Elevated IPA - La Cumbre Brewing Co.

UCLABrewN84

California

3.98/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Skuter for sharing this one at his tasting.

Pours a hazy orange with a foamy orange-tan head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, citrus fruit, and citrus zest. Taste is much the same with a mild hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: can

12-15-2012 07:25:50 | More by UCLABrewN84

MasterSki

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Can generously shared by Chris (largadeer). This has been on my wants since it was growler-only. Served in a taster glass.

A - White foam settles to a thick collar and wisps, leaving behind splotchy lacework. Transparent golden body.

S - A nice mixture of tropical fruit, pine, and dank hops. Minimal malt presence.

T - The taste features some citrus zest, a bit of chive and onion, and perhaps a touch of the aforementioned tropical fruits. Malt comes out a bit more mid-palate, lending an icing sugar flavor. Fairly intense bitterness, but reasonably well-hidden alcohol.

M - Dry, crisp, medium body, with moderate carbonation. Quite easy to drink, even with the palate bruising hops.

D - It's a very well-crafted and well-executed IPA that I would happily purchase if it were available locally. The 16oz cans are a good serving size and I'd be proud to call this my local beer if I lived in New Mexico.

Serving type: can

08-20-2012 13:24:44 | More by MasterSki

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.21/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to GHB for sending this one. The beer poured out as a really nice orange color with a thin white head that kinda faded quickly. The retention is thin along with a light lacing too. The smell of the beer is really nice. There is a strong hoppy nose along with a subtle sweetness too. The taste of the beer is also hoppy, big citrus and pine note, very nice stuff. The mouthfeel is oily and gently carbonated, medium bodied. Overall this beer is quite nice, much bigger and more flavorful than most typical IPA's out there. I enjoyed this one a lot.

Serving type: can

02-07-2013 23:55:16 | More by Knapp85

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tall boy can, thanks to Rudzud for sharing.
Great looking fluffy head fades fairly quickly lots of lacing over semi clear honey pale colored.

Nose is very earthy and grassy with herbal tendencies, light malts.

Taste fruity hops, light earthy but not much, fairly bitter, semi sweet malts, nice fluffy slight grassy hops, very fluffy and airy. Finish is still sweetish, decent hops and light fruity fluffy hops.

Mouth is med bodied, good carb, fluffy.

Overall fairly nice. A pretty well made IPA, nothing crazy, but quite tasty, and good hops overall.

Serving type: can

07-28-2012 23:32:15 | More by jlindros

Zorro

California

3.98/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clear orange colored ale with a small white colored head.

Smells of herbal hop and citrus, mostly grapefruit. Bright and fresh hop aromas with strong pine resin.

Starts out mildly sweet with a slight onion flavor. Strong hop flavor just slightly bitter. Leaf tobacco and leather in the taste.

Mouthfeel is OK.

Overall a good IPA.

Serving type: can

12-05-2012 02:14:41 | More by Zorro

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.48/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured out a very dark orange, like the kind you see after a night of hard partying. Good pine aromas, replete with funky nelson and citrus smells. Whatever you're looking for smell wise in a good ipa, this one is likely to satisfy those desires.

Taste delivers tropical and citrus fruit, along with those pine needles. Strong, warming, but not tasting above its own abv. Actually pretty easy drinking nonetheless, but it was made for someone like me I guess, so it should be. Has the funky presence of garlic and onions, a possible indicator of some summit hops, I thought it works nicely. Now that I think of it, maybe there's summits instead of nelson. Its somewhere in between those, thats for sure. A beer that will disgust people who don't like hops. There is a substantial malt bill to it, but never comes off overly caramelish. Just gives the hops something to play off of. Really the malt and yeast flavors are pretty neutral and don't get in the way of the hop onslaught.

Its massively bitter, but its not a one trick pony in that department, the hops leave plenty of mouthfeel and taste that go well above and beyond the bitterness.

This beer, and Sante Fe Hoppy Camper pretty much thrust New Mexico into being a top 10 ipa producing state. Meanwhile, Colorado has about 100 times the ipa's, but none of them being better. Sorry Myrcenary, you vill lose.

