West Sixth IPA - West Sixth Brewing Company

SerialHiker

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Pours an awesome caramel brownish orange…slightly hazy, not overly transparent…some just off white head formed and settled to a thin layer…(4/5)

Smell: Earthy/piney resinous aroma right off the bad…mild citrus – orange and tangerine – play a supporting role…very hops forward though there is a noticeable amount of sweet, earthy caramel/toffee malts balancing things out…it’s got a nice smell to it, though it is mild…faint grassy bitterness in the way background…(3.85/5)

Taste: Earthy, piney hops followed by earthy caramel malts, very much like the nose…very earthy, mildly robust and not overly bitter until the end…lemony bitterness does show in the third phase but it’s quickly drowned out by more earthy/piney resinous bitterness…it’s earthy without being too robust, though with every continued sip, it does build a bit on the back of my tongue…(4/5)

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body, light to medium carbonation…it does fluff up a bit bringing tangy piney resinous (and a dash of lemon peel and grass) bitterness to the palate…mildly chewy and slightly robust, it’s full flavored without feeling heavy…(3.75/5)

Overall: This is a solid IPA…it doesn’t venture into uncharted territory, but the flavor is good…I picked this up randomly while driving through Kentucky and it was a fine score…very drinkable, this beer won’t knock your socks off, but it will satisfy your taste buds…if you haven’t tried this brew yet, it’s definitely worth picking up…(3.75/5)

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 01:54:09 | More by SerialHiker

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.58/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle opened on 9.16.12.

A - Pours a cloudy, medium orange with a two inch fluffy light tan head with good retention.

S - Bitter oranges and grassy.

T - Dank oranges and leaves.

D - Good carbonation with a medium body and a silky finish.

O - Solid dark and dank IPA. Nice oranges and grass.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 06:30:56 | More by HuskyinPDX

AlexFields

Tennessee

3.09/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Pours a dark amber, very thick and sappy looking, lots of floaties, reminds me of Heady Topper. Only a thin head but it sticks around pretty well.

Nose opens with pine, moves into orange citrus and maybe grapefruit, hints of grassy hops too, only moderate bitterness in the aroma and there's a fair amount of malt character too.

Taste is fairly bitter but not a lot of aromatic hop character, tastes like an IPA someone forgot to dry hop (or maybe it's just a little old, no dating on the cans so I can't tell). A bit of pine character, some maltiness but it's not overbearing and not too sweet. Still enough bitterness and a tame enough malt character that it doesn't have that gross cardboard flavor of really faded IPA, but also doesn't taste super fresh. Pretty decent just not that interesting.

Mouthfeel is pretty thick, nice carbonation though so drinkabity is pretty good.

6.1/10

Serving type: can

04-29-2013 00:21:48 | More by AlexFields

patpbr

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The can ring holds the six cans firm and you need a little effort to release them. Nice white head that holds up , the color a deep copper to orange. Smell is citrus with a hint of earthiness. Taste is hoppy, up front with citrus and pine, my preferred IPA combination. Finish is bitter but not overbearing in this medium bodied brew. Solid American IPA along the lines of many out there now. I would buy this one again and will try some other West Sixth now.

Serving type: can

04-22-2013 23:18:05 | More by patpbr

agleas1

Ohio

4.66/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Just a fantastic beer! Just a great combo pine and citrus. If you are ever in Lexington, Kentucky, you have to check this place out. They are on a one brewery mission to gentrify an entire neighborhood with a very cool brewery at the center of it all! Lot's of incredible one off flavors on tap!

Serving type: can

04-22-2013 20:44:29 | More by agleas1

MichaelJosephB

Kentucky

4.06/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sweet and sticky, this strong, resinous APA stands out for its fruited hop flavors.

I picked up a sixer from the shelves of Party Source in Bellevue Kentucky and tossed it in the fridge when I got home. After it cooled, I poured it into an old school, pint sized Coca-Cola glass.

The color is a hazy copper/orange with a 3/4 inch, thick white head that slowly dissipates although keeping a thin layer atop throughout the drink. The nose is sweet and fruited, smelling strongly of mango and tangerine with undertones of piney sharpness, coriander and grains of paradise poking through. The nose follows through to the palate, where the balance between sweet light malts melds well with the fruity hop flavors and mild spices, covering the high AVB well. The beer feels substantial in the mouth and maintains medium carbonation.

Overall this is on par with ska's modus hoperandi and six point's resin, but definitely stands apart for its accentuation of the fruited hop flavors. I'm ecstatic to find something like this close to home. Consider me impressed.

