India Pale Ale - Westbrook Brewing Co.

BeerDawgs

Georgia

3.6/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

New to Atlanta, picked up a 6 pack today dated 11/27/12. 3 weeks old = fresh

A - A slightly darker shade of yellow, maybe bronze. Lots of head and lace left all over the glass. And TONS of sediment floating around in this unfiltered brew. Impressive

S - An even balance of bitter and citrus hops. The hop aroma explodes out of the can, but is not as strong out of the glass. Strong malt presence evident as well.

T - A very well balanced brew with some nice citrus notes, but a bitter aftertaste. Apricot, bread, and a ton of grapefruit.

M - Medium bodied, high carbonation. Oily.

O - A good IPA for sure, and glad to have this brewery in GA. Looking forward to try some more of their offerings

Serving type: can

12-22-2012 02:15:16 | More by BeerDawgs

elgiacomo

Georgia

3.08/5  rDev -25.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz canned Nov 27, 2012. Served at around 45F.

Pours lightly hazy amber, on the dark side for an IPA, with a one finger off-white head that leaves some lacing and recedes to a small cap.

Aroma is apricot, a touch of citrus, lemon, some resinous hops, good amount of malt, particularly sweet bread dough, some caramel. Good strength, but rather malty and the malts and hops clash a bit.

Flavor generally mirrors the aroma, apricot, light citrus/lemon, resinous hops, sweet bread, caramel, moderate sweetness, mild to moderate bitterness, minimal alcohol.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, creamy, moderate carbonation.

This really, really reminds me of a hoppy Amber Ale, not so much an IPA. And it’s pretty fresh too, just 3 weeks old. A letdown.

Serving type: can

12-19-2012 02:55:58 | More by elgiacomo

NiceTaps

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz can poured into a fine stemmed tulip glass.

A- very hazy golden-orange color with a solid 1+ finger head that leaves some lacing as it fades. There is noticable sediment in the glass.

S- what a powerhouse of aroma going on: strong caramel malt, potent citrus, peach, mango, etc. You can name just about any fruit grown in the southeast and it's smell just may be in this IPA. Remarkable.

T- there is citrus, lemon and grapefruit rind, the hops build a great taste. And so do the malts, caramel sweet with a bit of dry bread or biscuit flavor.

M-medium body, silky, not thick. Beautiful balance between malts and hops. The 65 IBUs are right on; bitter hoppy finish without the burn.

O- I applaud Westbrook's effort here. This IPA stands on it's own, up to some of the most highly regarded IPAs in my judgement. Well done.

Serving type: can

11-30-2012 22:23:58 | More by NiceTaps

Netdigger2

South Carolina

4.93/5  rDev +19.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is my go-to year-round IPA. Always fresh from Greenville Beer Exchange and they just started dating the bottoms of the cans.

Pours Hazy gold with a foamy white head. Decent Lacing

Smell is slightly floral and spicy- hints of tangerine citrus and pine.

Taste is a collaboration of peppery, piney, citrus and light malts. Very hop forward and easy on the palate. It beautifully melds a bunch of American C-hop flavor characteristics without palate-wrecking bitterness.

Medium-high carbonation- lighter mouthfeel.

VERY refreshing IPA. South's closest thing to Heady Topper!

Serving type: can

11-25-2012 02:17:48 | More by Netdigger2

superdedooperboy

Georgia

4.53/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12-ounce aluminum can poured into a Duvel-branded tulip glass. Served at approximately 45 degrees F.

Pours a deep, hazy gold – and by hazy, I mean nothing gets through. The head rises all the way to the top of the glass and beyond, a fat, rich, rocky froth that slowly recedes and leaves behind huge, boulder-like patches of lace on the walls of the glass as it empties.

Loads of citrus and tropical fruit on the nose – grapefruit and tangerine take center stage, mingling with notes of mango, papaya, passion fruit and pineapple. It’s an extremely enticing aroma, and perhaps one of the best aromas in any IPA in the Southeast – if not more far-reaching than that.

