Point The Way IPA - Golden Road Brewing

Perfero

California

2.1/5  rDev -42%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.75

* Poured from a can into a pint glass

* Golden color, slightly cloudy appearance with about a 1" head

* It had a generally pleasant smell but lacked the typical hop aroma of most West Coast IPAs. Somewhat bready on the nose.

* Very bland. Much more hop-forward most IPAs and the smell, with its lack of hop aroma, gave way to a beer that seemed noticeably devoid of hops. Honestly one of the weakest IPAs I've ever had.

* Relatively smooth, hard to enjoy when you're not enjoying the beer though.

Generally just not a great brew. I'm open to trying something else from these guys - especially since I like a good, canned beer - but I can't imagine ever purchasing this again.

Serving type: can

01-11-2013 22:56:56 | More by Perfero

noahfree

California

2.53/5  rDev -30.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Picked up a sixer at best damn beer shop in SD for $10. Never heard of the brewery but I liked the packaging, and bonus! 16oz tall boys. Poured a "sculpin like" hue, good so far. Nose, hmmmm I really get belgian yeast. I'm not a fan, tastes like a lighter hoppy Belgian. Man, I really wanted to like this but it's definitely not a west coast ipa. I agree with a previous reviewer; this Brew is so close, I love the idea a low abv ipa but this is not the answer. I'll look for more options from this brewery though.

Serving type: can

03-10-2012 06:12:19 | More by noahfree

zac16125

South Carolina

2.63/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Appearance is very nice, aroma has a nice hop profile, Mouthfeel is standard but I found the taste appalling. From the first sip it just did not sit well with me. A strange sweetness mixed with a bizarre astringent pretty gross flavor. I can't really be more specific cause I can't put my finger on the flavor. Not sure I've ever tasted something like that before, but I did not like it. I would certainly not recommend and will not try again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-02-2011 04:02:04 | More by zac16125

seanmoto

California

2.68/5  rDev -26%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Bought at a retailer. I was really looking forward to trying this beer. I've heard alot about this brewery.

Poured a nice color fairly golden-orangey. Decent aroma. The flavor is where it fell short. Being west coast I was hoping for the powerful citrus, piney experience. Instead I got an almost ham after taste. Weird!

I probably won't try this beer again, but I'm open to trying more styles from this brewery.

Serving type: can

12-28-2012 06:15:38 | More by seanmoto

kojevergas

California

2.7/5  rDev -25.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Served on-draught into a stange at a hotel bar. Expectations were low given their other draught offerings. The cost was something ridiculous even during happy hour; I think it might have been $6.00 or thereabouts. It was this or American macroshite.

Paired with spinach and artichoke dip.

A: Pours a one finger head which is quite thin, of beige colour, with bad thickness (i.e. it's thin), and average retention. Colour is a clear dull copper. Not at all vibrant. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: Bittering hops. Somewhat stale. Dryness; hints of fruit. Some pine. Seems imbalanced. A mild strength aroma.

T: Imbalanced, as predicted. Some indistinct fruit and bland hops (mainly bittering). The bitterness is covered only by clean malts and water, creating a weak empty body. Boring and bland. Uninspired. Quite simple. Built generically and badly. No layering or subtlety here, lads. No yeast or alcohol comes through.

Mf: Smooth and wet, with hints of coarseness. Watery and a bit thin. Adequately carbonated. Doesn't suit the flavours very well, but it doesn't outright run against them. The mouthfeel is certainly not tailored to the taste.

Dr: Drinkable but unremarkable and boring. There's nothing special here; move right along. I wouldn't get it again or recommend it - even to fans of the style. Quite underwhelming.

Wouldn't age well.

Might pair well with spicy food.

Drank just fine out of a stange.

High C-

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2012 22:31:14 | More by kojevergas

largadeer

California

3.05/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Fresh can from K&L.

Pours a slightly hazy copper. Two fingers of head rise and sustain pretty nicely.

Nose is heavy on caramel malts, orange flesh, grapefruit and bread. Surprisingly malty for the modest ABV, and a bit yeasty too, with a slight bubblegum note.

Palate offers more of the same. An even mix of caramel malt, breadiness, citrus (primarily orange), and offputting yeast flavors. Was this fermented with Belgian yeast? It's slightly phenolic and estery, and there's a distinct bubblegum flavor.

Overall this is pretty weak stuff, but not terrible in any particular way. Just a mediocre recipe.

