The Corruption - DC Brau Brewing Co.

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.47/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Shared with the GBX crew tonight, was nice to get down there to see you guys finally!

deep rich dark orange tinted amber with a nice full two fingers of head on the top.

aroma was full of deep citrus hops and pine resin. It had a very fresh smell to, thick with neverending waves of hoppiness and a slight malty earthen smell way deep in the back trying to round it out. like sticky, icky dank nugs.

. From the first sip it was a full on bath of citrus hops. Deep flavors of orange, tangerince and a touch of grapefruit washed over the tongue. As it warmed some hints of sugar and pineapples rounding it out. A very nice earthy backround provided all the neccasary balance in this one.

Great smooth creamy feel. This was a nice light to medium bodied ale that was more then adequatly carbonated and really had a nice feel, and wonderful freshness, great score

Serving type: growler

12-04-2011 07:53:46 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Churchkey. Served in a snifter. Reviewed from notes.

Pours a moderate golden-copper color with a good white head and a nice ring or two of lacing on the way down. Thin collar throughout. The nose is quite nice with a good dosing of piney hops plus some citrus and grapefruit. The flavor brings forward the hops as well. Nothing overpowering, but quite nice. Beautiful bitterness in the feel. Medium body and good carbonation. Looking forward to this being more widely available.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2011 21:43:51 | More by Thorpe429

UCLABrewN84

California

3.63/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to drabmuh for sending me this one!

Pours a slightly murky dark orange with a 2 inch foamy orange-white head that settles to a small cap on top of the beer. Thin foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is solely of herbal and dank hops. Taste is of intense herbal hops up front with a slight malt flavor on the finish. There is a pretty assertive bitterness that lingers on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but the hop flavors are pretty intense and aggressively bitter.

Serving type: can

04-12-2012 02:35:28 | More by UCLABrewN84

drabmuh

Maryland

4.1/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beer served on draft at Churchkey in a snifter. Beer is amber and clear with a nice mildly off white head low carbonation and some lacing on the glass.

Aroma is nice, piny, mild citrus, good.

Beer is medium to light in body with decent bitterness on the backend of the mouth and palate. The forward is a little malty but not distractingly so. A very nice beer overall, I'm really impressed. I'd have this again for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

07-04-2011 17:10:19 | More by drabmuh

metter98

New York

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is quite hazy orange amber in color and has a moderate to high amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high off white head that has good retention properties and consistently left a thin head covering the surface and lots of lacy rings of bubbles down the sides of the glass.
S: There are moderate to strong aromas of earthy hops in the nose along with some notes of citrus.
T: Like the smell, notes of citrusy, earthy and spicy flavors from the Columbus hops really stand out in the taste and contribute a moderate amount of bitterness. The bitterness particularly stands out and lingers through the finish, tasting a bit like pine resin hops.
M: It feels medium-bodied and rather crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer delivers the aroma and taste of a hoppy Imperial IPA without being full-bodied. It is very easy to drink.

Serving type: can

01-16-2013 03:37:43 | More by metter98

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at ChurchKey, it's worldwide release. And yes, I have the first pour. That's what happens when you arrive early to beat the crowds. Brewed with Columbus (Tomahawk) hops, per the advert.

A: The IPA is hazy, a lighter amber color that is closer to golden. The haze supports a few flecks of sediment suspended mid-glass. A half a finger of white head laces as I get through the glass.

S: The nose is hoppy, aggressive with a citrus punch. Resiny, I like the citrus intensity. Pepper, more noticeable in the taste, periodically pops up. Caramel malts add sweet breadiness.

T: First sip - delicious. An IPA's IPA, hoppy but not ruinous. Citrus dominates, pungent in its strength. Oily as well, the ale slides down quite easily. Behind the first wave of hops, a spicy pepper taste pops up to smooth the transition to malts. Caramel is brief though, quickly getting the ale back to the business of hops. More citrus bitterness, strong and floral, sees the ale off. An impressive offering from DC Brau. I'm already a fan after two beers.

M: The mouthfeel is bitter but approachable, showcasing the citrus strength of the Columbus hops. I'm glad that I was in the right place at the right time for this one.

O: A big tasting IPA that doesn't lead to palate fatigue. Well done.

