Stowaway I.P.A. - Baxter Brewing Co.

yesyouam

New York

3.85/5  rDev -1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Baxter Stowaway IPA is a cloudy ale that straddles golden and amber, topped with a thin, off white foam that leaves attractive lacing on the glass. It has a solid, fresh pine aroma with notes of grapefruit peel and black pepper. It's pretty light bodied. It's smooth and maybe a bit watery. It has a chalky finish. Ample bitterness of pine resin lasts throughout the sip and past the swallow. It's peppery and dry. This seems like something you'd be able to get in a brewpub on the West Coast in the late '90s; a throwback of sorts. Quite solid.

Serving type: can

05-06-2013 01:14:57 | More by yesyouam

JohnQVD

New York

3.94/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Medium bronze color with a finger-thick foamy head that leaves a thin lacing on the glass. Smell is grapefruity and floral. Taste is bitter melon, with light notes of tropical fruit and citrus and a lingering bitter finish. Feel is medium-thick and creamy, which I didn't expect with this style, but it works. Overall this is quite good and just that little bit different than others of the style.

Serving type: can

04-15-2013 22:26:52 | More by JohnQVD

mountdew1

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured into an imperial pint glass. Color was a medium amber with several streams of carbonation rising from the bottom. Two finger froathy foam head that slowly diminished with just a hint of side cling/lacing. Aroma was a bit of floral sweet with a bit of acid citrus hiding in the backend. Taste was very bitter up front. Not a complex bitter, with not much else noticable. Felt reasonable in the mouth. A bit of coat, with a solid amount of tingle on the tongue from the carbonation/head. Overall not bad, but the flavor was a bit of a let down based on the aroma.

Serving type: can

03-04-2013 23:32:14 | More by mountdew1

mpedara429

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: It is sinful to pour out of a can, but for the sake of this review I did it. It pours out an amber color with just the slightest haze. A bountiful 3 fingers of fluffy off white head. Great retention and sticky lacing.

S: Resiny pine, a solid malt backbone, and some citrus.

T: Very similar to the nose with a nice bitter hop bite and good balance.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: Nothing mind blowing but just a very solid IPA. I tend to favor canned IPAs and this one panned out well.

Serving type: can

02-23-2013 23:13:33 | More by mpedara429

cleeze

Maine

4.04/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

One of Maine's finest IPA's. Slowly becoming one of my favorites. Everybody raves about Lunch IPA from ME Beer Co, but Stowaway is right up there.

Appearance is a nice amberish, orange hue with a nice frothy and creamy head.

Smells of citrusy, grapefruity and piney resin goodness.

Citrus right up front, major grapefruit which makes this puppy a super drinkable IPA. It doesn't lack a malt backbone. Great balance between the hoppy assertiviness and malt backbone. Pleasantly crisp and clean finish.

Mouthfeel is so great I want this in and around my mouth.

Serving type: can

01-17-2013 19:11:11 | More by cleeze

Pinknuggets

Vermont

3.85/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Canned (11/20/2012) to HFS sniffer

A: Very orangey with an hint of brown, but a more white then tan head. it is so cloudy it is almost completely opaque

S: I am surprised that I can detect the malt flavors better then normal for an IPA there is definitely some hops in there but I cannot tell what they smell like. There is also an almost barnyard smell to it which is kinda weird.

T:Im gonna go ahead and quote the can here because i think its pretty much dead on "complex flavors with a solid malt backbone and assertive hop profile" its a little malty for me but its pretty well balanced with some bitterness in the finish

M: Oily and thin with a light carbonation fairly drinkable but not superb

O: This is a decent beer but its not my favorite by any means and definitely too malty for my taste. Its not hoppy enough for my taste and the feel isn't great i'd prefer it be more smooth. If you are using it to take on the road for anything that it recommends around the can then this is definitely a good beer for those activities but it won't be my go to IPA anytime soon.

Serving type: can

12-26-2012 23:51:53 | More by Pinknuggets

MusicaleMike

Pennsylvania

2.75/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

I think the born on date on the can is 8-12-12, but that could be a 9-12-12. Nonetheless, it has been refrigerated since then, so should be fine.