Serving type: can

06-23-2012 00:46:10 | More by largadeer

brentk56

North Carolina

3.08/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours a clear goldenrod with a modest head that leaves a few splashes

Smell: Vaguely bready and vaguely hoppy; a rather grainy aroma

Taste: Bready, up front, with a bitter, grainy finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: Rather unusual for a West Coast IPA as there is no citrus or floral character; the hops add bitterness but little flavor

Thanks, Madirish76, for the opportunity

Serving type: can

07-30-2012 00:21:40 | More by brentk56

drabmuh

Maryland

3.18/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Not a good beer. Beer is amber and hazy with an off white head, looks OK.

Beer smells like citrus and malt syrup.

Beer is medium in body, super sweet, grainy on the back end, moderately hoppy, mild citrus in the midpalate, not a very good IPA. It is too malty, too sweet, not enough hops, no way to tell if this was an old can but I won't repeat it.

Serving type: can

04-20-2012 17:29:49 | More by drabmuh

Steasy66

Minnesota

3.35/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pint can into pint glass
A- Light straw, dense 3 finger white head.
S- Nice sweet citrus smell, very good.
T- Some malt, a bit of the citrus hops that were in the nose, some wierdness, sort of rye-like, almost wheaty?
M- Good carbonation, right consistency.
O- Pleasantly surprised, but still not a spectacular beer. Got this in a BIF and glad I tried it, but if I lived in SoCal I would have a hard time buying this will all the other options available.

Serving type: can

06-15-2012 07:11:38 | More by Steasy66

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.36/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Only decent beer I can find at LAX on 5.21.13

A - Served a hazy medium orange with a small cream colored head with good retention.

S - A touch of orange and a touch of pine. Pretty mild.

T - Light orange with some bready malts. Again pretty mild tasting.

D - Good carbonation with a light to medium body.

O - Mild, weak ipa. I guess it beats the Shock Top.

Serving type: on-tap

05-22-2013 00:58:47 | More by HuskyinPDX

Zorro

California

3.43/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Clear amber colored beer with near no head formation. This is decidedly IPA Orange.

Smell is very hoppy with a biscuit malt aroma. Citrus hop scent with some tobacco and wood. Good aroma but not super strong.

Starts out more savory that sweet at first with a salty aftertaste. Quite dry malt wise and the sensation of salt continues. The slight saltiness of a biscuit in your mouth not a saltine. Hops are grapefruit and pine, but more like Pale Ale strong not IPA Strong. Still it certainly is easy to drink and easy on the tongue.

Mouthfeel is decidedly light.

Overall an OK beer that meet their goal of creating a more session AIPA.

Still this does give up some flavor to be mild in flavor and alcohol levels. Pretty much a Light Beer AIPA.

Serving type: can

05-06-2012 01:41:42 | More by Zorro

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

16oz can poured into tulip - thanks to gcphilli

Pours a golden yellow with orange hues. Thick white head fades out quickly, leaving a collar of film and light, dotted lacing on the glass.

Slightly sweet, juicy hop bitterness in the nose with orange and grapefruit. Hints of tangerine and bready tones. Soft malts with barely any alcohol.

Dry, bitter hops up front with some citrus peel. Touches of tangerine and grapefruit with a hint of sweeter pineapple. Lighter breaded malt backbone with a touch of biscuit and grain. Finishes dry and bitter.

Lighter medium body, decent carbonation, sticky and dry on the tongue. This is a pretty tasty beer, especially since it's more on the "sessionable" side of IPAs. If it was available, I'd have it again.

Serving type: can

06-13-2012 01:48:53 | More by xnicknj

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.48/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had this at Blue Palms a few months back. Standard looking west coast ipa territory here, a lighter orange appearance without more than 1/2" of head to it. Aroma was fairly hoppy, nothing to blow you out of the water, but for a sessionable ipa like this is was decent enough.

The taste and body of the beer takes on kind of a heavier feel, although I have no idea where it comes from, because its not like the beer has a lot of malt, roasting, heft, alcohol, caramel etc. . . it just isn't as lively or light on the tongue as I thought it was going to be. You can momentarily get notes of pine and grapefruit from it, but its kind of sad the way you drink more and more of it, it just kind of fades away and leaves this neutral mouthfeel drag on the tongue. Not a bad beer, maybe it would be better with higher carbonation.

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2012 00:00:32 | More by Beerandraiderfan

Nugganooch

California

3.48/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Tallboy into a standard pint
*Notes taken on 06-15-12

A: Pours a perfectly clear golden amber color with a great big stack of bone white soapiness. Rocky peaks that display some awesome stay power and provide a nice cling all the way down.

S: Smells of dank weed and pine needle with some underlying sweetened pale malts. Pretty nice and floral IPA aroma. Quite hempy.