Fairly light-bodied and moderately carbonated, with a touch of prickly carbonation in the mouthfeel. The palate is, similar to the nose, a citrusy affair. Tangerine and grapefruit mingle with grapefruit rind up front, melding with candied mango and a peppery spiciness in the middle, where a supporting base of biscuity malt peeks through. More fruitiness folds into the back of the palate, followed up by grapefruit rind and a powerful dryness that lingers well into the finish.

An absolutely outstanding IPA that—dare I say it!—may dethrone SweetWater’s take on the style as this reviewer’s choice of Number 1 IPA in the Southeast. Superbly drinkable and explosively flavorful, this IPA showcases hops almost like no other – and it comes in a highly portable, easily recyclable, UV-impenetrable container to boot.

Serving type: can

11-08-2012 23:55:36 | More by superdedooperboy

macrosmatic

Florida

4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to dogdoc for this one! Reviewed from notes. Poured from 12 oz. can into CCB pint glass.

A: Very hazy, orangish amber in color, with a nice white head and a relatively low amount of visible carbonation.

S: Pine resin hops, caramel malts, some citrus notes.

T: Follows the nose. Malt is bready & chewy, and a little more dominant then I would prefer. Pine & citrus rind hop flavors. Hop bitterness in the hang.

M: Nice ticklish body between the carbonation sensation & hop bitterness, no particular alcohol presence.

O: Solid IPA. Doesn't really have any qualities to make it stand out from the crowd, but very drinkable and tasty.

Serving type: can

10-14-2012 17:28:31 | More by macrosmatic

thagr81us

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served from tap into a shaker. Poured a hazy golden yellow with a one finger white head that subsided to a half a finger slowly. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, citrus, citrus hop, and fruit. The flavor was of sweet malt, earth, citrus, citrus hop, and fruit. It had a light feel on the palate with medium-high carbonation. Overall this was a good brew. The citrus aspect going on here was really quite nice and very inviting. This made it easy to drink with just about any type of food you threw at it. I personally chose pulled pork, but it went quite well. There wasn’t a huge hop aspect going on which was nice if you aren’t a huge hop head that is looking to nuke their palate. A solid offering from Westbrook that should not go ignored if you are a big fan of IPAs.

Serving type: on-tap

09-27-2012 10:44:58 | More by thagr81us

AleWatcher

Illinois

4.48/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

I had a few of these on tap at The Salty Dog the other night and really found myself enjoying them. I knew I had to grab a sixpack and review it.

Can into nonic pint.

A glowing fireball of orangey gold with perhaps some light amber/auburn hues if the light hits it just right. Thick, foamy, sticky, three-fingers of off-white head hold a surpriaingly nice retention and leave some thick curtains of lacing behind. This really looks great.

Smells great too-- a dry biscuity malt underneath a pleasant citrus hop attack. Lots of citrus hops, with a little floral and pine to boot.
The flavor follows suit... Decent bitterness, but not overwhelmingly bitter. The hops have been used for aromatics and flavoring, and done so quite well if I do say so. The finish dries out a bit which is nice, but as it warms I detect a slight booziness.

Feels is good-- medium, malty, little oily, dry bitter finish. The malts do a great job balancing the hops, and while I find this beer hoppy, I wouldn't say it is the hoppiest... But it also isn't overly malty-- it just found that perfect balance.

The only complaint is that the ABV is pretty high... A bit too high to be a good session beer, but this is quite good nonetheless.
I'm truly surprised that this beer doesn't get more praise.
Well done Westbrook. Well done indeed.

Serving type: can

09-26-2012 00:56:18 | More by AleWatcher

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to instantmessenger for passing on a couple of these in a trade in support of The CANQuest (TM)!

From the CAN: "A base of pale, Munich, and Carapils malts is just enough to contain the massive hop flavor and aroma packed into this delicious IPA. A blend of Ameri[CAN] hop varieties is added four times in the kettle and again in the fermentor [sic] for a complex and layered hop experience."; "Best served at 45-50 [Deg.] F in a tulip or English style pint glass."

