Fire Eagle IPA - Austin Beerworks

amphion1065

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. can poured into a CBC pint glass. Much thanks to htomsirveaux for fostering my nascent ticking habit. Reviewed from notes.

As single IPAs go, this is definitely on the darker side. Deep auburn like an amber ale, with very attractive clarity. A quarter-finger white head recedes rather quickly, but the lacing is pretty.

I'll fess up: in my notes on this beer, I used the word "dank" to describe the aroma. An absolute hop bomb, I really wasn't expecting this. Tons of resiny, piney hops in the mix, clean and fresh. The smell is both grassy and citrusy sweet. There is some malt in the mix, but it takes a backseat here.

As expected, this is one hop-forward IPA. Almost brutally bitter, to the point that the hop bitterness overwhelms some of the underlying grapefruit and other citrus flavors. The lasting bitterness in this beer is pretty similar to that of very fresh Stone Ruination.

The feel is great: crisp, full-bodied and very easy to drink. The carbonation is spot-on in this beer.

A total surprise for me, and one that I'm still thinking about a day later. I generally prefer more citrus fruit sweetness in IPAs, but I can respect extreme hop bitterness when it's done well. I'll be trading for more beers from Austin Beerworks soon.

Serving type: can

10-24-2011 01:33:03 | More by amphion1065

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.25/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz can pours a fairly clear, dark gold color with a bubbly white head. Nice lacing.

Nose is juicy, resinous, tropical and piney hops. Caramel maltiness is there, doing a bit of backseat driving along with a whiff or two of nutty yeast.

Earthy malt and nuttiness adds a unique perspective on the IPA style. The hops are not as bright and juicy as the nose would indicate, but the resiny bitterness is still there aplenty. Something about the malts does not jive with me...too earthy, peat-like almost. The love-child of a menage-a-trois between an East Coast IPA, heavy rye beer and an English bitter. Im a little disappointed in this after having the most excellent Pearl Snap Pilsner, but I can see this having appeal to plenty of folks...just not me. I prefer a much cleaner, citrusy/tropical hop-flavor heavy brew in my IPAs.

Serving type: can

10-16-2011 23:15:22 | More by twiggamortis420

TJBurgess

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

#36
Served into a Southern Star tulip.

A: 2 fingers of off white head, reddish-orange and yellow with some transparency. 4.0

S: Ohh. Nice hoppy and pine smell with a little malty undertones. Citrus / orange / lemon seem muddled, but there. 4.0

T: Ouch. Hoped for more. Malty out the gate, hops are bitter and not citrus-y as the smell would lead you to believe. 3.0

M: Creamier than anticipated with average carbonation, but the creaminess is what is contributing to the domination of the malts (or maybe vice versa?). 3.0

O: Had such potential from the initial pour, but just doesn't come close to others in the same class. Average. 3.0

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 14:14:37 | More by TJBurgess

Urbancaver

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks jenray!!

Can opens with a killer aroma of hops! My original bias against Texas beers begins to sway

Pours a reddish orange. Fairly clear. Nice white frothy head. Pretty :)

Aroma dies back from the opening but nice malt sweetness with some piney hops overtop. Not too shabby!

Tastes a bit disappointing. The hops are mostly just bitter and the malt backbone overpowers. A bit underwhelming but certainly not bad

Well carbonated and good mouthfeel. Overall a decent ipa but nothing to write home about

Serving type: can

10-11-2011 23:38:31 | More by Urbancaver

StoneBrewFanatic

Virginia

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours light gold in color into my snifter with just about a finger of head, moderate retention and light lacing.

S - Citrus and hops with a nice malt backing, grapefruit and other tropical fruits, light toasted grains and mild peppery notes.

T - Grassy hops, lemon, orange, and grapefruit are all present, has a evident spicy quality to it and a nice malt balance.

M - Medium body and carbonation, overall very well balanced.

O - Really solid IPA from Austin Beerworks that is very enjoyable and definitely worth trying.

Serving type: can

09-30-2011 02:51:39 | More by StoneBrewFanatic

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a review based on two tasting of the beer, once from a growler and once from a can.

The beer pours a light orange color with a white head. The aroma is fairly hoppy. I get a lot of floral hops as well as some juicy orange citrus notes and some biscuit malt.

