Union Jack India Pale Ale - Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

BrownNut

Florida

4.34/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Three months and one week old. Bottle to tulip.

A - 4.0 - Clear medium gold with a nice, textured, off white head. It's a domed head, something I haven't seen before. Sticks around for a good five minutes before settling down to an uneven cap. Interesting - second pour from bomber produced totally different head - a loose matrix of big bubbles. Magic, I guess.

S - 4.5 - Smells great. A malt so sweet and clean smelling that it just crosses over into fruit territory. Fragrant hops, a little grapefruit rind. Between the malt and hops I get the effect of candied grapefruit rind if such a thing exists.

T - 4.25 A gentle clover honey sweetness that reminds me of how honey tastes when you put lots of it in herbal tea - aqueous honey I guess we'd call it. The union of malt and hop is seamless, with the malt transitioning smoothly right into the hop. A little mild grapefruit fume on the exhale. A moderate bitterness lingers on the palate for a while after swallowing. The grapefruity notes seem to amplify the impression of the 7.5% ABV. And what pleasant burps!

M - 4.75 - Medium body. So soft, yet with a mild carbonation tingle.

O - 4.25 - My first Firestone Walker, this is such a pleasant, friendly, easy-drinking, well-made beer. It is characterized by softness, to which bitterness plays counterpoint. Imagine drinking filtered cantaloupe juice - this doesn't taste like cantaloupe but it's soft like cantaloupe juice would be. This may join Two Hearted in my category of IPAs for people who don't like IPAs, though I suppose its lingering bitterness after the swallow could disqualify it by a bit.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 04:06:36 | More by BrownNut

spark3148857

New York

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%

05-20-2013 21:16:25 | More by spark3148857

DarthBeer

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%

05-20-2013 17:02:37 | More by DarthBeer

morky92

New York

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%

05-20-2013 02:57:18 | More by morky92

BlackTuesday

California

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%

05-20-2013 02:13:25 | More by BlackTuesday

NJB145

Michigan

4.75/5  rDev +10.7%

05-20-2013 00:28:35 | More by NJB145

anticipation23

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -6.8%

05-19-2013 20:01:08 | More by anticipation23

ShawnMH

Indiana

4/5  rDev -6.8%

05-19-2013 15:56:42 | More by ShawnMH

Mississippi

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%

05-19-2013 13:52:04 | More by Mississippi

jakeox

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -18.4%

05-18-2013 23:52:01 | More by jakeox

PerHops

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%

05-18-2013 03:04:46 | More by PerHops

mkirkland80

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%

05-18-2013 02:31:56 | More by mkirkland80

timoteo833

New York

4.75/5  rDev +10.7%

05-18-2013 02:05:37 | More by timoteo833

Ebf

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +10.7%

05-17-2013 23:59:37 | More by Ebf

Shogun730

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%

05-17-2013 21:34:40 | More by Shogun730

EricClayton

West Virginia

4.75/5  rDev +10.7%

05-17-2013 19:28:20 | More by EricClayton

cochan

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%

05-17-2013 12:25:11 | More by cochan

chossboss

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%

05-17-2013 04:55:03 | More by chossboss

dan027

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%

05-17-2013 02:35:07 | More by dan027

bwarren82

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%

05-17-2013 02:23:12 | More by bwarren82

jwat

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%

05-16-2013 22:56:08 | More by jwat

ktblue22

Vermont

4.68/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Appearance - very light orange, clear and little head
Smell - lots of sharp grapefuity citrusness, slight pine on the finish
Taste- mmm wow!! Beautifully accentuates the hops in this IPA without overpowering the palate. The grapefruit comes through in a juicy way - like biting into a perfectly ripe fruit.
Mouthfeel - medium bodied with perfect carbonation. Very drinkable.

Overall - pairing it with a sharp cheddar cheese, really really good. Very happy with this beer!

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 22:55:43 | More by ktblue22

verge

California

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%

05-16-2013 21:59:36 | More by verge

BradStokley

Maryland

3.5/5  rDev -18.4%

05-16-2013 19:40:14 | More by BradStokley

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +4.9%

05-16-2013 18:44:15 | More by Slatetank