Pied Piper IPA - The People's Pint

neophilus

Massachusetts

3.23/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3

Dark gold to light brownish colored beer. Light white head on top with some lacing.

Lots of caramel malt aroma up front with some medicinal/citrus hop aroma underneath. Sugary sweet smell continues, almost like chocolate.

Caramel malt flavors lead the way with the first sip. Medium hop bitterness backs it up. Slick, oily medicinal hop flavors round out the taste.

Medium body, good mouthfeel with a semi-dry finish.

More caramel forward than I prefer in an IPA. This leans a little heavily towards malt and away from hops. The bitterness is nice and the aftertaste is clean. An easy drinker but could use a bigger punch from the hops.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 20:33:26 | More by neophilus

inandon

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pour - auburn red with a half inch foamy top with a tint of yellow.

Smell - light caramel smell with a bready aroma

Taste - very little hops but lacking the extra kick of flavor. it is medium bodied beer with a malty feel.

Overall it is not a bad beer per say, but it is not anything like what an IPA should taste like. I definitely thought it would be hoppier because the label even says "climb it if you dare".

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 16:07:30 | More by inandon

LtCracker20

Connecticut

3.13/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A- Pours a slightly hazy brownish/amber body with a thin 1-finger head that doesn't last too long. Some decent lace though.

S- Sweet caramel, biscuity, bready, some black pepper, and a sweet citrusy aroma.

T- Peppery, biscuity, and caramel malts right away. A little spicy flavor as well. Not really too much in the way of hoppy flavors. A little of a candied sugar/Belgian yeast flavor(though I know there's none in there).

MF- A little on the lighter side, but still almost a moderate body, not too bad.

O- Not a bad beer at all, but not very good for the style. Very little hop flavor or aroma and all the maltiness make it almost more of an amber ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2011 00:25:52 | More by LtCracker20

davewlfpckfan29

Connecticut

3.4/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

22oz bottle found at Table and Vine (West Springfield) in the local section. In that case I would like to think this is fresh.

I drank this in between cold and room temperature
(it sat out for 20-25 minutes)

This beer looks very average light amber. There seemed to be some sediment in mine which settled the bottom of the glass.
smell average, aroma of a slight malt and a typical IPA.

Not too strong bitterness but I can taste the fresh hops for sure.Good IPA, but nothing that special.

Nice local beer, I would recommend it to anyone passing through Western Mass.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2011 22:39:34 | More by davewlfpckfan29

Flounder57

Massachusetts

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

22 0z. bottle was poured into a pint glass

Appearance: Ahhh, can you say super crazy head. Waiting for the head to reduce so I can pour more beer into my glass. Holy smokes. Finally, the head has reduced, but very slowly. Can't wait to take a sip. The beer is a nice hazy orange color with a decent amount of carbonation. Lots of clumpy lacing too.

Smell: Nice aroma of citrus and grapefruit which is followed by sweet caramel malts. Also picked up some hints of pine too.

Taste: Same as smell. Fits the style very well and citrus and grapefruit was kept in mind. Bitterness from the hops is followed by hints of caramel malts. This beer tastes great.

Mouthfeel: Very easy on the palate and smooth. Decently catbonated and easy drinkng.

Overall: I am very impressed with this western Mass IPA. Will be purchasing another on draft or bottle sometime soon in the near future. Looks like I will be taking another trip to Craft Beer Cellar to pick up another bottle. Highly recommended for anybody that can get a hold of it in the New England area.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2011 04:07:35 | More by Flounder57

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

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

Pours tawny orange, and thick looking, with some good bubbles and a beige head. Some retention and lacing.

Pine and citric notes with some toasted malt in the nose. Not super strong.

Nice hop flavor, with some citric distinction. The toast malt has some sweetness and a little fruit. Hops come back and give a nice bitter kick to the finish. Could use a little more malt development, but still pretty good.

Medium bodied, some good chew to it.

I liked this one. Good hoppiness with enough malt balance. Price is right. Worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2011 14:01:05 | More by OtherShoe2

Sensaray

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Pours a hazy dark orange almost brown color. Didn't get much of a head but it was off white with big bubbles.

Smells hoppy, like pine and citrus. Bit of caramel sweetness.

Nice spice leads into some tropical and citrus flavors which leads to a crisp bitter close. Some grain flavors in there. Grapefruit as well.

Mouthfeel is light bodied and drinkable. The carbonation is iffy here, it kinda throws the whole beer off for me.

Overall, it's a decent ipa.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2011 18:32:54 | More by Sensaray

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Transcribed from undated notes.

I did not get much more than a finger of soapy ecru head with low retention from my pour. Color was a hazy orangish-amber. Nose was very piney and even the label mentioned "... brew[ed] with a wall of fresh Cascade hops". Mouthfeel was medium with a decent hops bite on the tongue. Finish was likewise pleasantly hoppy, but nothing to get wildly excited about.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2011 21:10:04 | More by woodychandler

WhiteDevil

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev +5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: Somewhat dark, and red tinge with very little head (less than a pinky breadth) which dissipated very quickly to nothing.