Serving type: on-tap

05-21-2011 01:15:43 | More by akorsak

Jason

Massachusetts

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

12oz can with no freshness date.

LOOK: Hazed orange amber, three fingers of head hold strong

SMELL: Piney, mint, oily hop resin, hemp seeds, ruby red grapefruit, grape nuts, mild tropical esters, bread crust

TASTE: Fruity hop resin, raw pine, very smooth, aggressive bitterness, slightly biscuity, yeast, fruity esters, light tobacco, grapefruit rind, faint lime zest, more bitterness, drying finish

Yeah, these guys nailed the style and then some ... it took over my taste buds for a while to boot. A must if you have not tried it yet.

Serving type: can

04-24-2012 01:56:57 | More by Jason

mdfb79

New York

3.78/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 05/26/11 notes. Had on tap at The Big Hunt in Washington, DC.

a - Pours a murky deep orange color with one inch of white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of citrus hops, oranges, lemons, light pine, light fruit and floral notes.

t - Tastes of citrus hops again, pine hops, oranges, fruity malts. Citrus isn't quite as strong as the nose. More pine than the nose, and light bitterness.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation.

o - Overall a very solid IPA from DC Brau. The nose is pretty good full of citrus hops, and it's pretty easy to drink. I'm looking forward to trying more beers from them.

Serving type: on-tap

05-29-2011 19:39:59 | More by mdfb79

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Oooo-eee, IPA in a can. Sorry I don't remember who sent this, I think it was an extra from someone and I forgot to mark it down, so if you sent it to me please let me know and I'll give you credit. Thanks, Cheers!

Pours a nice fluffy almost 2 finger head that fades at a med pace, with some layered lacing, over hazy opaque reddish orange tangerine color.

Nose has some fresh hops but not a lot, fruity with some citrus, light tangerine and orange juice, hint of pine and grassy hops as well, with a light sweet malty base.

Taste starts with malts this time, chewy slightly sweet reddish malts, little candy and caramel like malts as well. then onto hops, starting with a spicy bitter hop profile, then moving to slightly earthy and pine with just a hint of citrus and juicy flavors. The bitterness really ramps as it goes, moving to almost astringent on the finish. Finish is quite dry, long lingering spicy chewy hop profile, slightly astringent bitterness that lingers forever like I just bit into a hop pellet.

Mouth is med bodied, good carb (yay cans).

Overall pretty good, more of an East Coast style IPA, even though I don't like to classify East vs West coast IPAs, this is more of the stereotypical East Coast variety, nice malty base for balance, hops more on the spicy piny with some citrus. However, the dry finish and huge slightly astringent bitterness gives it another take as it lingers for what seems like eternity. Pretty good beer overall though.

Serving type: can

12-31-2012 21:25:54 | More by jlindros

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz can into a tulip glass.

Pours a clear copper, with a couple fingers of frothy off-white head. This retains with a ½ finger of rich foam, leaving back a sudsy cascade of sticky lacing. The aroma is freshly floral, piney, and a touch spicy, with bright citrus character and gentle herbal tones underneath. Malt activity lingers around the back of the nose, giving this a grainy push in spots but the main focus here is on those robust hop flavors.

The taste is a mix of grapefruit bitterness and herbal textures the whole way through, with a touch of riper fruit that sticks to the bready balancing sweetness of the malt. The hops finish this strong with a dry and resinous feel that trails pith and spice on the palate. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a softer mellow crispness to the carbonation and a good bit of easy feeling slickness that carries the alcohol here well. The overall feel here though could maybe use just a tad more pop in the mouth.

I liked this. There is a prominent herbal flavor and feel to this that got to be a little too much in the taste at times but it also helped contribute to the easy drinking and smooth feel and I think that in the end, just the overall fresh brightness of the citrus flavors here really carries this through to the finish. This is a quality IPA and I definitely see more of it in my future.

Serving type: can

03-06-2012 18:08:45 | More by Kegatron

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The CANQuest (TM) is hitting it hard today thanks to summer break and a (mostly) staycation. This particular CAN was courtesy of my Westy Cuz, Colby Chandler of Ballast Point, who snagged a whole buncha beers on Saturday night during SAVOR 2012. I had left my knapsack for safekeeping and when I retrieved it at the end of the night, I could hardly lift it, thanks to his efforts! Now, lest ye think of either of us as greedos, come by Pour on Prince any Thursday after 9 PM and watch me spread the wealth.