Serving type: growler

11-30-2012 21:07:44 | More by Beerandraiderfan

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Wildnoodle was one of many people who stepped up and either traded or simply sent me beer to further The CANQuest (TM). I am told that this is another one of those beers to be CANsumed as soon as possible to enjoy maximum freshness. Who would I be to buck the prime directive?

From the CAN: "Drink me. Drink me now. This IPA has been brewed with an obscene amount of the finest hops known to man. It is not meant to sit in a refrigerator. This gem is meant to be experienced fresh in all of its bitter, boldly hopped-up glory."; "Get elevated"; "New MexiCAN beers at their peak".

The Crack & Glug resulted in a finger-and-a-half of dense, tawny head with good retention. Nose was big with grapefruit hops and my mouth was watering. Color was a deep amber with NE-quality clarity. Mouthfeel was medium with an initial burst of grapefruit-citrus hops on the tongue, followed by a wash of caramel malt. Whew! If that doesn't get your attention, you may need to CANsult your physician. I wasn't getting elevated - I was being laid out! Finish was totally, utterly dry. I mean like Sahara Desert dry. Dry as the Zephyr winds. No wonder this was a 2011 GABF Gold Medal winner - it would be hard to beat.

Serving type: can

08-08-2012 04:52:02 | More by woodychandler

HopHead84

California

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

9/15/2012

Thanks! Can poured into a snifter. I'm looking forward to this. The label art has a decided New Mexican flair to it.

A: Burnished yellow gold with a finger of peaceful white froth. Lacing is scattered and retention is pretty good. Good clarity as well.

S: The nose strikes me as a blend of mandarin orange and onion, with lesser notes of tropical fruit. There's a little melon in there. Malt is bready and not insubstantial, though it doesn't impart much sweetness.

T: The flavor has some mandarin orange, grapefruit, and a little onion. There's a light malt backbone that lends a touch of sweetness, increasing the drinkability. It's not a bone dry IPA, but it's not exactly malty either. The bitterness is smooth and at a moderate level, and there's no alcohol to speak of. Smooth, hoppy, clean, and dry finish.

M: Medium body with upper medium carbonation. The mouthfeel is dry and sticky.

Overall: A bit heavy on the onion for my taste, but still a nice IPA.

Serving type: can

09-16-2012 01:22:55 | More by HopHead84

mactrail

California

3.71/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Pours a medium amber in the tall glass. Plenty of foam and a lively carbonation on the tongue. A hint of oil in the mouthfeel.

The massive blast of hops is a surprise. Huge aroma of piney pitch and something flowery. Enormous resiny flavor. Well, this is totally hop-centric, with endless flavors of all the Major Hop Groups-- resins, pine, grapefruit, lime peel, and ends up feeling like chewing on the stringy pulp of an unripe mango next to the big seed. Sharp and hot with oils. Tastes more alcoholic than it is. After the lush splash of hoppy aromatics, the bitterness takes over and leads you down the dark alley further than I care to go. But for sheer hop flavor, I see the attraction. Just let me off the bus.

From the 16 oz can bought at Jubilation Fine Wines in Albuquerque.

Serving type: can

02-28-2013 04:56:06 | More by mactrail

largadeer

California

4.5/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Got a couple fresh 4 packs from GHB. Thanks!

Appearance: Copper hued with the slightest haze. Pours with two fingers of head that retains well.

Smell: Lots of sharp, dank hoppy goodness on the nose. Weed, tropical fruit, pine, bit of onion; wouldn't surprise me if there's some summit in here, but it's not an onion bomb by any means. Malt is barely noticeable beyond the big hop character.

Palate: Big hop flavors here. Grapefruit, pine, weed, some bitter herbal notes. Fair bit of onion, and less tropical fruit than the nose suggests. Dry and light-bodied, a little bready malt pops out mid-palate, but it's quickly obliterated by a rather intense bitterness. The can says 100 IBUs, and I'm inclined to believe it. I'd prefer a little less bitterness, but thankfully there's a ton of flavor hops here to balance things out. Yeast and malt are rather neutral, allowing the great hop flavors to shine.