S: Aroma is mild, with some citrus upon straining, and perhaps a slightly bready smell.

T: Lots of bitters, but lacking in any real individual character. Malt is balanced well with the hops, but after swallowing the lingering bitterness will not subside (not in a good way, sort of feels like dandelions).

M: The beer has a satisfying smoothness to it that finishes cleanly (as far as tactile senses are concerned), and a good level of carbonation. The feel is easily the best aspect of this beer. Very well done.

O: Overall, not bad. The level of bitterness is good and well balanced with the malt for the style, but it lacks any real sort of nuance or delicacy playing in the background. It is relatively satisfying to drink, but leaves an unpleasant, lingering taste on the palate. Definitely not their best beer, but respectable nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2011 05:17:31 | More by WhiteDevil

silentjay

Massachusetts

3.3/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

slightly hazy amber/copper with a nice sized cloudy white head that quickly recedes while leaving average lacing.

citrus and a bit of pine on top of some buttery crackers, as well as some tea leaves.

Crackery and caramelized malts with some citrus and piney hops behind them. A touch of bitterness, but nothing crazy. a bit of a peppery aftertaste.

pretty smooth medium bodied with prickly yet soft carbonation.

overall, its ok. nothing I haven't had before, and nothing I'd go out of my way to seek out again. good, but not memorable in the least. too bitter for the mainstream, but not bitter or flavorful enough for the hopheads.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2011 04:54:20 | More by silentjay

ngeunit1

California

3.65/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - Pours a fairly clear orange-amber color with a finger of slightly frothy white head. The head reduces fairly quickly to a ring and leaves behind some lacing.

S - Aroma is full of a lot of citrus (grapefruit) hops with some piney/grassy hops also mixed in. Also some lemon zest in the background.

T - Starts with a light citrus flavor with some nice grassy hops. Just a touch of malt at the start. Some bitterness comes through in the middle. The finish has some nice citrus flavor mixed with some very nice bitterness and a bit floral notes. Overall, very nicely balanced.

M - Medium to medium-light bodied with a lower amount of carbonation. Feels a bit too watery and thin. The finish has a bit of a dry kick which is kinda nice.

D - Very drinkable. Smooth and crisp overall. However, it is missing a little bit of substance both in that the taste could use a bit of a kick and the mouthfeel feels a bit thin. However, the balance of the taste is actually very good.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2011 03:54:27 | More by ngeunit1

sbauer

Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz

A: Light, cloudy orange amber.

S: Bland grapefruit, weak aroma.

T: Grapefruit, orange peel, light hops, bitter finish.

M: Weak lace. Medium-light mouth-feel.

D: Light and drinkable. Too bitter for a session beer, but light enough to have a few.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2010 06:37:12 | More by sbauer

jdhilt

New Hampshire

2.48/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Pours a two finger white head that fades quickly leaving some lace. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Hazy amber color. Nose is light grapefruit hops. Flavor is grapefruit hops with hints of caramel. Lingering dry, bitter finish. The label has the ABV at 5.7%. $5.45 for a 22oz bottle from Colonial Spirits, Acton, MA.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2010 22:48:30 | More by jdhilt

MoreThanWine

Massachusetts

4.47/5  rDev +31.1%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I was genuinely surprised to see others were kind of tough on this beer. Maybe the brewer stepped up their game over time, or maybe I got my sample much fresher since I'm in their state. Or maybe as "hopheadjuice" tells below there might be something wrong in their bottling department - too many big hits and big misses all on the same product.

Poured pretty dark for an IPA, kind of an ice tea brown, but there are some other darker IPAs out there where that fact is considered part of their novelty.

1" head gradually dissipated to lace.

The bouquet and taste both are a bold pine, making this one of the stronger hopped IPAs I've tried this year. Moderately rich. Long finish which stays with you, in fact I was still tasting it a half hour after the glass was empty.

Throw in the fact this was pretty affordable ($6ish) for a bottle pint and actually bolder and more flavorful than IPAs next to it on the rack fo $10+ and I'd say this is a great find - IF you're truly an IPA lover.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2010 10:15:05 | More by MoreThanWine

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I picked up a bomber for $5 while in Boston and think this is better than a B-. Sure, the beer is undercarbonation and has no head, but it's pretty tasty overall. The hops bring a big, smooth mix of floral and citrus rind flavors and aromas. There's a hint of a nutty malt backbone and a dry bitter finish (though the finish does fall a bit flat. It's not the biggest or most bitter IPA, but it's a fine beer to drink a bomber of solo. It's a little juicy, a little earthy, and all good. Sort of reminds me of a lighter version of Victory Hop Devil.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2010 23:52:07 | More by tempest