From the CAN: "Corruption Facts[:] In 1824, Speaker of the House Henry Clay forged a coalition that secured the White House for John Quincy Adams. In return, Adams named Clay as his Secretary of State in what became known as: 'The Corrupt Bargain'".; "Please Recycle - Pack In Pack Out"; "Serve in a tulip, goblet or enjoy from the [CAN]".

From "The Crucible": Judge Hathorne to John Proctor - "This is corruption, mister!" It seems as though I am about to commit an act of CANnibalism since I am as corrupt a person as you will ever encounter, hence most people's shock and disbelief at first hearing that I am a high school English teacher.

It is becoming Night of the CANned IPAs for me and once more, the Crack & Glug did not disappoint. I ended up with a dense finger of tawny head that resembled meringue until it began to slowly fall, leaving behind some really sticky lacing. I am planning to rent a jackhammer later today to remove all of the lacing from tonight's glasses, BTW. Color was a cloudy, deep orangish-amber, not altogether unlike freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. I wish that I could report that the nose was citrus hops, but alas, it was more piney than anything. Mouthfeel was medium and the hops were like Baby Bear's Beer - just right. I have been getting blown out by hops recently and while I really do not mind it, nor does the screeching Hops Monkey on my back, it CAN get old. This beer was fresh and very enjoyable. The finish was dry, but not so dry that I felt as though I were in the Sahara Desert. This was unbalanced, tipped in favor of the hops, but in such a way that it was not simply a hops onslaught. Me likee. Another cooler CANdidate!

Serving type: can

06-20-2012 09:08:26 | More by woodychandler

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Kegatron for the hookup with a can of this. Poured into a pub glass, the brew appears a fairly clear copper color with just shy of 2 fingers worth of off-white froth. Some particulate is stuck in suspension keeping this brew from being polished. The cap maintains fairly well with a frothy coating that recedes leaving patches and webby strings of lace sticking to the glass.

The aroma is a mixture of hoppiness that comes across herbal, pitted, earthy and somewhat pine-like. There is a bit of juicy nearly tropical inclusion here keeping things bright and interesting. It is somewhat fruity and floral as it opens up in my glass. Under the hops is a touch of toasty grain and a hint of minerals. The warmer it gets, it becomes almost dank and weedy in character.

The taste is rindy, fruity and floral with more flavor initially than perceived bitterness. As the experience continues the hops take on more of an herbal and catty quality that blends into some weedy dank character. It is a bit cheesy across the back with some almost dirty pils quality. I say dirty but I mean that affectionately. A bit of crisp almost mineral aspect is the last thing noted in the flavor profile.

This is a medium to light bodied brew with a moderate amount of carbonation. It is crisp, refreshing and easy drinking. The alcohol level is very well integrated and it just works. I am very appreciate of the opportunity to give this one a try Heath, thanks again.

Serving type: can

03-23-2012 02:24:45 | More by stakem

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.3/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Another brew received from Kmccabe33.. Thanks a ton Korey!!

Poured into my thin tulip... great retention and lacing.. the brew is hazy light amber...

The aroma is pretty much identical to the pale ale with a bigger citrus punch...

Flavor again... the same as the pale with a looong and lingering bitter bite and more of a citrus hoppiness... the bitterness is a bit abrasive... gets coarse on the finish.

body and carbonation are fine with a sorta creamy small bubble carbonation.

Unbalanced bitterness.. odd... okay, but needs dialed in and probably the maltiness pulled back to allow the hops to shine.

4/4/3/3.5/3

Serving type: can

08-16-2012 04:45:45 | More by JohnGalt1

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Big thanks goes out to 67couple for sharing this one at a past Random Sunday Tasting! Served from can into a Mikkeller taster flute. Poured yellow-orange with a half finger white head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained excellent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, citrus, citrus hop, pine, and pine hop. The flavor was of sweet malt, pine, pine hop, citrus, and caramel. It had a light feel on the palate with high carbonation. Overall this was a pretty decent brew. I had heard good things about this brew going into it and definitely did not disappoint at all. A nice touch of hoppiness and a good balance of sweetness as well. I was really quite glad to see the citrus show up as just pine hop can definitely destroy a beer in my opinion. This fact made it quite easy to drink and rather enjoyable. I definitely would not mind having this one again in the future without hesitation.

