Descender IPA - GoodLife Brewing Company & Bier Hall

velosuds

Oregon

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

From a 22 oz. bomber from Franklin's Bottle Shop in Salem, OR. Paid $6.00. Recommendation of the proprietor was worth the extra cost over price in other locations. A very trustworthy recommendation.

A-Pours a gorgeous golden-orange color with a two+ finger, egg shell white head with exemplary retention and copious, sticky lacing. Beautiful appearance.

S-Floral and citrus hops are wonderfully fragrant with some resinous pine aroma. The aroma is very pronounced and pleasant. Centennial, Cascade are noted, but this is the first time I have knowingly had a beer brewed with Galaxy. Chinook (bittering mostly I suspect) and Warrior complete the hop bill. Very well done.

T-Very well balanced yet complex. Grapefruit and piney hops are seemingly subtle and aggressive at 70 IBUs but are blended beautifully by delicate malt sweetness from an interesting and varied grist. According to the website the grains are: NW Two Row, Bonlander Munich, Melanoidin, Crystal 60, Carafoam. First time I have seen Carafoam. As have other reviewers, I too note an intriguing creaminess that makes this PNW IPA stand about from the crowd. I know some brewers have been adding Victory malt to IPAs (odd in my opinion), but GoodLife has come very close to a home run with this. Cliche's notwithstanding.

M-A tad light and thin and perhaps under-carbonated, which is odd since the CO2 release upon cap removal was quite pronounced. Otherwise an exceptional beer.

O-Very drinkable, and reasonably priced. Seen offered in Salem for as low as $3.99.

This may be the best Oregon brewed IPA I have drunk. If others agree, this is quite an accomplishment for a young brewery. Very well done GoodLife.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 06:47:17 | More by velosuds

Dope

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a cloudy pale orange with a nice big effervescent white head adorning it. Fades slowly with excellent head retention (nice island floating around forever). Fluffy bits of lacing all over the place.

S: Wow, nice pungent and juicy hop aroma up front. Tropical fruit abound. I get some orange, tangerine, pineapple and grapefruit. Mild caramel malt helps sweeten it up a bit.

T: Again, strong west-coast style hops right in your face. I get a ton of resin along with the tropical fruits mentioned in the aroma. Maybe even some mild pine towards the middle once the caramel kicks in. Nice sweet caramel malt prevents this from becoming an over-the-top hop bomb. The caramel fades towards the finish, leaving lots of resin and some mild juicy tropical fruit. Long lasting lingering resin bitterness in the aftertaste.

M: Medium bodied, slick and oily. Lots of lingering hop oils for sure.

O: Stunning IPA from a brewery I've never even heard of. Nice variety and strength of hops. Not ridiculously bitter but it's still quite a nice punch. Borderline DIPA in my opinion. Absolutely wonderful IPA though, definitely seek it out if you have access to this one.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 05:43:09 | More by Dope

dirtylou

Washington

4.48/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bomber

appearance: served in a hilliards can-pint, clear dark copper body, thick white foam - solid retention

smell: tangerine, orange peel, fresh and clean

taste: fantastic ipa - really beautiful orange and tangerine zest flavors, a touch of pine, cracker malt, touch of mango. Lots of promise for GoodLife

mouthfeel: on point, moderate bitterness, great flavor profile

overall: solid solid stuff

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 02:34:59 | More by dirtylou

RJLarse

Washington

4.48/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I bought a bomber of Descender IPA in a grocery store. Poured in to a pint glass.

Pours a rich gold/amber color, slightly hazy, with thick creamy head. Also in the appearance category I'll note the bottle. Nice silk screened artwork on the bottle instead of a paper label.

Smell is a string and sweet lemon blossom and pine aroma. Very nice and strong on the nose.

Taste is a subdued citrus and sweet bread flavor up front, with a stronger fruit flavor through the middle, and then back to a bread and bitter pine flavor on the finish. Three very distinct flavors.

Mouthfeel is incredibly smooth, with a silky mildly carbonated texture, and a fairly clean finish, with a mildly bitter aftertaste.

Overall a very drinkable IPA. I know where to get more of this, and I will definitely get some more this summer.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 22:48:02 | More by RJLarse

Mages64

Washington

4.55/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Serving from bottle into 16oz tulip.
A: great straw color with hints of amber, amazing lacing, and little carbonation visible.
S: smells like a little simcoe and/or summit. onions, weed, grass, pine, and more weed.
T: nice sweet melon and citrus mixed with bitterness from the hops. fantastic hop profile.
M: smooth, sticky and full bodied. light carbonation
O: A stunning ipa worthy of the PNW. more please

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 01:57:57 | More by Mages64

CascadiaGrokker

Oregon

4.65/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bought a 22oz bottle in Salem, Oregon and poured into a tulip.

A- Dark orange/amber color. Kind of cloudy or hazy with a 1 inch off white head. Sufficient lacing and retention.

S- Citrus, pine, cotton candy, tropical fruit. Smells freaking delicious!

T- Fantastic hop flavors similar to the smell. Started off with the pine, moving to grapefruit/citrus, then onto tropical fruit flavors before finishing where it began with more sweet pine.

M- Not oily. Not dry. Smooth with a good amount of carbonation.

O- A very enjoyable Oregon style IPA. There are an assortment of flavors, all delicious.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 02:49:48 | More by CascadiaGrokker

NWer

Washington

4.66/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served at their initial release at the brewery.
Beautiful golden appearance.
Estimated at 80 - 85 IBU, this IPA Is every bit of that. Strong citrus and pine notes suggest this is borderline imperial IPA. A home run!
I grabbed a growler to go to savor the memory.
update 9/25/11 tapped into growler - second impression every bit as impressive as the first.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2011 03:42:56 | More by NWer

djbreezy

Washington

4.83/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at Belmont Station in PDX.

appearance - good transparency, orange, foamy head, nice lacing

smell - grapefruit and fresh resinous hops

taste - definitely hop forward, citrus and grapefruit, the malt is barely even there like it should be

mouthfeel - medium body, perfect carbonation, slightly dry finish

overall - excellent hop profile, exactly what i like in an ipa

Serving type: on-tap

12-25-2011 21:42:21 | More by djbreezy