The flavor is full of juicy orange notes. I also get some grass from the hops and a little bit of biscuit malt. However, the malt does very little to balance the beer, which has about a medium level of bitterness.

Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: can

09-25-2011 18:13:40 | More by Mora2000

LittleDon

Texas

3.23/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A pint at Red's Porch on 9/20/11

Clear, yellow with a short lived head and no lace. Very muted aroma of fruit. East coast IPA style flavor. Earthy hops and some grain. Medium body and carbonation. Good but not great IPA. An admirable product from a fledgling brewery in a town not know for its beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-21-2011 00:46:51 | More by LittleDon

seeswo

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a yellow-orangey color with a nice whitish head. The nose is grassy and lemon hops with just a touch of balancing malt. Smells fresh, bitter and decent. Taste is grassy and faintly peppery and lemony hops, a bit of malt and grain balance. There's an indication of some slight tropical flavor, but nothing that pops like some recent competitors. Mouthfeel is fairly dry and not too heavy. Good carbonation. Definitely smooth and not too bitter. Overall, I though this beer was a really nice option as a can beer to take to the beach if I could get it fresh and easily. Nothing special, but B's can be good beers.

Serving type: can

09-18-2011 18:44:29 | More by seeswo

champ103

Texas

4.3/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a clear golden/orange color. A two finger well formed white head rises with excellent retention. Light lace is left behind.
S: Just a great hoppy aroma. First, I get fresh cut grass and white pepper. Lemons, and orange peal. Other tropical fruits like pineapple. Light toasted grains balances everything out perfectly towards the end.
T: Follows the nose with grassy hops at first. A spicy/peppery flavor. Lots of fruit flavors come out next. Lemon, orange, pineapple. A bit more bitterness lingers than in the nose. Not a complaint because it is still balanced nicely with toasted grains.
M/D: A medium body and great carbonation. So crisp, clean, dry, and refreshing. So easy to drink. All day with this.

Another hit from Austin Beerworks. Everything they make has the great crisp bite to it that makes it so enjoyable to drink. I am not a hop head at all, but this is a great IPA.

Serving type: can

09-09-2011 18:53:41 | More by champ103

jbphoto88

Texas

4.08/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A dusty orange brew that is mostly clear with a sponge like cream colored head. A solid looking beer that has a light haze to it but pours really well.

The nose is solid citrus. A nice blend of grapefruit and tropical flavored gum. A scoop full of grains round out the nose profile which is fantastic for an IPA.

Nice. This is a great IPA and even better, it's in easy transportable, pool ready cans. The taste like the nose is full of hoppy citrus, warm grains and tropical fruit. All very balanced, strong and palatable.

The mouthfeel is equally as good with a simple bitterness that could be a little more prickly. The body is smooth with a lighter then expected carbonation. Combined together all of these attributes make for one easy drinking awesome brew. Well done Austin Beerworks!

Serving type: can

09-08-2011 23:19:10 | More by jbphoto88

zander4dawin

Texas

2.9/5  rDev -25.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Appearance - A light golden color with a head that explodes out of the cans. Really good clarity, no haze at all.

Smell - Smells pleasant with grapefruit undertones and some floral sweetness. Not a very strong smell.

Taste - It tastes hoppy without being too bitter. The malt body is too light but on the same token the hops did not get to shine enough. More of a light-bodied pale ale taste. Just comes off as not very exciting. Floral and grapefruit tastes take center stage.

Mouthfeel - A lot of carbonation leaves when the beer is poured, leaving the beer itself too watery.

Serving type: can

09-02-2011 13:45:37 | More by zander4dawin

womencantsail

California

3.8/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Can shared by Bobby.

A: The beer pours a slightly hazed orange color with a finger of soapy white head.

S: Citrus hops to start with a mild floral aroma. Quite a bit of grapefruit to it and it's very perfumey. There is a little bit of malt sweetness underneath, mostly bready in character.

T: The grapefruit flavor really stands out, as do the floral and piney hop flavors. Lots of bitterness all the way through, but still a pretty nice hop flavor profile. A little bit of bread and malt to it.

M: Medium bodied with a medium carbonation.

O: Pretty good IPA, especially considering some of the other Texan IPAs I've had.

