of sweetish honey and light-colored caramel. Floral, orange blossom hop character with a pinch of bitterish dried herbs. Has an accruing citric quality about it. Moderate bitterness. Drying, orange zested finish with some enduring bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, if not a hair or so under. Medium carbonation.

Overall: It's alright, you know, fairly average all-around; it's not the boldest IPA out there, by any means, but nor is it the blandest, either.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2011 17:37:53 | More by ChainGangGuy

alleykatking

Indiana

3.68/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle.

A- Pours a light hazed darker amberish golden color. Two finger eggshell white head shows good retention. Large thick streaks of lace on the sides of the glass.

S- Grapefruit in the front of the beer comes in lightly along with a hint of caramel malt. All the aroma of the frontend like the backend is muted. Some orange like aroma toward the middle. Ending of the aroma has semi-sweet caramel malts mixing with earthy piney hops. No real alcohol aroma is present.

T- Caramel malts in the front of the beer gives way to a light grapefruit hop. To me the hopping in the beer is lighter in the flavor than in the aroma. Carmael underbody shines in this beer with a light piney hop bite in the ending. Alcohol is light and semi-sweet lacking a big bite.

M- Medium mouthfeel. Carbonation is good for the style. Caramel malts and citrus hops are what's left on the palate. Aftertaste is mostly caramel malts, light alcohol, and piney hops. Medium alcohol drying on the palate. Flavors are balanced for the style in more or else of a English style to me. No off flavors at all.

O- A nice sessionable IPA that has a little higher ABV than most session beers. A tad on the sweet side at times this beer is clean and has some nice crispness to it. A good simple drinking IPA from Crown Valley.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2011 23:18:43 | More by alleykatking

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.73/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Fairly solid IPA, now available in Atlanta in sixpacks. Somewhat grainy overall, but with a nice bitter hop presence that marries well with the grain. In fact, I'd say the graininess even gives the hops a bit of structure. Pours a slightly hazy dark golden with a decent head and some nice lacing. Smells quite grainy, a bit floral, and with some citrus pith. The taste is similar, but a bit more hop presence. The finish is curiously short, and even a bit watery, which does detract a bit from the beer overall. There is a late bitterness that makes for a nice bite at the very end. Smooth, and not very chewy despite all of the graininess. Overall, quite pleasant if a bit too heavy on the grain and a bit simple.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 21:26:16 | More by Georgiabeer

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

(Served in an American pint glass)
A- This beer has a slightly hazy orange body with a bubbly off-white merange that pushes out of the bottle when opened. There is a boiling carbonation of big bubbles.
S- The orange hops aroma has a slight bitterness followed by a sweet malt aroma that is a bit softer and has some honey and caramel malt qualities to it. As the beer opens up there is more of a raw grain aroma that comes through.
T- The orange and pine hops linger with a slight pungency and are supported by a slightly sweet biscuit and honey malt flavor . M- This beer has a medium-light mouthfeel with a big scrubbing bubble fizz.
D- This beer has a nice flavor with the light sweetness balancing the hops that are just a bit citrus forward. Everything is balanced in the beer making it very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2011 03:51:07 | More by rhoadsrage

biggred1

Indiana

3.78/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Deep, bronze with a million tiny suspended particles(this may not be the freshest sample) and a dense meringue-like head that leaves sticky lace all down the glass. Orange peel, pine sap and toasted grain in the aroma. Pale malts and subdued fruity hops. Well balanced but lacking the flavor concentration I look for in an IPA. Medium bodied with nice heft and smooth carbonation. An easy drinker and a decent session IPA.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2011 23:26:02 | More by biggred1