T: Tastes of earthy hemp as well. Real danky stuff. Slightly sweetened 2-Row with a dash of caramels lend to a sugary cracker base. Floral and woody with some evergreen notes. Moderate bitterness levels. No real alcohol noticeable. Sort of one note with not much by way of any fruity citrus character that others have reported. Perhaps this is an older can? Pretty tasty none the less with again that pronounced resinous hemp note.

M: Lighter body with a nice sticky-icky mouthfeel. A bit watered down but with a real dry lasting crisp finish.

D: A good sessionable IPA to crack some cans poolside. Not very diverse in flavors but still tasty and herbalicious.

Reminded me of lightened up version of Ska’s Modus Hoperandi. Would definitely have more of these.

Serving type: can

06-21-2012 13:36:12 | More by Nugganooch

HopHead84

California

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

1/22/2012

Can shared by Charles, thanks!

A: Transparent dark orange with a white head.

S: Bread and caramel with resinous pine and grapefruit. I get a lot of orange flesh.

T: The flavor exhibits balance between malt and hops. Bread, orange flesh, grapefruit, and a soft bitterness.

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

Overall: Seems like a Pale Ale to me and not really West Coast in style as is advertised on the can, but it's enjoyable nonetheless and props on the cans.

Serving type: can

01-23-2012 18:59:43 | More by HopHead84

Murrhey

Montana

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

Poured from a 16 oz can into a pint glass. Reviewed live.

A- Two finger cream colored head. Thick, with big bubbles, two minute long retention. Pale gold-orange color, superb clarity.

S- Pungent hops, some wheatiness as well. Light and floral hoppiness, but big smell.

T- Mild hops with a fruity, citrusy sweetness to it. Very drinkable, but not very developed.

M- Medium bodied and a dry finish.

O- This isn't great. But boy is this drinkable. I could drink this stuff all day. Not sure what I'm missing that everyone gave it a low score, but quite tasty.

Serving type: can

03-15-2012 06:59:51 | More by Murrhey

flexabull

California

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

Pours a bright and somewhat hazy gold color with a decent white head.

Aromas are of light citrus, slightly sweet malt grains, and some pine.

Taste is just like the nose. Light citrus, mostly grapefruit and lemon, some malty sweetness, and a crisp and dry finish.

Mouthfeel is crisp, with pretty good carbonation.

Overall a pretty good IPA. Kind of like an "IPA Light". Pretty good flavors, refreshing, and drinkable, but nothing overly special.

Serving type: can

07-27-2012 16:35:27 | More by flexabull

womencantsail

California

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

The beer is amber in color with an off-white head. Starts off with spicy, grassy, and citrus peel hops. There is some bread, very mild pineapple, and a bit of caramel. The flavor is a bit on the sweet side, but not overly so. Hop notes are grass, floral, and mild citrus, mostly citrus peel. Caramel and toffee malt flavors with just a hint of sweet fruit. Not the hugest fan of this.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2012 16:36:18 | More by womencantsail

CaptCleveland

Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

16oz can extra included in trade from jodan--thanks!
Bottom stamped "First run 1/12/2012".

Dark orange/amber elixir poured into DFH glass.
Nice full white head, plenty of bubbles, lacing throughout.

Piney hops, pepper, malt.

Front loaded hop bitterness, honey, malt.

Well carbonated, smooth throughout.

This is a nice brew, not my idea of an IPA, though. The Golden Road website calls it a "mild, low alcohol IPA". That about sums it up.

Serving type: can

01-28-2012 22:51:25 | More by CaptCleveland

FosterJM

California

3.53/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

1116th Review on BA
Can to HF Pint
16 oz Pint can

Canned 2/01/12

App- Rich and deep amber and bronze colored with a very quick receding 1/2 in head that fell to only a couple lines of cling and maybe a couple dots of cling.

Smell- A mix of hop oils, yeast, wheat and lemons. Very pecuilar like a IPA, Saison, APA all mixed together. Very smooth on the nose.

Taste- Paired hops bitter with a good backing malt flavor with a soft citrus and bit of celery seed flavors. Not offensive, just a bit soft and easy drinking.

Mouth- A soft medium body with a medium carbonation. A lot of residual bitter and hop oil.

Drink- A pretty good start to open a brewery with a soft but solid IPA offering. Slight bitter with some good hops and decent citrus.

Serving type: can

02-25-2012 04:01:50 | More by FosterJM

Rhettroactive

Virginia

3.55/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From 16oz tallboy to Bruges hybrid glass on 1/30/12
*From notes

-- Thanks, Samantha --

Dated: First Batch - 1/12/12

*It should be noted that unlike the tallboy of GR's Hefe I'd ticked moments prior, this can was filled with the proper amount of beer.

A: Clean 24k gold. A standard pour yields a two finger white head. Nice, thick gobs of lacing rim the walls of my glass.