I employed an inverted Glug following a Crack that revealed yet another brimful craft CAN. I had about two fingers of dense, tawny head with good retention that slowly fell, leaving sticky lacing behind. Color was a hazy orangish-yellow with lots of floaties in evidence. I may be getting to this one either a) too late or b) just in time. Nose was solid, very piney, quite minty. Mouthfeel was medium and the hops were present, definitely pine, albeit somewhat muted. Finish was semi-dry, still hoppy, but I CANnot help but wonder what a fresh one might be like.

Serving type: can

09-23-2012 20:53:39 | More by woodychandler

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

4.03/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours tangerine orange with thick white head that lingers well in Duvel tulip.

Smell is heavy with pine, resin and citrus.

Taste is smooth sweet malts and pine. Mild to moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel is smooth and medium bodied. Medium carbonation.

Overall this is a good example of the style.

Serving type: can

09-22-2012 18:20:31 | More by TrappistJohnMD

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Another beer in a big box provided by the creator of the canquest, woodychandler. Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a cloudy beige color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of hops, some citrus. Taste is kind of mild, hops, a malt balance, some pine, finishes bitter. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a decent brew.

Serving type: can

08-31-2012 20:26:36 | More by tone77

jeonseh

Indiana

3.98/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Can poured into a FFF tulip

A - Dark orange with brown tones. Slightly opaque. Had a small and quickly disappearing head. There were a few floaters within it as well.

S - Smells like a mix of tropical and citrus as I get orange and pineapple. Definitely a sweetness in the nose

T - At first, there is a nice sweetness with a sweet malt and pineapple at first. There is also a sweet tangerine with a twist of orange zest. There is a slight pine hops that gives it a slight bite on the end. Overall, goes through a nice array of flavors in this one.

MF - Light carbonation. Medium body with a nice stickiness to it.

O - A solid and easily drinkable IPA from Westbrook. It does go through a nice variety of hops which gives it a nice complexity for the style.

Serving type: can

08-24-2012 01:16:03 | More by jeonseh

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thank you Msquared2!!

Appearance. Pours a hazy, honey-amber with half a finger of white head.

Smell. Sweet and bitter grapefruit, toasted grains, oranges, wet fresh-cut grass and pine needles.

Taste. Bitter grassy and floral hops, citrus and tropical fruits, peaches, toasty sweet grains.

Overall. Medium+ body, below medium carbonation.

Overall. Nice big IPA that stands apart from the crowd.

Serving type: can

08-22-2012 03:28:26 | More by Rutager

nukem5

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a hazy amber color and you can actually see some bits suspended in brew, some lacing. Nice off-white head which rapidly dissipates.

S: Aroma is a hoppy blast not too over the top but very solid, sweet and citrusy.

T: Taste is a nice hoppy infused blast(Citrusy and earthy) with a decent malt balance, which compliments each other very well.

M: Mouthfeel is medium bodied with light carbonation.

O: Overall a very well balanced beer did not expect this from a can or from an unknown beer company that was only recommended because I asked for local brew and was told this and 3 others were all of the offering they had. I love beer-cations :-)

Serving type: can

08-10-2012 01:42:40 | More by nukem5

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.98/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz can, no date
Deschutes tulip

A: Pours a light orange, almost burnt sun color. It's fairly hazy and there are some yeast floaties. Three fingers of head from an aggressive pour. Seems like there is good carbonation. Some lacing sheeting.

S: Through the big head I get some nice fruity hop notes. Some astringency. Tropical fruits. Maybe orange marmalade. Some bready malts are there too.

T: Right up front you get those 60 IBUs. Nice bitterness on the tip of the tongue that continues through the palate. You get the fruit but also a touch of pine. Those malts come in towards the middle of mouth. Maybe that sweet caramel malts. Carbonation is prickly. The close is typical IPA: dry and bitterness that sticks with you.

M: Medium bodied.

O: B+, need to try fresher.

Serving type: can

08-08-2012 13:03:53 | More by inlimbo77

ProudBeerSnob

New York

3.98/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from can into pint glass. Enjoyed this one straight from the can while I was on vacation; time to review. Cloudy straw color with a fairly thick head that dissipates but leave some faint lacing.