Overall: Great stuff, surprisingly so coming from New Mexico. Has a San Diego IPA feel to it; very clean, attenuated, and heavy on aroma hops.

Serving type: can

08-03-2012 04:17:56 | More by largadeer

alexgash

Connecticut

4.51/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

16 oz. can. Canned 3 weeks ago.

Faint haze in a light orange-copper body. Thick, dense, foam cushion of bright light beige head. Excellent lacing. Beautiful! Lots of hops on the nose. Pineapple, mango, funky cannabis resins, mandarin orange, and grapefruit. Maybe a little caramelized fruit malt in there, but this is all about deliciously fresh hops and they shine.

Bitter hop resins up front. Bitterness is joined by citrusy, almost tart, hop acidity. Resinous, weedy notes then take over. Sugary fruit and caramel malt body fill in underneath, but can't do much to take away from the hop dominance. Pineapple, mango, and cat pee make some noise toward the finish. Bitterness increases into the finish. Dry, with lots of lingering tropical fruits, resinous funk, pine, and even some sugary malt. Medium-full body with a thick, creamy feel. Delicious and palate wrecking!

Serving type: can

05-04-2013 01:01:19 | More by alexgash

tone77

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The man, woodychandler, provides the hook up with this beer. Poured from a 16 oz. can. Has an orange/brownish color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of hops, tropical fruits. Taste is also very hoppy, bitter, lots of fruits, a touch of malts, tasty. Feels full bodied in the mouth and overall this is a quality beer worth seeking out.

Serving type: can

10-10-2012 02:46:31 | More by tone77

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.43/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Gold/amber color with a small white head.

The hops jump right out at you. Mostly herbal, a little bit of citrus. Wonderful aroma.

The taste doesn't disappoint. Resinous pine, some grapefruiut and orange. Sweet malt background.

Medium-bodied, on the drier side.

Loved the beer, loved the brewery. Would drink this anytime.

Serving type: cask

08-30-2011 11:34:41 | More by lordofthewiens

maximum12

Minnesota

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

The lovely & talented GHB first sent me a growler of this brew, which was downright divine. Hearing my praise, he then proceeded to box up & send me a short month's worth of Elevated. 16 oz. tallboy cans - I hope this is as good out of metal as it was out of glass.

The pour fills up my imperial pint glass properly, gold leaning to orange. Pungent floral hops fence with grapefruit for the upper hand in the nose. No wimpy aromas here...IPA as it was meant to be, smeared with aggression.

Elevated IPA from the can just isn't the same beautiful beast that came unexpectedly from the growler. The floral notes remain, with more orange peel than in the nose. Citrus, lemon are faint but grow as the beer warms. There's a cut of onion in the background that detracts; I'm not a fan of leekish things in either solid or liquid formats. Bitterness builds with each sip & what seems polite at first ends up brutish & bruising after repeated exposure. Nice. Which only makes me want to drink faster.

I shared the growler in a line with tons of friends; I feel like that would have scored an easy "A" on the Richter scale. The canned version is very good, but doesn't quite hit that home run. If you can get this in the growler, do it.

Serving type: can

09-27-2012 02:00:10 | More by maximum12

ArrogantB

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

16oz can with an apparent can date of 12/3/12? Thanks a lot to GHB for sending this my way. Orange color, great head, sticky lacing. Smells like pine, pungent, dank, stanky good. Flavor is bitter, citrus, lemon, a hint of malt. Overall, very solid hop bomb and is really right up my alley as far as IPA's go. I might even say this is west coast style but I'm not sure, I'm no expert.

Serving type: can

12-14-2012 03:18:32 | More by ArrogantB

msubulldog25

Oregon

4.04/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

473ml (16 oz) can sent a little while back by Mr. woodyChANdler. Poured to a Breakside pint glass & served with dinner (New York steak & Caesar salad).

A: Pretty copper-orange with enough carbonation to look busy, most of it starting at the nucleation point at the base of the glass! Lacing is terrific - coating well, cobwebs galore and loads of speckles and stacked strata (hey, I can see each sip!). Complexion is nearly clear.