Serving type: can

08-28-2011 16:39:18 | More by womencantsail

jefe2

Texas

3.6/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Austin Beerworks Fire Eagle IPA
6.2%
taster, on tap at whip in, 8/4/2011

a - pale amber orange, with descent off white head
s - cascade hoppy, with some sweet fruit malts
t - solid west coast hoppy IPA, has some good estery and light malt sweetness. There is a good amount of floral citrus aroma hops, and a pronounced bitter hop finish
m - medium light body, nicely carbonated
d - quite drinkable, a well balanced west coast hoppy IPA, though there is a sharp hop bitterness in the end that may build up over quaffs.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2011 16:00:42 | More by jefe2

2xHops

Texas

3.55/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This was a decent IPA i tasted at Flying Saucer here in Austin.

The appearance had a copper hue to it and it was not murky at all. The head was not not that thick.

I thought the beer was a bit ordinary for something I usually love to drink. It just seem to be a straightforward, textbook IPA, and that is not necessarily bad. I simply think there are tons of other IPAs that have more lively character to them. The hops, at least for me, did come up but without fanfare on my tastebuds!

Overall, it is a decent and solid beer, but with the glut of competition out there, I think it is safe to say that many of you will easily find better IPAs. It is good to see more local beer around here, and I will be watching closely to see if Austin Beerworks will be releasing beers in different styles.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2011 15:46:56 | More by 2xHops

DarthKostrizer

California

3.38/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to wagenvolks for this one

Look: Murky orange in color with a 1/4 inch white head and no retention

Smell: Floral hops, floral hops, and more floral hops that is followed up with a bit or orange zest and lemon

Taste: Earthy and soil notes more than likey from the hops used and it has a bit of funk to it. Not much else honestly

Mouthfeel: Light body and high carbonation and a bit dry

Overall: Not that great not that bad just kind of blah

Serving type: can

08-06-2011 22:13:09 | More by DarthKostrizer

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had some vociferous hatas recently with regard to The CANQuest (TM) and stupidly, I sank to their bait and ended up disheartened with my post locked. It is a trade like the one that brought me this beer, though, that makes it seem worthwhile. JenRay is a fellow hophead who was recently gifted several of these and thought of me as a potential trade source for an IPA that she had not previously tried. All I CAN say is, it pays to advertise!

From the CAN: "We're an owner-operated Texas brewery hell-bent on excellence. We make bold and clean ales and lagers and put them in cans so they''ll get cold quicker and stay good longer. We brew for two reasons: to make consistently exceptional craft beer and to build community in the town we love."

The Crack & Glug went as planned and I soon had two fingers of dense tawny head with great retention in the creeping humidity. Color was an oh-so-slightly hazy orangish-amber. I use a pour that is designed to really release the beer's aroma and the room quickly smelled like I had sprayed hops air freshener! The nose was redolent with hops, mostly pine but also some grapefruit/citrus. My mouth began to water. Mouthfeel was medium-to-full and the grapefruit flavor came on like gangbusters, followed by pine and a biscuit maltiness. This was the kind of thing that got me hooked on hops in the first place and it is always welcome to try some out of a CAN. Finish was literally breathtaking, super dry and hoppy.

JenRay seemed to think that this was from a test batch of CANs, so once they are in full production, I recommend trying some for yourself. Since they are based in Austin, maybe for your next Longhorns tailgate party ... In the meantime, I remain a proud honorary TexCAN!

Serving type: can

07-25-2011 22:23:42 | More by woodychandler

fivehoursfree

Texas

3.88/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Looked like beer. I don't drink beer with my eyes.

S: Not a huge in your face hop aroma, but enough to let you know it is serious about being an IPA

T:Very smooth and drinkable taste. Hop flavor and bitterness weren't over the top. Warms up nicely

M: Again, smooth and drinkable. Maybe a little too drinkable if you know what I mean. I liked the fact that the sweetness and bitterness didn't stick in my mouth. I guess that's the "clean" they are going for.

O: The best IPA you can get in a can right now. A good IPA to let non-IPA drinkers get a taste. It's above average for sure, but not necessarily a home run.

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2011 17:53:09 | More by fivehoursfree

wagenvolks

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Retro-looking can into a Jester King snifter.

Nice appearance, with a bright, brassy-gold body that shows good clarity. The spittle-colored head doesn't show the best retention, but leaves some sticky lace on the glass. Not surprised by the hoppy aroma, which hints at fresh-cut grass, orange zest, and pine sap. Pale malts add a hint of doughy bread.