Serving type: can

04-08-2013 01:27:06 | More by MichaelJosephB

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce can. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours a cloudy amber/orange color with about an inch and a half off-white head after a strong pour. Head retention and lacing are both pretty good. Aroma is nice, it smells like pine and citrusy (mango, light tropical fruit) hops, and some bready and caramel malt. It gets more and more citrusy the longer it warms. I think the taste is the same as the aroma, it's mostly citrusy and pine hops, along with some bready and caramel malt. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's smooth and easy to drink. It's a good IPA overall, I won't have any problems finishing this 6-pack. $9.99 a sixer.

Serving type: can

03-29-2013 23:55:47 | More by bluejacket74

Wildcatz69

Kentucky

4.63/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

While chilling at the brewery I decided to sample the IPA right off the bat from the tap. It really does not get any better.
The look is a bit darker orange than other similar beers.
The smell is straight up dank fruit and hop extravagance.
Taste is hoppy, hidden alcohol, and fruit essence.
Out in front the mouth feels tingly with carbonation that subsides after you have finished about 3/4 of the pint, and happy with the alcohol content.
Overall I may be a bit biased considering I live here in Lexington,KY. But I truly feel this is compRable to Bell's 2 hearted ale, similar look, taste, alcohol content, and possibly hops. Cannot wait to grab another growler!

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2013 04:52:43 | More by Wildcatz69

beer2day

North Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Cloudy orange pour with 1.5 finger of light tan head. Laces very well, with a heavy sheet down the backside of the glass. Nice lace rings on the front. Thin head retention.

Nose is biscuit malt balanced against mango and tropical hops. Light citrus under that. The fruit plays well with the biscuit.

Some mango sweetness creeps in at the finish, but otherwise there is just a bit of biscuit malt to balance against this. Fairly dry after the mango dissipates. ABV well hidden.

Feel is about right, but could tend to be a bit thicker against the biscuit presence.

Overall, a decent drinking IPA that I would get again.

Serving type: can

01-12-2013 01:04:42 | More by beer2day

JamesMN

Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Thanks to mabmab67 for the beer!

Appearance: Opaque orange, up there with the cloudiest IPAs I have seen. I'm hoping that's indicative of lots of hops. Thin but firm off-white head.

Aroma: Mostly citrusy hops with small flickers of mango and grapefruit. Definitely some malts in here as well, caramel among them.

Taste: Solid bitterness that I almost wasn't expecting. Hits you right away like a punch to the palate and continues on through the end. Lots of good orange citrus hop flavor and some pine. There is enough malt to help balance things out without too much to make itself known. Nice and robust at 7% ABV. Almost juicy at times and finishes dry.

Mouthfeel: Just above medium in body with smooth carbonation. Average drinkability.

Final Thoughts: Overall a good beer and great example of an American IPA. Lots of hop bitterness with just enough malt to give it some body. Would I drink it again? Sure.

Serving type: can

01-11-2013 01:01:38 | More by JamesMN

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4.05/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a can (no freshness date) into a Bell's tulip. A stunning pour. Beautiful clear orange-gold color with a massive, frothy, creamy head that has outstanding retention and lacing that literally coats the inside of the glass. Easily one of the best-looking IPAs I've had. The nose is nice and punchy. I get oranges, grapefruit, and a little bit of cedar.

The beer has a medium body, a nice firm, creamy feel, and lots of bitterness. There is a sharp, metallic, quinine-like bitterness with no excessive sweetness. Not balanced at all, but don't fret. The flavors include marmalade, grapefruit, lemon, and pineapple. The pineapple in particular seems to complement the intense bitterness quite well, giving the beer a gin-and-tonic-like character. The finish is nice and dry and lingers slightly. Very refreshing.

Off-balanced American IPAs are a dime a dozen. Yet somehow, this one works for me and I am proud that this beer is made in my home state. When fresh, it's a killer. Make sure you try at least one straight from the can.

Serving type: can

01-06-2013 23:12:41 | More by deadonhisfeet

zachary80

Indiana

4.13/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked this up tonight in its home city. No date visible on the six pack cans, but they look new FWIW.

Pours with a large white head which leaves very good lacing. Excellent retention. Transparent, slight haze, light golden-amber body.

Aroma is sweet up front, with tons of tropical fruits.

Flavor follows through - tons of the tropical fruitiness, with a an above average amount of sweetness that is perfectly balanced with the high bitterness.

Carbonation is good, mouthfeel is good, maybe a little heavier than average for the style; it's always hard to tell for me what makes this exceptional in an IPA.