Smells of hops, no overwhelming citrus or piney notes. Same in the taste.

Overall, a solid brew. A bit thin, but very drinkable.

Serving type: can

08-08-2012 01:34:23 | More by ProudBeerSnob

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Can to Founders tulip.

A - Cloudy medium orange with a lot of white head (about 3 fingers). Tones of sediment present in the glass.

S - Big floral hop aroma up front with some earthy notes and a fairly prominent malt backbone that adds hints of caramel.

T - A big bitterness up front that immediately gives way to a sweet caramel malt backbone with some candy-like flavors present as well. Fresh floral, earthy and piney hop flavours are present. This comes across as more of an English/American IPA hybrid to me.

M - Medium body. Light carbonation. Lots of good hop oils present.

Serving type: can

08-03-2012 12:55:42 | More by TheSevenDuffs

fat58hwy

Tennessee

4.33/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

While in Hilton Head on vacation, I tried this unknown (to me) local IPA; purchased from Growlers. Poured in a standard pint glass. Great aroma and full flavor. For an unknown, it was the best new IPA I have tried in quire a while. Kinda pricey, but I felt it was still worth the price.

Serving type: can

08-03-2012 01:31:02 | More by fat58hwy

JCaweinstein

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Lite orange colored, somewhat hazy, good level of carbonation, and a one finger creamy white head. This left a nice lacing on my pint glass.
It smelled of grapefruit, grass. The aromas were strong and easily detectable.
The taste was of grapefruit citrus and burnt toast. Flavors were of the bitter variety..
It was lite to medium bodied with bitter hops followed by bitter malt flavors and I'm left with a nice lemony aftertaste.
An above average IPA that could be drank over and over again. I would buy this again and would be interested to have it on draft.

Serving type: can

07-21-2012 18:51:46 | More by JCaweinstein

Treebs

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. can served in a pint glass. I had a few 6-packs over the course of my family vacation to Myrtle Beach.

A: Pours a clear, dark gold color with a thick and frothy off white head forming on the pour. It recedes slowly to a thick cap and leaves some sticky sheets of lace behind.

S: Grassy hops with a very fresh greeness to them. Sweet fruity esters and light biscuit malt body blend nicely together.

T: Same as the nose. Nice combination of grassy and fruity hop profiles with dry, cracker malt body to balance it out. There is a mild bitterness mid palate that plays nicely to a clean finish.

M: Medium to lighter bodied with a nice balance and crisp mouthfeel. Great carbonation and very refreshing.

O: An easily drinkable, refreshing and balanced IPA from a can? Sign me up! Glad I grabbed some extra pack in my luggage.

Serving type: can

06-28-2012 21:45:17 | More by Treebs

argock

Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on-tap in a Shaker pint at The Lodge (Hilton Head Island, SC).

A: Hazy golden amber with a 1/2-finger of nearly white, tightly bubbled head which leaves a curtain ol lace at the top of the glass.

S: The aroma could be a bit stronger but is enjoyable with a big dose of pineapple and lemon with a surprisingly healthy bit of caramel maltiness.

T: The flavor is very solid with rounded complexity hitting all the right notes including mango, pineapple, orange, lemon, pine, and floral character. The maltiness seems to get sweeter and more toasted the further you go through the pint. That is the main "flaw" if you want to call it that in this beer. A fine IPA with low to moderate bitterness.

M: Very slick with above-average amount of carbonation and medium body.

O: A very nice, easy to drink American IPA with a complete ops profile and a little toasted malt note as a bonus.

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2012 00:25:55 | More by argock

wagenvolks

Texas

4.05/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz can into a 3floyds pint.

Westbrook's IPA is hazy, with a golden-cantaloupe hue. The sandy head is well-retained thanks to an uppity carbonation level. Spackles of lacing cling to the glass. Aroma is full of fleshy citrus--grapefruit and tangerine dominate, while a pungent pine note is also present. The malts take a backseat and add sweetened notes of honey, biscuit, and toffee.