S: Mildly hoppy. It's not extreme in any way, as there's a good amount of slightly off-dry breadiness to it. Minor hints of tropical fruit appear here and there.

T: I'd have told you this is an APA, not an American IPA. The malt, though properly balanced with the hop profile, is a bit to brash. It tends to overwhelm what should be (I assume) a lower ABV west coast IPA. Instead, the hops aren't overly "west coast", as I'm getting signifigantly more of a pine resin quality then tropical fruit.

M: Killer bod. Finding a session beer that's this rich in texture and weight is not something you often encounter. Well done.

O: Golden Road has "Pointed the Way" to an above average, sessionable APA. Yeah, yeah so they call it an AIPA. Sorry folks, but it ain't.

What it is though is damn drinkable, a session beer with body, character and flavor. I could see myself knocking back a sixer of this on a warm summer Sunday. Although there are better options out there, I wouldn't shy away from this one, and I certainly recommend checking it out.

Serving type: can

01-31-2012 21:30:01 | More by Rhettroactive

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.55/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to PretzelCity for this one, my first from the brewery, and maybe my first from L.A. Gotta love cans, esp tall boys!

Pours a fizzy 1 finger head that fades fairly quickly, hints of lacing, over mostly clear slight chill hazy orange golden color.

Nose has plenty of fruit hops, hint of pine and some resinous fresh wet hop aromas, light grapefruit and tangerine, bit of citrus, little mango, maybe even hint of passion fruit, fluffy hops, and the slightest hint of malts pushing the hops upwards.

Taste starts with light hops, somewhat resinous with more fresh hop flavors, juicy hops all around with nice fruity flavors, tropical fruits with hints of grapefruit and passion fruit again, bit of tangerine citrus, hint of orange peel but not much, and a slight pine. The malts just fall off the stage, barely any malts to be seen, or tasted, and the body falls with it it seems. The hops deliver a nice bitter punch, but with no sweetness or malty body to anchor it the hops just shoot off into space. And I do like the west coast style IPAs, but this just goes a bit to far with the lack of malts. Finish is dry, little oily hop resin, with a decent bitter kick, hints of pine and resinous hops with bit of tropical fruit all lingering for a while.

Mouth is flat, fairly light, decent carb though.

Overall not bad, it has a nice hop character but the malts are so non-existant the hops have no platform to lay on and make the beer fall a little flat. If the malts were a bit bigger, or maybe higher final gravity it would feel a bit better and balance a bit more.

Serving type: can

03-28-2012 22:04:48 | More by jlindros

dbossman

Nebraska

3.58/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Light golden and bubbly and clear with a 1.5 inch foamy white head; lacing is decent

S: This smells fresh: tropical fruits, floral aromatics; lots and lots of yummy pineapple, mango, and grapefruit; a slight burnt bready undertone

T: Not as hop forward as aromas indicated and though its rather refreshing the hops fade to a fairly thin and watery finish; some bready malty undertones but also fairly muted in general

F: Quite thin and a touch over-carbonated; this is probably the most disappointing aspect of this beer

O: A decent hop forward IPA and I do love those tropical and fruity IPAs but it's thin and doesn't quite finish like I would hope

Serving type: can

04-12-2012 20:20:20 | More by dbossman

mactrail

California

3.58/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Huge foam-up in the Stella glass. Like whipped cream, every pour. Nice flowery hop aroma. Light bodied.

A little bready flavor with some sweetness. Slightly resiny. Some earthy taste, but just enough to be interesting. Rather bitter as you sip, and seems to intensify at the finish. Not in hop overdose style, and more of a session beer. A touch of plastic, or maybe buckwheat in the aftertaste. Tastes almost like there is some rye in the brew.

I might like it better if it was just a little cleaner and crisper, but this seems to follow a mellower path. A worthy gulp, beery and drinkable enough. From the 16 oz can.

Serving type: can

09-11-2012 04:53:14 | More by mactrail

charlzm

California

3.6/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Consumed at the brewery January 15, 2012.

Beer pours a clear light golden/peach with a splotchy head that reminds me of a petri dish culture. Plenty of carbonation.

Aroma smells like a cat litter box. Simcoe hops? Also, herbal with grapefruit and pine.

Flavor has a sharp pine needle attack up front with thin moderate bitterness on finish, followed by a strangely pleasing grapefruit aftertaste. Slightly drying on the finish. Very little malt character.

Mouthfeel is unremarkable for the most part, though the beer feels a little more wet than water: sort of like apple juice.

Refreshing and light, but not in the same bracket as something like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Firestone's Pale 31.

Serving type: can

01-19-2012 17:33:00 | More by charlzm