Iron Horse I.P.A. - Mt. Pleasant Brewing Company

DannyDan

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours out a dark golden orange body with a thick white head that maintains superb retention and lacing. Has decent carbonation. The nose consists of pleasant aromas of citrus, pine, and earthy hops. The taste consists of floral hops, followed by some pine and finishes off with some citrus. The mouthfeel is nice and creamy. A very good IPA that is well balanced in its taste and is a must try IPA.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 02:45:41 | More by DannyDan

elNopalero

Texas

4.24/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I had this at Erbelli’s Pizzeria in Kalamazoo. It was sold under the label “Iron Maiden IPA” and listed as their house IPA but the server said that it was the Iron Horse IPA from Mt. Pleasant Brewing Company. Figured it was worth a shot and I wasn’t disappointed.

This pours a clear amber gold color with nice tight foam. It has an orange citrus aroma and light pine spice. The flavor has a fun spirited bitterness. It’s sharply bitter upfront with a long lingering bitter finish with orange & pine hop flavor. I get a real pleasant piney resin flavor with a hint of a botanical finish. It’s a surprising enjoyable brew.

Serving type: on-tap

01-22-2013 08:41:33 | More by elNopalero

Lillenk

Michigan

4.22/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap at Grill One Eleven.

Appearance was nice dark gold into brown with a nice head.

Smell was huge of hops and citrus.

Taste was right on the same boat. Tons of hops. Very dry, almost piney finish that stays with you for quite a while.

Mouthfeel was pretty big. That with the lingering dryness would be why it would be hard to drink more than one or two.

Serving type: on-tap

01-30-2011 22:12:26 | More by Lillenk

DrainBamage

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a dark copper color with a nice lace of head. Smells hoppy and hints of grapefruit aroma. Goes down pretty smooth, but leaves some bitterness in the back of the throat. Taste extremely hoppy, but isn't overpowering. Overall a good IPA. I'd recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2009 07:06:41 | More by DrainBamage

berserker256

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I poured it pretty violently into a pint glass and got all head. I'm waiting for it to dissolve back into beer... The head's like ocean foam but more tan. I now see see the dark brass color of the beer. It's opaque as well. It's got a nice mild, but abundant, smell of piney hops and grapefruit and Fruit Loops cereal. Taste reflects a nice blend of hops and malt. Piney and sweet with a nice bitter aftertaste. A medium bodied creamy texture with perfect carbonation. Pretty easy going down. This is a very good I.P.A.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2009 19:52:21 | More by berserker256

GbVDave

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into an imperial pint.

A: Pours a cloudy, bright shiny copper penny color with a thick and creamy off-white head that features excellent retention and leaves an unbelievable amount of gorgeous looking lace in the glass. Lazily carbonated.

S: Very fruity IPA. Peach, apricot, mango, and grapefruit. Also along for the ride is some fresh cut grass, pine, tangerine, crackery malt, sweet orange, and a dallop of molassas.

T: Tastes exactly as it smells. The only addition would be a bit of white pepper in the finish. Tastes extremely fresh!

M: Juicy and sticky. Sweet and fruity with just the right amounts of dry, spicy, and peppery.

D: I totally was not expecting an AIPA of this caliber from this (unknown to me) brewery. Judging by the previous reviews I have a feeling that they either changed their recipe or people reviewed this way past its' prime, or both. Another excellent MI IPA. This commands you to drink it!

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2009 00:52:55 | More by GbVDave

Fusion_Pirate

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured cold from a refrigerated bottle into a weizen glass, Iron Horse IPA had zero head to speak of, with minimal lacing and decent retention. The color is a rich, cloudy amber-orange. Very inviting to the eyes!

S: Rich, citrus hops hit the nose immediately, with a floral, rosy finish. This is a really refined-smelling beer.

T: The generous hops hit the tastebuds up front, coupled with notes of spruce and malts, even a hint of caramel. The carbonation is extremely mild, allowing for the flavors to make their mark on the tongue uninterrupted. Not the best IPA I've ever tasted, but definitely better than average.

M: One of the things I appreciate most about a good IPA is when the brewer keeps the carbonation under control. This expertise is exemplified in Iron Horse IPA. The mouthfeel is smooth, quick and dry, just it should be!

O: No pun intended, but this beer "Pleasant-ly" surprised me! At 6.6% abv, Iron Horse falls within typical IPA gravity standards, but the rich flavor and mild carbonation make it a very sessionable beer (as long as you're walking to your next destination)! I could easily see myself grabbing a sixer of this at some point.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 20:00:13 | More by Fusion_Pirate

jeremyd365

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a pretty good hazy coppery with a decent little off-white head. Solid hop nose without much else--very floral and not alcoholy. Solid medium bodied mouthfeel. Excellent flavor--solid hops but rich in something else I can't place that lingers, something else dry other than hop. It's very good. Overall a very yummy and drinkable IPA. My first brew from Mt. Pleasant Brewing Co, and I'll be looking to try more soon!