Serving type: can

01-15-2013 12:04:33 | More by thagr81us

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On draft at Churchkey in D.C.

The beer is orange with 1/4" white head that leaves some decent lacing in its wake.

The aroma brings a pleasant dose of hops, citrus, light pine.

Refreshing and tasty, this is an enjoyable brew. Citrus and hops are the primary flavors here, though not quite as bold as I would like from a near 7% IPA. The finish is dry, with a nice lingering hop bitterness.

A solid beer from a new local brewery. I'm sure I'll have this again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2011 02:02:41 | More by Huhzubendah

largadeer

California

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Can from Dyan. Thanks!

Hazy, almost muddy appearance. Opaque. The head is voluminous and retention is outstanding.

Pleasant juicy orange hop aroma. A bit resinous, too, with a nicely integrated malt backbone. Very aromatic, surprisingly very nice.

Pretty tasty, too. Resinous, sticky, citrusy. Orange and grapefruit, biscuity yet dry malt backbone. Has a substantial mouthfeel, semi-sweet but not particularly bitter - this leans toward late hop additions. Body is medium-full.

Quite good.

Serving type: can

06-30-2012 07:26:35 | More by largadeer

dirtylou

Washington

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz CAN, lugged 2800 miles west by "blackie"

appearance: hazy orange body, big fluffy white head with nice sticky lace. nice.

smell: resiny, grapefruit rind, bready, caramel. strongly hopped.

taste: citrusy - grapefruit rind, sugar, pine resin, floral with herbal notes. This passes the self-proclaimed "NW IPA" test - good stuff

mouthfeel: lingering bitterness, smooth body

overall: good - look out San Diego, DC is coming... (sarcasm)

Serving type: can

08-26-2012 22:52:29 | More by dirtylou

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Review #1700. I never really thought about what to review, but given that this brewery has been open for a year, and that I've drunk with the owners, it's unpardonable that I haven't reviewed any of their beers. Can from Chevy Chase.

A mildly hazy amber with a dense, creamy off-white head with great retention and nice lacing, this looks pretty good! The nose is solid. Big pine and moderate grapefruit nose with a moderate minty note as well. The malt character is relatively light, with a little bit of caramel and a mild pale malt sweetness. Solid stuff.

The palate opens with a blend of moderate bitterness and mild sweetness. The hop character is rather juicy and "smooth". The malt character is a blend of biscuit, a touch of caramel and a little honey. Resiny on the finish with a moderate bitterness and light sweetness that brings to mind honeyed toast, this beer is medium-light in body and has a rather high level of carbonation that's quite creamy. While the bitterness does feel a little lighter than it could be, it is not to the beer's detriment as it makes this beer eminently drinkable. Highly recommended.

Serving type: can

06-22-2012 01:57:44 | More by DefenCorps

smakawhat

Maryland

3.9/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured out of the tap at Meridian Pint into a shaker pint, a few days after opening night debut.

A distinct cloudy orange appearance very much like Bell's Two Hearted (perhaps darker), with a nice off cream head and that is opaque. Some minimal lacing while drinking, not much.

Bouquet seems strangely small but noticeable, even a sense something wet is coming but not completely. A distinct citrus orange and very clean wet sense.

Taste though is almost an ambush from the nose. Spiced citrus bringing the orange nose, with a very full body in feel. Palate fills with orange juice like quality and hop bitterness, leaving an afterfinish without the expected wetness that seems to be expected from the smell. There is this great orange zest bitter with the hop presence that just feels wonderful on the finish, maybe even a hint of small caramel and light brown sugar on the swallow.

Overall it seems like an ordinary IPA is coming but it isn't. The beer also feels bigger than the low ABV indicates for this style and that makes it quite a suprise. Enjoyable IPA I would grab this anytime and drink with pride for DC.

Serving type: on-tap

05-23-2011 23:19:11 | More by smakawhat

FosterJM

California

3.63/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

1477th Review on BA
Can to Parra Tulip
12oz

No canning date

Thanks to my brother in law for this one

App- A darker glowing orange with a yellow tinge and a bit of wheat gold scattered throughout the beer. Had a nice 1-1/2" head with a semi decent amount of cling.