This is an exceptional IPA that is a borderline DIPA. I might pick up another sixer on my way out of town. Really felt like I got lucky with this one.

Serving type: can

01-04-2013 01:52:11 | More by zachary80

Brent

Kentucky

3/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pour was a deep gold, tinged with amber. Moderate head. Hopping was appropriately up-front with a slight herbal character. Firm through the middle, fading toward the finish. Some crackery note in the malt. Hopping was adequate, but lacking in aromatic character - just there for the bittering. The abv at 7% was well integrated into the flavor, with no heat and just a touch of pepper.

Serving type: on-tap

11-26-2012 16:35:27 | More by Brent

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had this on 2012-11-10 in Lexington, KY at Willie's Locally Known.

A - Mildly hazy orange with a 1.5-finger off-white head and moderate lacing.

S - Dank, pine, orange. Significant and pleasant aroma; even in a bar-with-food environment.

T - Pale malt, orange/grapefruit, light pine, bit of grass. Nicely bitter on the finish with a touch of sweetness to give a bit of balance.

M - Medium body and carbonation. Resinous and moderately prickly.

O - I liked this quite a bit; enough to have 3 pints over 4 hours while watching some fine music with friends in this establishment. It's not a perfect brew, there's just a bit of harshness in the finish. Certainly good enough that I'd be glad to have it again.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2012 22:30:36 | More by Tucquan

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz can received via Growling at the Moon from Stonequarrywest. Thanks for the brew, Gabe!

Poured into an imperial pint with a 3/4" blonde head over the cloudy golden amber brew. Head pops away slowly, bubble by bubble, with leggy lasting lace. Aroma is sweet but plenty of citrus hops.

Taste begins sweet, then comes on slowly but surely to a citrus pine crescendo, then balances out to close, with a lingering bitter taste. Just about exactly what I want in an IPA. Mouthfeel is smooth, and drinkability is great as well. Helluva an extra.

Serving type: can

11-06-2012 00:12:32 | More by ppoitras

KYGunner

Kentucky

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

This poured a single finger creamy head that was stouter than most. The color was a yellowish/orangy but changed almost to a solid orange when I moved it from different light sources. The aroma is light and floral with the obvious piney tones. The taste is easy and light but has all the punch of a quality IPA. The beer is very easy to drink and quite satisfying. I appreciated the taste for the fact that I was not overwhelmed with the hops but more was able to savor the hops.

Serving type: on-tap

10-29-2012 22:39:20 | More by KYGunner

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A thanks goes out to woodychandler for this beer. Poured from a 12 oz. can. Has an orangeish/golden color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of citrus and hops. Taste is hoppy, bitter up front, a touch of citrus towards the finish. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a pretty good beer.

Serving type: can

10-26-2012 23:06:58 | More by tone77

Brad007

Vermont

3.98/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A friend gave me this to try and said that he thought it was good. Worth a try as I haven't had much from KY.

Pours a dark golden color with wisps of light peeking out here and there. A thin head compliments it.

A great mix of citrus and pine greets my nose. Buttery malt is there as well. I detect some balance as opposed to "hit you on the head" hoppiness.

The aroma carries over to the flavor with a lot more pine and buttery malt to savor. I swirl it around in my mouth, letting the flavor caress each taste bud.

Lingering pine and buttery malt once again dominate the finish. Carbonation is well-done and this would certainly be a good beer to drink straight from the can.

My friend quipped that this reminds him of Heady Topper. Not quite but it's one of the nicer IPAs I've had in a can in a while.

Serving type: can

10-24-2012 18:24:33 | More by Brad007

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.65/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz, can
DFH signature glass

A: Hop hazed orange color. Half finger of bright white head. Leaving some sticky lacing on glass. Nice carbonation.

S: Lots of citrus hops: mango, peach, orange marmalade, etc. Some malt backing is there.

T: Sharp pine and orange marmalade bite in the tip of the tongue. That sweetness blends into the mid palate. Really get that fruitiness. It's nice. Some sweet bready malts there too. Another dry finish.

M: Medium bodied. Good mouth coating.

Serving type: can

10-12-2012 17:16:07 | More by inlimbo77

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Wow, what timing! I CANnot, in all good CANcience, review a CANned beer without its picture already in place. I had a few beers on-deck and when I looked at their profile, they had no picture on file, so I got busy taking some pics for approval. My timing must have been spot-on as Bro. Jason approved all of them within a couple of hours of my uploads. Ask yourself this: Would you want to look at a pic of an open, spent CAN or one of a virginal, unCracked CAN? ...