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2009 00:07:31 | More by jeremyd365

BBP

Ontario (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Pours a dark, dark amber with a very full and frothy amber head. A lot of head especially for it's style. It leaves a superb amount of lace.

S- Smells to be very balanced between malt and hops; even somewhat heavy on both of them. Extremely fruity as well. I detect banana strangely enough.

T- The taste seems a lot less "fresh" than the aroma. It's not nearly as crisp. The hops and the malt are a bit blurred together.

There appears to be tons of hops in this, but it tastes like it's primarily wet-hopped. There's a lot of pine to the finish but the hops don't seem extremely prominent before that.

The malt is a bit grainy and buttery. I can really appreciate the malt, although I wish the hops came through a bit more.

M- Around a medium body. It feels a bit watery but full at the same time. It's considerably dry, and slightly sticky in the finish.

D- A bit better than I expected for a brewery I'd heard nothing about. It's a good, well rounded IPA. I think the hop varieties chosen were a bit different than some of my preferred IPAs, but they work in letting the malt get some of the spotlight.

I didn't detect any alcohol heat in this. I think you could easily down a few of these. I'm somewhat plowing through mine.

I got this in a mix a 6pk as I wouldn't have bought a pack of this otherwise. I feel that my preconceptions of less well known breweries may have improved due to this. Will have to check out more from Mt. Pleasant Brewery.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2011 16:19:42 | More by BBP

SometimesIfart

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours very murky amber with a relentless massive off-white head that never seems to stop forming. Left a moderate amount of lacing.

S - Grapefruit and mango up front, followed by some lemon zest and orange peel.

T - Pineapple and sweet grapefruit up front followed by a decent amount of mango and malt. A tad bit watery in the finish.

M - Medium bodied with moderate to heavy carbonation.

O - Overall, This was a good IPA and very, very sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 04:43:15 | More by SometimesIfart

Yetiman420

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up two days ago at Siciliano's Market while in town for the Founder's KBS release. Trying to drink the IPA's as fresh as possible for reviews.

Pours a brown, hazy, copper color into a Unibroue tulip glass. Lots of carbonation and an impressive soapy white two finger head.

Distinct American IPA aroma. Floral, fruity, and sweet. Could be some Simcoe or Amarillo dry late hop additions on this one to lend to the very good aroma. After checking the website, I'm wrong. They claim to use Cascade and Northern brewer hops in this beer.

Consistent flavor, almost to a fault. The front is the same as the finish. No bitter bite or flavor punch from the hops. One could argue this is a well balanced beer but I found the flatness was not a positive trait in this case.

Halfway through I'm enjoying the random, character shape lacing.

A nice beer and I'd be happy to have a local brewpub that served up an IPA of this quality.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2009 01:04:48 | More by Yetiman420

association330

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a slightly hazy, coppery amber topped by a pinky-sized pillow of off-white head. Nice retention and lace.

S - Assertive hoppiness. Pine, grapefruit. Underlying malt backbone that doesn't dominate.

T - An aggressive, refreshing punch of hops. Slight malt sweetness to balance. Lingeringly bitter, dry finish.

M - Based on previous reviews, I braced myself for a syrupy, chewy mess. I don't know if I got lucky with my bottle or if the brewer has re-tuned his latest batch, but the carbonation was snappy and correct in my opinion. Nonetheless, the viscosity was indeed a little too thick.

D - This beer was a pleasant surprise, as the brewer is new to me, but I saw the bottle and wanted to support a Michigan product. I'd definitely drink this again, especially when I'm in the mood for a hop bomb.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2009 00:09:45 | More by association330

enfield249

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Cloudy gold in color, white head that starts with 4 fingers, but fades to just 1.

S - Citrus hop aroma.

T - Hoppy, but not citrus like the smell. Much more of a fresh smelling hop, perhaps floral? There is some resin in there as well, right at the end. Not much malt character, but the beer does not suffer for it. Very pleasant.

M - Not to fat, not to thin. Leaves my mouth wet.

D - Very drinkable, and a pleasant surprise from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2010 01:42:52 | More by enfield249

clint1019

Michigan

3.93/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - medium amber in color with a thin cream colored head.

S - Very floral & citrusy smelling with a very light caramel aroma.

T - Identical to the smell. Has a strong floral & citrus hop flavor with a light caramel taste.

M - light - medium bodied and lightly carbonated.

O - I'm impressed. This is a very nice ipa for such a small town brewery.

Serving type: growler

10-19-2011 23:48:46 | More by clint1019

jt31914

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at the brewery. My second or third favorite during the trip to the brewing company. Pale color with decent lacing and head; smells of hoppy clove aromas. The bear is pretty bitter but is balanced out by a nice citrus flavor to give the beer some sweetness. Nice beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2010 18:20:48 | More by jt31914

Tone

Missouri

3.75/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a cloudy, copper color. 1/5 inch head of a white color. Decent retention and slight lacing. Smells of strong floral hops, sweet malt, and citrus (grapefruit). Fits the style of an American IPA. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp with an average carbonation level. The bitterness level is very high. Tastes of strong floral hops, citrus, and sweet malt. Overall, a good body, blend, and aroma.