Smell- Smell is much better than the 1st two beers I had from DC. Had more rich citrus with a good hoppy backbone and a tinge of fuller malts on the nose. A bit thick with a little bit of white pepper and wheat.

Taste- The citrus is gone from the aroma and is a big thick beer. The beer drinks bigger than the listed 6.5%. Its a decent beer. So far the beers from DC have been decent but nothing earth shattering.

Mouth- Thicker medium body with a thick carbonation level. Strong malts with a citrus zest residual flavor. Quite a strong ABV residual flavor.

Drink- Again. So far the 3 that I have had have been meh. Noses are better than flavors. Glad I got the state ticks, but if I trade for DC. I think will be for OTWOA.

Serving type: can

08-30-2012 04:08:15 | More by FosterJM

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A thank you goes out to woodychandler for the hook up. Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has a cloudy dark brown color with a 1 inch head. Smell is of piney hops. Taste is piney hops, some malts, lots of bitterness. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a decent beer, but I have had much better IPA's.

Serving type: can

06-29-2012 23:00:04 | More by tone77

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a hazy deep golden orange in color with some hints of copper and amber with a very light hint of sediment in suspension. The beer has a two finger tall dense foamy light beige head that reduces very slowly to a very thick film covering the surface of the beer and a very thick ring at the edges of the glass. Significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate to strong aromas of citrus/grapefruit, pine, and tropical/pineapple hops with some very light hints of caramel malts.

T: Upfront this beer has a light amount of caramel malt sweetness that is quickly overtaken by the strong flavors of citrus/grapefruit, pine, and tropical/pineapple hops. Moderate to strong amounts of bitterness that lingers for a while.

M: Slightly heavier than medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation. Creamy

O: I really enjoyed the combination of hops in this beer and the slightly aggressive bitterness - I rang in the 2013 New Year while drinking this one and was quite pleased with my choice. Fairly easy to drink and the alcohol is well hidden - this is a beer for a true hop lover.

Serving type: can

01-02-2013 00:37:26 | More by dbrauneis

billab914

Virginia

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz can poured into my Ithaca glass. It poured amber orange in color with a thin, sticky white lacing already leaving it's mark all over the glass. Nice lacing as I drank it.

The aroma shows off the juicy Columbus hops pretty well. It's very resiny with notes of grapefruit, pine and a little bit of a tropical fruit component. Pretty decent malt backbone to it as well.

The taste also very hop forward. Again, it's very resiny with grapefruit and pine throughout. The finish has a bold, dry hoppiness that lingers nicely. It has just a hint of tropical fruit coming out in the hoppiness that I'm really liking.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with carbonation being moderate. Overall, it was a very nice beer. It had a bold, juicy, resiny, bitter hoppiness that I really liked. Very enjoyable beer overall and a very nice addition to the local beer scene.

Serving type: can

04-28-2012 22:06:29 | More by billab914

clayrock81

Virginia

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a cloudy gold w/ good head and lace retention on top of a textbook citric hop aroma and touches of sweet caramel malt. Very citric and soapy, I love the hop profile in this IPA as it is real hoppy but easy to drink and not overpowering and while it is crisp it finishes clean and slightly sweet thanks to caramel malt (that is not overpowered). Not the most complex IPA but it gets the job done and does it well.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2011 13:26:43 | More by clayrock81

rudzud

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Received two as extras in a trade. One given to JLindros, the other poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Poured a slight hazy orangy copper with a nice one finger creamy white head that faded to leave a nice thin blanket. and leave light lacing.

S - Aroma is pretty solid. nice piney hops and resin with some light malty sweetness.Balanced on the heavier side of hops.

T - Taste isnt bad. Nice bitter pine notes and some malty sweetness. Actually, this is balanced quite nicely. Alcohol not noticeable with a good lingering bitter finish.

M - Mouthfeel is lightly carbonated, which is good so it doesn't distract from the bitter finish and mouthfeel.

O - Overall, not a bad IPA at all. Was expecting much worse from these guys. Nice and easy drinking.

Serving type: can

10-31-2012 18:34:55 | More by rudzud