Poured into a Lawsons glass, this amber colored beer has a vibrant orange hue and is topped by a two-finger thick off-white head that sticks all over the glass. Also, nice lively carbonation dances around in the glass, yet also lifts the little particles of yeasty floaters around. This beer does have some considerable haze to it.

Great IPA aroma! It is aggressive, bold, and definitely hoppy. After the pour I easily smell tropical fruits (mango, pineapple) and pine-like aroma hops. Once the head settles and the beer warms a bit, these sort of leave and are replaced with aromas of caramel and tangerine.

First impression: BITTER! 69 IBUs may not sound like a lot, but they somehow got all 69 units to be intensified! Really bitter up front...hard to call this beer well-balanced in any way. It is sharp and just overly bitter for an IPA. Good flavor of hops. There is some flavor of malt, but it is almost entirely masked by the bracing bitterness which starts up front and is carried all the way through till the aftertaste. Spicy hops, notes of bitter orange pith. As it warms, that bitterness becomes a little more tamed (as your palate has already been wrecked and not can't tell the difference) and notes of biscuit malt and toast seem to come through more.

Decent amount of carbonation. Medium to full bodied IPA, that is sharp and almost astringent from the sheer amount of bitter alpha acids...certainly what you could consider a "palate coating bitterness.

This is not my favorite IPA. I find it to be overly aggressive with those alpha acids. Towards the end, the malt profile reminded me of Victory HopDevil, but the hops are just so much more in line with HopDevil. Not a bad IPA at all, but I will not be purchasing again.

Serving type: can

12-13-2012 03:50:38 | More by MusicaleMike

Dools9

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Can into tulip pint. Dated 10/11/12.

A: Pours with a thick two finger, frothy beige head. Color is a clear copper and very eye appealing, orange amber. Laces nicely, head retains to the last drop.

S: Combination of a subtle biscuit, bready malt, caramel sweetness, citrus grapefruit, pine and some herbal hop aromas.

T: Grapefruit peel, and pine hop bitterness, theres also some herbal quality as well. Balances well with a caramel, bready malt sweetness, well balanced and isn't overally bitter for 69 IBU's. Nice clean, dry finish.

M: Feels medium in heft, very soft, smooth carbonation on the mouth moves everything along nicely.

O: A real solid IPA here, love the can packaging as well. This one would probably be a good beginner to intermediate IPA as its not mouth puckering bitter, but it would also probably be a good fix for a hop head as well. A crowd pleaser if you will. Recommended

Serving type: can

11-17-2012 21:03:06 | More by Dools9

Chico1985

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Canned 7-19-12, reviewed from notes last week.

Pours a bright copperish orange, a white head retains well as a good cap leaving spots of lace.

Smell is pretty malt forward - caramel, bread and butter along with light herbal+grapefruit hops.

Taste brings a little more hops to the table but it's still mostly malt forward. Caramel and some bready malts and a tame hop bill of earthiness, citrus and grapefruit.

Pretty smooth mouthfeel, medium carbonation, easy drinking.

Those looking for a hop bomb will surely want to search elsewhere, it's on the simple and malty side but a pretty enjoyable East Coast IPA.

Serving type: can

09-10-2012 21:01:08 | More by Chico1985

Wasatch

Utah

3.53/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks goes out to portia99 for this brew.

Pours a very nice slightly hazy golden amber color, nice carbonation, with a nice one-finger creamy off-white head, with some nice sticky lacing left behind. The nose is pretty hoppy, with some malts thrown in, citrus, slight pineyness. The taste is hoppy, with a nice little sweetness, citrus note, slight pines. Medium body, with a nice bitter/dry finish. This one surprised me, very nice brew.