S: Hearty tangerine citrus in the nose, modest pine/evergreen sappiness. Sweetly scented baked bread crust. Aroma seems to contract, rather expand, as it warms - an odd trait.

T: More citrus and grass, even a peachy note. Hops seem well-balanced, 100 IBUs, in the case, doesn't equate to tongue-punishing bitterness. Finish is dry, grainy - almost ashy.

M: Smooth, medium body. Great coating mouthfeel, residuals are bitter rind and grassy grains. Carbonation is subdued.

O: Wish I had a date on the can to go by, as it seems this didn't have the intense hoppiness others praise. Regardless, I enjoyed the juicy, citrus-driven hops and a strong malty backing. Would I get it again - ABSOLUTELY. Fresh as possible, please...

Serving type: can

02-20-2013 02:33:29 | More by msubulldog25

Reagan1984

Massachusetts

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

he head faded so fast here it wasn't even funny. There was a moment with a 1/2 finger of head. Some light foam remains. Slightly hazy amber/copper color.

I like the spice in the aroma. Very fresh and an interesting balance to this. There is plenty of hop character but also a touch of malt depth. Green, grass and pine more than grapefruit/citrus focused.

Wow, a blistering bitterness that I enjoy. Oily hop coats your tongue out of the shoot. The malt backbone keeps it from going too far but there is no doubt where the power in this beer comes from. Green, oily hop goodness. Almost tastes like you are sucking on a hop pellet.

An unfiltered goodness to the mouth feel. A touch oily!

Nice beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-11-2011 13:04:31 | More by Reagan1984

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Recieved as an extra in a trade poured into a Kate the Great tulip.

A - Poured a crystal clear golden hue with a nice one finger white head that faded way too quickly but did leave nice side lacing.

S - Aromas of lots of grassy hops nice and floral.

T - taste is nice ans enjoyable with a very clean lightly grassy and subtly bitter hop profile. This is not a palette wrecker but very lightly bitter hops. Some sweet malts as well.

M - Mouthfeel is very nice for a ipa, super clean ans enjoyable.

O - Overall this beer is very nice and lightly bitter with a nice light floral grassy taste and aroma throughout.

Serving type: can

07-27-2012 22:10:11 | More by rudzud

nrbw23

Ohio

4.53/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A- Pours a light golden orange color with a very slight haze. A nice white head that that has good retention and leaves some nice layered lacing.

S- Piney hops are everywhere on this one. Quite a bit of tropical fruits here too. A dash of sweet malts.

T- Again hops leading the way here too. Just about every hop description I can think of. Quite a bit of floral, tropical fruits with a good amount of pine. A pretty solid sweet malt back bone that gives this brew exception balance.

M- Medium in both body and carbonation.

O- A totally awesome brew. This one would give the big name brews a run for their money for sure.

Serving type: growler

04-02-2012 22:00:32 | More by nrbw23

augustgarage

California

4.35/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to Mark and Gloria for the generous growler share! Multiple pours into a Coronado snifter:

Informal review in a dark bar, so bear with me.

Orange peel liquid with ivory foam receding to alsting collar. Shimmering dots of lace.

Balanced spicy hop notes with a toasty malt backbone in the nose. Citrus zest and a bit more fruit and woodsy notes as well.

Again, balance is key on the palate. Capsicum, citrus, coriander, herbs, and deep toasted malt. Truly, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Moderate yet assertive bitterness throughout. A bit of evergreen and orange zest. Summit or simcoe seems likely, though above all BALANCE is key.

Evervesent, almost spritzy, though these qualities are fading a bit due to the growler seal. ABV is very well disguised.

Clarity and synergy of ingredients is paramount to this ale...remarkable the spread of fantastic IPAs throughout the Southwest now. Worth seeking out!

Serving type: growler

10-05-2011 05:34:10 | More by augustgarage

katan

Colorado

4.08/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

16oz can

A - Clear and bright, orange. Head formation is pearly white, strong, breaks down to a film. Little bit of lacing.