Serving type: on-tap

04-19-2010 00:32:51 | More by Tone

gopens44

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A -Dark bronze with a good 1.5" foamy latte colored head

S - Strong grassy, earth hop smells

T - Immediate bitter punch that falls off into a rather malty backbone. Little bit of dandelion in the bitter hop part of the taste with a tiny touch of molasses in the malty side of it.

M - Thin with lots of carbonation. Lots of bitterness on the tongue and in the aftertaste

O - Good but lacks a little depth.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2011 22:53:49 | More by gopens44

paco1029384756

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a nice cloudy orange color with a small foamy white head and good lacing.

Scent of citrus, hops, caramel, and some sugars. Mild and well balanced, a quality smelling IPA.

Taste of caramel, grapefruit, citrus, some hops, and grain. Balanced and tasty, but more along the lines of a Pale Ale in terms of hoppiness.

Mouthfeel is light bodied and slick with a small amount of carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2009 23:38:36 | More by paco1029384756

mermatinger

Michigan

3.73/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bought at Siciliano's in Standale, MI. Poured into a pint glass.

A: Copper with a thick white head and a medium lacing.

S: Mostly citrus, with a little bit of sweetness and the typical floral smell.

T: Hoppy & bitter, but not overly so. Well balanced, though the overall flavor is on the lighter side, it works well for this beer.

M: Medium carbonation, light to medium body.

D: Extremely easy to drink. I think 2 or 3 would be easily drinkable in one sitting.

I like this beer. It's a nice surprise. I just figured I'd give it a try because it was a newer MI brewery, and I'm very glad I did. I'll definitely be trying more of their ales in the near future.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2009 17:16:01 | More by mermatinger

Monkeyknife

Missouri

3.73/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle a cloudy orange-gold with a massive and rocky off-white head. Thick and sticky lacing all around the glass on this one.

Aroma of juicy oranges, faint pine, and sweet caramel malts.

The taste reminds me of Baby aspirin with lots of orange upfront, followed by some piney notes, saltine crackers, and caramel malts. The finish has a light hoppy bitterness.

Medium bodied, smooth, and lightly carbonated.

A nice little IPA from Mt. Pleasant Brewing and a pleasure to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2010 20:31:50 | More by Monkeyknife

trentley87

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer has definitely improved since the last review. There was plenty of hops flavor and citrus notes to go around balanced with just enough malt to make this beer very solid. Head retention wasn't the greatest, but the mouthfeel was surprisingly excellent. This one still has a little ways to go, but right now I would classify it as one of the better IPA's I have recently.

Serving type: growler

05-09-2008 20:34:05 | More by trentley87

Ineedabeerhere

Connecticut

3.68/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks Dave! Consumed on 10/11, from notes.

Pours a cloudy dark amber-copper. 1 finger white head, spotty lacing.

Smells fruity but I also get a lot of piney-resin hops. Some earthy notes but overall the aroma is not very pronounced. I would've liked a bit more dry hopping, but I like my IPAs with very vibrant aromas. Crackery and toffee flavored malt.

See aroma. Moderate-low bitterness, slightly fruity with earthy and pine tree hop flavors. Some spiced notes too.

This is a nice sessionable IPA that is pretty balanced overall, with solid hop flavors that succeed in being interesting, but aren't overly expressive or in-your-face.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2009 05:03:40 | More by Ineedabeerhere

sidetracked

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear golden yellow-orange with a cream head.

Aroma is a nice mix of biter grassy hops and sweet caramel malts.

Taste upfront is bitter grassy hops with a little caramel, bready malt that follows through to the finish. Little additional bitterness at the finish--grassy and lemony hops. Light lingering bitterness.

Light to medium body and somewhat oily with moderate carbonation.

An enjoyable light IPA with a nice bitterness to it. Good level of malt balance. Not mind blowing, but a solid beer that I'd have again.

6/6/2011

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 22:18:49 | More by sidetracked

Roeters

Michigan

3.63/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass:

A: Copper/Reddish color with a thin white head. Small amount of lacing.

S: Nice hop citrus aroma w/ a mild sweetness

T: Nice hop flavor a little light in body

M: light to medium body good carbonation

D: Very easy to drink,

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2009 14:49:42 | More by Roeters

kegger22

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Iron Horse is amber/orange in color with a 3/4" fragile head. The aroma was all about the citrus hops with just a slight malt presence. The taste followed aroma's suit. There was a little malt but is was pushed way into the background by the hops. The feel was medium bodied, oily and sufficient carbonation. Drinkability was above average, mainly due to the moderate ABV.

A respectable APA, though not as balanced as I would prefer. It's difficult to be average in a tough market like this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2009 18:20:20 | More by kegger22