Very juicy, very hop flavor-forward IPA. Malts lay down a solid backing of bread crust and graininess while the hops steal the show, dripping with tropical fruit and pine. Masked bitterness and a touch of mineral water in the finish. Mouthfeel is crisp and nicely carbonated with a medium-light body. All in all, an very drinkable brew from an up-and-coming Austin brewery. Glad to have ABW on the scene!

Serving type: can

07-12-2011 01:55:40 | More by wagenvolks

GrayHam

Texas

4.53/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap, next to two other IPAs. This was my clear winner.

A: Brilliantly clear light copper color. Light head with medium
lacing.

S: Fantastic citrus/floral aroma with and a faintly sweet maltiness.

T: Bitterness perfectly balanced by the malt, followed by pure hop
flavor and a clean, dry finish.

M: Nicely carbonated, full-bodied but a dry finish. Perfect.

O: My only complaint is I'd like to see a fluffier head with better
lacing. That's a minor gripe though. My new favorite local IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

07-06-2011 23:20:10 | More by GrayHam

djjohnnyd

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I am excited to have another Texas IPA that we can get on the shelves. With the FireEagle, I'd say this is the best packaged Texas IPA on the market now.

Appearance - dark copper

Smell - Opening the can and pouring release a huge burst of citrus hop.

Taste - lots of hop complexity. You can tell this was brewed with 4 hops. Even with all the hops though, it finishes clean and dry making it easy to have a few of these.

Great job from a new brewery. Keep it coming.

Serving type: can

07-06-2011 15:32:22 | More by djjohnnyd

Dajtai007

Texas

4.47/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Drank it directly from the can! I love how some of the Texas Micros are going this route.

Great deep golden with crisp clarity. Good amount of head retention but not overly thick.

Smell of bright hops. Almost like they just dry hopped it. Good balance of biscuit and citrus/floral hops.

Clean drinking IPA. Smooth and not overly thick on the palate. Bold hop presence with out a long bittering tail on the taste buds. I can drink this all day.

This is a great offering from a young Texas brewery. A very tasty IPA with a long standing drinkability. Can't wait to try out their other offerings. Great job guys!

Serving type: can

06-28-2011 07:04:49 | More by Dajtai007

northaustin

Texas

4.1/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

also received mine at the draught house. a clear yellow/light orange with a finger of even white head. the head disappeared quickly but left some nice stringy lacing.

smell: all hops, floral at first, then lemony and citrusy and sorta dry.

taste: interesting small caramel flavor for a split second, followed by a blast of hops which is somewhat tart at first, but quickly becomes very piney and lemony.

mouthfeel: smooth and oily. superb for an ipa

overall: cant wait to see more of this beer around town.

Serving type: on-tap

05-25-2011 16:14:34 | More by northaustin

UTCengOwl

Texas

4.15/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap tonight at the Draught House. It was served in a shaker pint glass and paired with a hard sheep's milk cheese. I would have tried to review this at their unveiling earlier in the week, but the line was out the door. I guess they're too popular for their own good!

The beer is golden with distinct orange hues. It has a white head that has good retention and leaves some lacing... but the bubbles are a bit too large for my tastes. If it had a slightly denser head, I'd give it a 4.5. Still a good looking beer.

The nose is mostly hops. As soon as I sniff the thing, memories of Racer 5 come rushing back to me. Pine and slightly sticky grapefruit pith. I think this might just be a subdued Racer 5...

The taste is also right along the Racer 5 lines, but less sticky. Pine and pithy grapefruit. I'll go ahead and guess that this is mostly a C-hop blend. I might prefer a bit brighter fruit flavor in my IPA (I'm a sucker for Amarillo hops), but I can see what they're aiming for with this blend and it hits the target quite well. The beer is distinctly dry. I can almost feel the water being sucked out of my mouth. This combined with the pleasant carbonation makes for a very solid IPA mouthfeel. The beer ends with a bitterness that's distinctly IPA, but it's clean and not overpowering.

This was one heck of a refreshing debut for ABW. If I wasn't coming back in to work after grabbing this beer, I would have definitely had to sample their other offerings. I'm excited to see this around Austin in cans. I'd definitely pick up a six pack of this over another canned IPA like Modus Hoperandi.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2011 02:47:16 | More by UTCengOwl