Serving type: can

09-06-2012 22:23:07 | More by Wasatch

BEERMILER12

Maine

4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Canned on 07/17/12, Consumed 07/23/12

A: Pours a slightly hazy golden orange color with a half-fingers worth of head

S: Nice citrus and piney hops along with a solid malt backbone provide most of the aroma. Fruity

T: Follows the nose, with the hops coming out first and then the malts. Fairly well balanced, but the bitterness lingers on throughout. Alcohol almost not present at all

M: Moderate-full bodied with plenty of carbonation to wash away the hop oils

O: One of the better canned IPAs, it's great that you can take it with you pretty much anywhere with ease. Good price point, too. Definitely worth a try

Serving type: can

07-24-2012 03:15:46 | More by BEERMILER12

hmph

Virginia

3.85/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Graciously received in a trade with Robtobfest , thanks!

A - this pours a very transparent amber/orange with a quickly dissipating fluffed 1 finger head of white

S - a good citrus smell with some sweeter notes coming through

T - sweet upfront followed by the citrus hop in the middle and a balanced malt sweet hop bitter finish

O - really enjoyed this IPA, had it while tasting a few other IPA's and it definitely held its own, nice little surprise with a clean finish well done brew

Serving type: can

07-24-2012 02:49:32 | More by hmph

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz can bought at Yankee Spirits, Sturbridge, MA as part of a 6-pack.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1/2" beige head over the cloudy golden amber brew. Frothy head lasts well, with leggy slow-falling lace. Aroma is earthy citrus.

Taste starts sweet, citrus power in the middle, a bit more than balancing bitterness through the close. Mouthfeel is smooth, and drinkability is good. Approachable rep of the style.

Serving type: can

07-18-2012 22:43:14 | More by ppoitras

Momar42

Maryland

3.95/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz can into my Delirium tulip. Thanks Rob at Rips in Bowie, MD for the unexpected gift!

A - deep, hazy orange colored. Frothy head the fades quickly but leaves a small ring of lace on the glass.

S - fresh, citrusy hop aroma greet immediately. Really inviting and suprising from a can (my first quality IPA from a can). A faint malt presence is detected but subtle.

T - creamy and smooth. Hops are subdued but lend a tasty, bitter kick to this beer. Bitterness lingers for alittle bit. This is one easy drinking IPA that doesnt try to destroy your palate or put you under the table.

M - creamy and smooth. Great easy finish.

O - for a totally unexpected gift, this one really impressed me. This is a solid IPA (in a can no less) and one that I would drink as often as I could. Sadly, I doubt I will ever see this one again. I will certainly seek out more from Baxter whenever I can get my hands on them.

Serving type: can

07-14-2012 03:01:37 | More by Momar42

Homebrew35

Connecticut

3.93/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours one fingers worth of an off white foamy head. Hazy copper colored body. Some lacing and a small cap remains.

Smells of grapefruit, pine, carmel sweet malts and some bready yeast.

Tastes of pine and grapefruit, light sweet carmel, grainy and toasty malts with a kick of tobacco on the finish. Some what dank and oily may be another way to describe it. Mineraly and kind of salty on the finish.

Medium thin bodied, medium carbonation. Somewhat coating and oily on the finish.

Overall a tasty ipa. A nice take on the style and quite drinkable.
Good aroma, firm bitterness with a good malty character.
$2 a can

Serving type: can

07-04-2012 00:12:07 | More by Homebrew35

K7online

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer might come in a can but is meant to be enjoyed in a glass. I think this is true for most IPAs, they need their space to reveal the bold hoppy aromas that they hide within.

After opening the can I waited for a few seconds for the carbonation to equilibrate and then had a smell and a taste. The smell of the beer is pleasant with strong citrus notes. The taste of this beer has an extra hoppy character but not as pleasant as the smell.

I then proceeded to pour the beer in a glass and then repeated the smell and taste test as well as a visual inspection. The color is a beautiful light copper evident of the big malt character. Now that my whole nose had access I got to smell the rest of the hops. There are some earthy hops in there that are also evident in the taste. The bitterness seems more balanced because of additional aromas. It leaves a lingering bitterness but it is not unpleasant anymore.

Overall a great beer and one I could buy over and over. I just need a cup or glass nearby.