DrJay

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

22oz bomber. Deep coppery orange, slightly hazed, with a short light beige cap. Though not much of a head developed during the pour, what was there stuck around for quite a while. Spotty lacing. Citrusy hop aroma, grapefruit and oranges with a bit of spice, plus some caramel malt. Overall the aroma was a little muddy. Moderate bitterness for an IPA, caramel maltiness, resin and grapefruit. Lingering bitterness and spicy hops. Medium bodied with lowish carbonation. Easy going down, nothing over the top or harsh. Decent, but the hop character didn't really pop in the aroma or flavour.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2010 00:39:22 | More by DrJay

laituegonflable

Australia

3.73/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Another shout out to my mate Charlie from Vermont for the share of this one.

Pours a burnt orange colour with large cloudy haze and a lot of streaming bubbles. Head is voluminous, beige, sinks unevenly on top, made up of small but visible bubbles. Large clumps of lace around the glass. Excellent-looking IPA.

Nose is very pungent, quite intense with a lot of high-AA hops being given off. Lots of citric character, bitter like lemon zest, but so lemony fresh it's like sniffing detergent. A bit lacking in malt, it's just hopped to the max. It's alright, I like a good citric hop character, it's just overly simple I think.

Taste is also extremely hoppy to the max. A hint of nutty caramel malt on the front descends very quickly into a huge hop party with tangy lemon zest flavour, some pine resin, white pepper and a hint of pineapple on the back. It's almost like a cascade single hop but I don't know if they've also used cascade for bittering and if so, if it really works all that well, it's very gravelly on the bitter finish. I can get past that though as it's really just a hop bomb, and a decent one at that.

Feels a bit overcarbonated - foamy on the back and sizzling on the mid. Good body but yeah, too much bubbling.

Overall quite a tasty drop but needs some mellowing. Tempering of the hops could really make this a good session ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2010 03:37:49 | More by laituegonflable

maximum12

Minnesota

2.08/5  rDev -39%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

Thanks to gn0sis for a recent exchange of large, crush-proof boxes filled with locals. I've taken a bit of time off from Ahabism to delve more into some unkowns & while the results aren't always breathtaking, I've found some great session beers!

Pours on the amber side of the spectrum, clear, despite the 'sediment warning' on the side. Smell is cowering puppy tame, even after several minutes of warming there's only an air kiss of grassy hops.

Pied pIPA is a clever name, but as an IPA it's right in the average range. After reading the full bottle & realizing it was made with Cascade hops, I hoped it might be the brew to set me right with this particular varietal. Didn't work out that way. The hops are of the 'dirty' variety, they taste earthy, musty, & lack that hop kick that I desire. The malts kick it up a notch, but this tastes almost more like a bock than an IPA - sweet, a bit heavy, & with only enough hops to keep the concoction from getting out of whack. The aftertaste as the beer warms becomes even more cellar-floor-like. And it gets worse. And worse.

Well, I've been on a winning streak. IPAs are my favorite style, but this is far too sweet when cold, & the hops far too subdued, & the mustiness that arrives as it warms is deeply unpleasant. After several ounces, drain pour, my first in many months.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2010 01:28:53 | More by maximum12

jlindros

Massachusetts

2.42/5  rDev -29%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Found this on my last beer excursion at Colonial Spirits in Acton.

A: Even forcing a very hard pours yields a small under-carbonated bubbly head. It's a semi clear reddish-orange-brown color.

N: Some light hop aromas, citrus, grapefruit, a little sweet malt, and some fruity qualities. Not much else to it.

T: Hmm, again not much to it. It has some light malts, light hop flavor, some citrus hops, touch of spicy hops, and some fruit flavors. The biggest thing that stands out is that is seems like it was watered down by a lot. It is extremely light and watery. WTF!

M: Very light watery, almost no carbonation.

F: Finishes a little bitter and spicy, some lingering hop flavors and bitterness, but still pretty light on the finish. This beer is almost as if they took a decent recipe, then brewed it with some old hops, forgot to carbonate it, then added more water to get the abv down and lose the taste. Not impressed at all! I hope the other 3 People's Pint beers are better.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2010 02:25:31 | More by jlindros

ddean

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

I'm currently working on a bottle, though I've had this beer more often on tap at the People's Pint. My review matches both forms for the most part.

Appearance:
Amber/copper, hazy. Bottles have some sediment on the bottom, but tap is relatively free of this. Very little foam.

Smell:
A pleasant hops nose, along with sweet maltiness, but subtle.

Taste:
Sweet maltiness is the strongest feature. I get a lot of malt and not enough hops for how I think of an American IPA, which tend to be my favorite beers. However, a really interesting feature of the Pipa is the tea flavor others mention: I taste those English black teas like Earl Grey and English Breakfast. I don't get the citrus that others mention, but a rather bitter aftertaste that seems out of place given the relative lack of hops elsewhere.