Pine and resin dominate the flavor and add a healthy dose of lingering bitterness to the top and back of the tongue. Hoppy citrus flavors aren't quite kicked to the curb, and the malty backbone is chewy, sweet, and nutty. Alcohol makes its presence felt on the aftertaste. Mouthfeel is a bit thick and viscous given the style, and the carbonation level could be turned up a touch. Still, this is a delicious IPA, and one I recommend.

Serving type: can

06-26-2012 00:22:55 | More by wagenvolks

tvv375ia

Iowa

3.73/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

poured from 12oz can into pint glass

A-a hazy ochre with about a finger of head

S-a little malt right at first then some piney hops

T-pine hops come through here with not much malt

M-carbonation is ok with the hop bitter finish

O-good overall beer with nothing that really detracts

Serving type: can

06-20-2012 02:21:15 | More by tvv375ia

C20Percent

Virginia

3.78/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a slightly hazy gold with a HUGE head of off white bubbly foam. I mean BIG. Lots of bubbles in the body of this one, but I poured into a pint glass, and that always makes a difference. So definitely complexity in the color -- darker near the lip of the glass, lighter at the bottom. Tiny pieces of sediment swimming around. This is what an IPA should look like -- it's perfect.

S: Really good for an East Coast IPA, and from the South at that -- first thing that comes through is a sweet pine aroma with a nice citrus background. Lots of aromas -- good complexity again. Sweet fruits -- sweet malts. Maybe a bit too subtle -- I prefer IPAs to be in your face. But, what's there is good.

T: First impression is that it's a bit one note. It's a sweet piney malt flavor all the way through, which is followed by a slightly bitter finish. The taste for me is like the smell -- I think the flavors are there, but much too subtle, and it's overpowered by the sweetness. I think the citrus and fruity hoppy taste wants to burst through, but it never quite gets there. It's turned in to your typical East Coast IPA.

M: Medium body. Hardly any carbonation -- that's not good. Smooth and creamy, though. Little bit of chewiness. A bit oily -- the physical feel is okay. Carbonation is killing me. But, I like the smoothness and oiliness of the brew.

O: Not a bad offering from Westbrook Brewing Co. I think they're almost there with this beer. If they can just get the aroma and taste kicking a bit more, then this is a great beer.

Serving type: can

06-10-2012 17:06:39 | More by C20Percent

Reaper16

Alabama

3.68/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

growler filled at Corks and Tops, Tuscaloosa, AL

Pours a light and clear shade of ghostpenny. I just made that up; see, the beer is colored like a penny would be if a penny were cartoonishly, preternaturally light and translucent. Not much head here: less than a finger of grey-white foam that dissipates as fast as it takes to turn the lights on in your room when you hear a scary noi...ok, I'll stop.

My first impression of the aroma is that it seems quite balanced. Not in a "nothing is sticking out" way or a "the nice way of saying that the hops are unassertive" way, but in an intriguing way that connects the hops and malts. Most IPAs don't have a coherent linkage between their malt bills and their hop bills other than "throw some crystal malts in there to tame the bitterness." This beer? It smells like a deciduous forest on a Summer's day. The nutty malt works with some legit red apple flavor (not a green apple off-flavor, but red apple cider/juice). Connecting those further are the spicy, pine notes (I know: pine trees are coniferous, not deciduous. Work with me, here). There's some light orange and grapefruit pith aromas too. It would be an average IPA aroma if not for how well-connected everything is. The hop bill was thought through, that's for sure.

That balance is less successful on the palate, simply because it allows the malts to shine too much. A nice malt bill that's dryer than one would expect from a malt-forward IPA; almost like they used Caramunich malts in here as part of the beer's caramel/crystal malt dynamic. The hops are straightforward: spicy, lightly citrusy. They're also earthy in a way that works well with the malt flavors. As it warms, I pick up on some passionfruit(!), which is welcome. This is solid, well-conceived stuff.

The mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium-bodied. I wish there were a touch more carbonation, but it's pretty solid just the same.

Overall, this is a nice session IPA. It makes more sense to drink during the Fall than the Summer, given it's earthy flavors and malt notes. I'll give it another go when football season starts.

Serving type: growler

05-30-2012 21:20:53 | More by Reaper16