Serving type: can

06-24-2012 19:13:00 | More by K7online

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.08/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz can served in a pint glass.

pours a cloudy, dull golden tone while yielding a creamy 2" beige head. solid retention and a lot of lacing. good nose, jumping with citric / tropical hoppiness... secondary notes of pine and malt. nothing mind-blowing but very solid.

flavor more or less follows the aroma, and yet... it's somewhat disappointing. the parts don't quite fit together the way i'd hoped... the malt backbone is stronger than i personally like in my IPAs. medium-bodied mouthfeel with average carbonation.

an average IPA overall, in a style bursting at the seems with superlative examples, i have to say this one, while quaffable, is nothing to write home about. wouldn't turn on down but won't be seeking it out, either.

(originally reviewed: 09-28-2011)

Serving type: can

06-20-2012 23:13:52 | More by BostonHops

eod81

New York

4.45/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I received a 6-pack as a gift from visiting friends, I had never heard of Baxter before and had no idea what to expect.

A- A nice reddish IPA, on the darker side. Big 2 inch head popped up, lacing hung on to the side of the glass. Nothing special about the appearance, except for the richness of color.

S- I want to go swimming in this beer. Every time I pass the glass under my nose, I want to cry and call my loved ones. Very enticing hops, some noticeable sweetness, and no shortness of herbal intrigue. A king among IPAs for the smell.

T- The taste is great, but it's a bit of a let down after the smell. It's forceful, as you might imagine from the style. There's some alcohol on the tongue, which other IPA's at 6.9% manage to hide a little better. Serious citrus with a focus on the grapefruit. Really fantastic variety of flavor, from hop to acid with some malt coming through on the after taste (albeit a bit grassy). The flavor really comes in waves throughout the sip, which I consider to be a favorable trait, though some might disagree.

M- Nice, some alcohol as I mentioned, and a bit syrupy as it warms, but definitely nothing sticky about this one.

O- Big winner in my book. I'd take this over most of the IPA's I have good access to with only a few exceptions. A nice summer IPA, as the citrus overpowers the spice. I'm excited to try more from Baxter.

Serving type: can

06-16-2012 00:59:53 | More by eod81

greenmonstah

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz can into shaker pint

A - Two finger off-white head on a copper-orange body with medium carbonation.

S - Lightly floral with caramel malt sweetness. Bit of tropical fruit as well.

T - Follows the nose, lightly sweet with balanced bitterness and both tropical fruit and floral flavors.

M - Medium body and smoooth. Doesn't linger.

O - Overall a fine IPA. A worthy beer for any advocate.

Serving type: can

06-10-2012 19:48:01 | More by greenmonstah

jondeelee

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Stowaway I.P.A. opens with a full, hop-driven grapefruit aroma, being a mixture of both pink grapefruit flesh and white grapefruit rind. Pine resin adds a secondary layer of bitterness here, being almost as potent as the grapefruit. Touches of lemon, mint, anise, and dandelion stem round out the hop aromas, altogether speaking of a nicely balanced hop profile that plays to multiple layers and strengths. Malts are somewhat more difficult to locate here due to the strength of the hop aromas, but some hints of cracker and toast crust are still present, as are brown sugar, and a good orange and apricot fruit ester counter. As a whole, the nose is very nice, making it immediately apparent that the beer has been brewed lovingly and with quality ingredients. A touch more sugars would have been nice, but there’s still enough in here to please.

On the tongue, the beer starts off with an expected hop slam, but here the hops are almost entirely bitter and plant-like, with grapefruit rind, pine resin, and dandelion stem fighting for dominance, and touches of lemon, eucalyptus, and mint lingering only slightly below the surface. The beer only has 69 IBUs, but it feels like more, so potent is this hop-based bitterness. Malts are, again, more difficult to locate against the hop blast, but toast crust and cracker do come through, as do brown sugar and some orange, fig, and apricot notes. Towards the end of the mouthful, as the sugars die off, the bitter rind, resin, and plant stem hop notes take over a larger and larger portion of the flavor profile, until by the aftertaste, they are virtually all that is left, and linger on the tongue for a long time, joined by a slight alcohol vapor. Mouthfeel is medium, and carbonation is medium.