S - Strong citrus hops, bright and sweet. A little hint of resin in there somewhere. Mega-hoppy.

T - Starts off with a super strong citrus flavor, almost sweet -combination of malts and the hops. Mid-stream gets awfully bitter - pretty close to a balance. Resin, oily flavors appear in the finish. A bitter aftertaste.

M - Moderate to strong body, moderate carbonation. Comes off a bit hefty. No alcohol warmth detected. Oily sticky aftertaste.

O/D - Not overly filling, and the abv is workable. THe bitterness does begin to dominate the palette after a while. A very tasty IPA for those who like citrus forward beers.

Serving type: can

12-15-2012 20:12:25 | More by katan

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.43/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

16oz can, no date
The Bruery tulip

A: Pours out a hazy, orange color. Faint bubbly white head. Some alcohol feet left on the glass but no lacing really.

S: Big huge fruity hop nose on this one: Grapefruit, Mango, Orange marmalade. All hops. Basically not getting any malt bill.

T: Big fruity hops up front. Nice bitterness. Grapefruit. Passion fruit. Mango. Minimal malt bill. Dry finish. Very nice.

M: Medium.

Serving type: can

12-27-2012 14:48:15 | More by inlimbo77

jdense

Oregon

3.95/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at La Cumbre, 2.11.11, poured into nonic pint glass, $4.25.

Full pour resulted in minimal white head, small bubbles, deep honey gold body a bit murky re unfiltered. Nose is hop forward, citrus and tropical hops, caramel malt, a slight bit of pine as it warmed. Taste mirrors the nose with some bubblegum notes, fairly resiny finish increasingly so as it warmed. Mouthfeel on the light side of medium, a bit of a surprise, minimal effervescence, by design after talking to brewmaster, sticky finish. Drinkability is good despite a tad bit of alcohol heat. Listed as 100 IBUs, this is tasty but not Ruination-esque IBUs IMO. Didn't get much more bitter as it warmed, a nice interpretation of SD-style here in ABQ. Worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2011 17:58:59 | More by jdense

elNopalero

Texas

4.95/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Review #600!

I had this on tap and loved it so much I picked up a four pack of cans to take with me. As soon as I left Albuquerque I regretting not picking up a case. This is seriously in the running for being my favorite IPA of the year. Certainly my favorite IPA of my recent road trip.

It pours a light tan-orange color with a bronze tint to it. There’s a great hop aroma. Simply fantastic, fresh, and full of grapefruit and citrus zest. Wonderful flavor with a light grapefruit flavor. Lightly bodied, almost delicate, even—this is not a heavy IPA or a bitter bomb but there’s a touch of chewiness to give it some heft and big, big aromatic hops that keep me coming back for more. Absolutely loved it.

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2012 05:18:08 | More by elNopalero

DCon

Missouri

4.68/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Received a 64oz Growler of this in a trade w/ amcmaho1. Poured from the Marble Brewery Growler w/ hops in Yellow into a 0,47l New Belgium Oversized Snifter Glass. Filled @ the Brewery 2/4/12.

Aroma- Tons of fruits and American hops hit the nose big time. Starts off with a mix of Passion Fruit and/or SuperFruit! Wild! Then very sweet hops and peach comes around at the finish. Good work on the aroma!

Appearance- Pours almost no head at all but a few bubbles (due to Growler). Has a Glowing, Reddish/Copper colored body with decent clarity. Leaves no lacing behind.

Flavor- Mango hop flavor and simcoe hops start this one off strong. Very big and punches the mouth all the way through. Medium-High Bitterness and quite an overload of hops! Did someone say American IPA? Ok good.

Mouthfeel- Medium-Full Bodied, Medium Carbonation, Hop Extreme, and finishes with hop sensation like a 2X IPA would! Awesome.

Overall Impression- Now I see why this one won the GABF award! Huge! The nose on this deserves an award alone. Definitely recommend looking for this brew or if in town, stopping by for a Growler. One of my top 10 IPA's right now and looking to enjoy some more! Thanks Alex!

Serving type: growler

02-10-2012 20:25:45 | More by DCon