Mouthfeel:
Velvety smooth. The bitterness lingers long after. Not enough carbonation for my taste.

Drinkability:
All these critiques laid out, this beer goes down very easy, and I find I order a pint or two of it every time I drop by the restaurant. That tea-like flavor actually works really well with a jar of salty pretzels and Dijon mustard. (Something about salt or a sharp taste like mustard mellow out the bitter aftertaste, I suppose.) I just want more sharpness and aroma, less bitterness in my IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2009 02:00:07 | More by ddean

portia99

Massachusetts

2.35/5  rDev -31.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

22oz bottle provided by nonstick. Poured into a Russian River Belgian glass.

A - Pours a deep, dark amber with a half finger of cream colored head that hangs around for a little while, before dropping down to a thin layer of bubbles. Darker in appearance than I expect to see in an IPA.

S - Not much aroma here...a dirt-like earthiness. Minor malty aroma, and a little bit of fruity hops.

T - IPA? Tastes more like an English bitter or mild ale. Hop character is minimal...marginally bitter, fruity and earthy flavors. Caramel malt dominates the flavor profile here.

M - Somewhat thin, lighter carbonation. A dirty bitterness lingers into the aftertaste. Not entirely pleasant.

D - This is a one and done for me. Not at all what I expect in an IPA. If I was expecting an English bitter, it might be ok, but this is the furthest thing from an American IPA that I've had.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2009 22:54:33 | More by portia99

nanertak

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured 22oz to pint glass.

Appearance: 1 finger head which faded quickly, deep clear amber. Looks like low carbonation.

Smell: Casdade. Citrus, toasty malt backbone, some pine.

Taste: Bitter hop pop followed by a malty sweetness, which recedes into a gentle hop bitterness which lingers. Pretty well balanced.

Mouthfeel: Little less carbonation that I'd like. More fizz would make the hops have some more grapefruit bite to them. Medium body, coats the mouth well, maybe a little too well. Again, wish there was a little more carbonation.

Drinkability: Not enough fizz for summer, but great flavors. Not the most aggressive IPA, but a pretty good one.

Overall: I like it. Needs a small amount of fine tuning to be a great beer. Until then, pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2009 00:25:27 | More by nanertak

Jayli

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer poured a slightly hazy nice copper color with an off white two finger head to it. Head retention was decent, and a fair amount of lacing remains on the glass. Nose is mostly of floral hops with some slight sweet malts lingering in the background. Taste is... well, I tried this at a tasting at first, and then a bottle when I got home and there is a somewhat soapy taste to it both at the tasting and at home so it wasn't my glass. Sweet caramel malts then move it. The middle to end is all floral hops that give a real bite to the end. Medium body, low carbonation, sticky feel and finish to it. It's nice to support a local brewer and not a bad offering from them.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2009 19:53:08 | More by Jayli

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

2.15/5  rDev -37%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

22 oz bottle into a pint glass.

The intial pour is fairly soapy looking. A somewhat clear (although there are some yeasty chunks floating around) coppery amber with a finger of smooth looking off-white head. Retains with a thin, yet frothy look, leaving back some decent lace that sticks a bit. The aroma is fairly light in the nose for an American IPA, being floral and a bit herbal, with a touch of citrus and some thicker sweet malty accents underneath.

The taste is herbal and dirty feeling in the mouth, with a harsh bitterness to it, and a malt presence that just isn't getting the job done. The finish is just really unpleasant, with a astringent and bitter feel to it. The mouthfeel is lighter bodied, with a watery feel in spots, and an overall flat carbonation that doesn't do the flavors any favors.

I'm not sure what happened here (the reviews for this are just all over the place) but this for me, was definitely one of the poorer Craft IPAs that I've had in a while. An unimpressive nose, a muddled and harsh taste, and a weak body made for a tough time getting through the bottle. Not impressed.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2009 16:34:45 | More by Kegatron

callmescraps

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Tried this IPA from a pretty solid brewery.

Appearance - Deep copper. Half an inch of head. Lots of bubbles stick to the glass. Looks fine.

Smell - A little caramel malt. A little sweet. Definitely some hops. Not a whole lot of depth. Sort of a pine, with a hint of grapefruit. Nothing special.

Taste - Follows the smell. Very one-note. Comes sweet and malty, with that hopback. But then it's over. No real lingering, no great taste. Very bitter, but nothing interesting to balance it out.

Mouthfeel -Fine. A touch thin, but pretty decent. A little more carbonation would be good.

Drinkability - Not bad, but kind of forgettable.

This is a beer. Totally fine, but nothing special. I'll probably drink it again by accident, just because it's not at all memorable. So it goes.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2009 04:58:36 | More by callmescraps