Overall, this is a solid IPA, definitely showcasing the bitter side of the hop experience, but nicely so. Again, a few more sugars in the main body would have helped a bit, especially a stronger orange and apricot presence. But this is still a beer to please hopheads.

Serving type: can

06-07-2012 18:04:20 | More by jondeelee

BrewEngland

Massachusetts

4.88/5  rDev +25.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Please visit www.brewengland.com for pictures & our full review!

The Stowaway pours a pale mix of orange and red hues. It's nicely carbonated with a light, foamy head that rests peacefully on top of this hoppy treat. The aroma is vibrant! It's hoppy, floral, and you can pick up the maltiness of this brew. It even has a faint sweet scent to it as well.

The flavor is down right enjoyable, which backs up the aroma with a great balance between the malt, hop, and bigger characteristics. It finishes with a nice floral and slightly malty ending, certainly not dry, but gives you a feeling that you just want more!

The mouth feel on the Stowaway IPA is moderate. It's quite bold, which is what I like in an IPA. The balance between the ABV and IBU fits in perfect for this brew.

Without a doubt, the drinkability level on this beer is high. This is by far one of my new favorite regional IPAs, and Baxter Brewing has a winner and keeper with this beer. Any hop head must try this beer, so keep your eyes out for it. Baxter's beers are popping up all over Massachusetts, so it shouldn't be difficult to find.

Serving type: can

04-29-2012 15:55:39 | More by BrewEngland

mdurkee11

Florida

3.95/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer is crisp, simple and balanced. Love the hops in this brew as they are not overpowering but effective. Appearance is a bit too clear for an IPA in my opinion, bunonverbal it's not a major problem. Great citrus smell that is simple and smooth. You don't get the impression that this is a big IPA, which makes this an inviting session beer. Love that this beer is served from a can and feel this adds a lot to the experience. Overall, a great beer to drink while watching a game or on a hot summer day.

Serving type: can

04-26-2012 00:32:10 | More by mdurkee11

dasenebler

Maine

2.03/5  rDev -47.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

12oz, canned 4/13/12. Very fresh.

Pours a hazy medium amber with a small off-white head. Retention and lacing are average.

The aroma is muffled for an IPA, with some piney, grassy hops. A bit off, but alright.

The flavor is messed-up. Either this beer is infected or has some strange yeast autolysis flavors. Exceedingly vegetal and bitter, with a weird, salty character. Toffeeish malts come through, adding to the mess. "Clean" is not a word I would use to describe this IPA, but at least there's some piney hop flavor in there. A touch astringent, with a drying, medium-bodied mouthfeel.

If the flavor weren't so bad, this would be a palatable beer. Baxter Brewing is all over the goddamn place. "We do what we can, we can what we do, and we CAN'T brew consistent beer."

Serving type: can

04-25-2012 21:11:40 | More by dasenebler

u2carew

Massachusetts

3.23/5  rDev -17%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz can
A) pours with a finger thick head, then settles to a thin lacing on top. Hazy bronze colored body. Semi-sticky lacing on the drink down.
S) Orange. Grassy.
T) Hop bite upfront. Subtle nutty-ness and malty sweetness. The hops are the definitely the dominate feature of this brew.
M) Crisp. Medium body. Dry in the finish. The alcohol gives off some warmth in the aftertaste.
O) A decent beer. I'd have another one.

Serving type: can

04-15-2012 18:15:12 | More by u2carew

jmarsh123

Indiana

3.33/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours light copper with a generous amount of off-white foam.

Smells of bready malts along with some citrus hops.

Some sweet toffee/bready malt stands out the most. Not a whole lot of hop flavor up front. Finishes with a grassy piney bitterness and a touch astringent.

Normal mouthfeel and carb levels.

Not horrible, but nothing especially stands out about it either. The finish is a bit harsh, but decent beer in a can is always good.

Serving type: can

04-03-2012 23:03:35 | More by jmarsh123