I also want to thank bigbluebeerguy for sending a couple of these along in support of The CANQuest (TM) because without supporters, this madness would have been dead in the water long ago.

From the CAN: "Why a [CAN]? Better for the beer. Better for our planet. Better on the go."; "This ale is brewed by West Sixth Brewing in Lexington, Kentucky."; "Please recycle".

Wahoo! I love when a beer jumps out at me during the Crack phase of the operation! It makes me feel loved and wanted. I was feeling a bit daring this evening so I employed an inverted Glug and quickly had beer filling the glass. It resulted in two-plus fingers of dense, tawny head with excellent retention. Color was a lightly hazy orangish-amber. Nose smelled of fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice and once more, my hops monkey on my back began to screech and howl. Such is the blessing and curse of being a self-avowed hop head - I love hops but I am also addicted to them and I CANnot wait to get some hops-laden beer in my mouth on its way to my belly. Mouthfeel was medium and the flavor was quite citrusy on the tongue. Suddenly, I felt better and the monkey began to calm down. As I drank, sticky lacing began to appear on the inside of the glass, reminding me to rent a jackhammer soon to get rid of all of the remnants of my indulgences. Finish was semi-dry with just a hint of caramel malt softening the bitterness of the hops. I would love to get my hands on some more for Hula in the Coola Day (01 Feb, annually). Good stuff.

Serving type: can

09-27-2012 01:53:41 | More by woodychandler

GregZeppelin09

Kentucky

4.48/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Rich amber color, good head

Smell: very sweet, caramel notes, some hops as well

Taste: Also sweet, but much more hop taste than there is in the nose, smooth and easy to drink, especially for an IPA

Mouthfeel: Rich, and creamy, smooth, somewhat thick

Overall: A great beer, and from a local brewery no less. Easy to drink, and very fulfilling. I will definitely be grabbing another 6-pack the next time I'm in the mood for an IPA.

Serving type: can

09-15-2012 05:28:53 | More by GregZeppelin09

DCon

Missouri

4.2/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on-tap @ Mellow Mushroom in Lexington, KY for $4.50. Tapped from the Wooden Tap Handle w/ a 6 & Star on the top into a 16oz Pint Glass. One of the only locals on-tap here so had to go for it!

Aroma- Huge hops both citrus and fruity are the strongest part of this aroma. Distant sweetness and malt are included.

Appearance- Received wit h a 2 finger, creamy head that has great retention. Has a light-medium clear copper orange body. Leaves thick lacing behind. Perfect IPA appearance!

Flavor- Very fruity and hops galore. Can’t put my finger on them. Dry hopped and all. Medium Bitterness level.

Mouthfeel- Medium Bodied, Medium Carbonation, CREAMY, sweet fruits and citrus at finish.

Overall Impression- One of my favorite IPA’s I’ve had this summer (besides ones that I’ve had multiple times). Has an awesome creaminess and fruit character that kicks ass. Recommend if your in KY to try some of this!

Serving type: on-tap

08-18-2012 02:53:02 | More by DCon

GoodFoodsCoop

Kentucky

4.15/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours light amber with hints of lemon, grapefruit and other tropical notes. Frothy Head pours 2 to 3 fingers with excellent lacing. Mouth feel is crisp, clean and the taste is big, bold and Hoppy but not overpowering.

This is quickly becoming a new summer favorite and pairs well with Game, BBQ's, grilled fish and aromatic cheeses.

Serving type: can

08-13-2012 16:44:51 | More by GoodFoodsCoop

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

3.93/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap

This beer pours a hazy brown amber with an off white head. The smell is very sweet and has some traces of caramel hops and toffee. The beer is all about the hops though coming in at 80 IBU's I cant say the nose does it justice but the hops are definitely there. The taste reflects the smell, the beer is not as bitter as the IBU's led me to believe and neither is the hop character. It does however balance out rather well and manage to be a nice drinking IPA. The body is rather heavy but not overbearing, its pretty drinkable. Aftertaste is mostly just bitterness. Overall its a good entry from a brand new brewery.

Serving type: on-tap

06-28-2012 17:58:21 | More by TwelveOunces

haddon

Kentucky

4.2/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours a hazy caramel hue that produces a healthy 3-finger head.

smells of Floral notes that are a bit overpowered by sweet malts... caramel & light molasses

taste is much like the nose: floral, orange, sweet malts with a nice bitter hop note that lingers on the end.

medium to full body that is quite thick for an ipa.

I live in Lexington where this is brewed, so I almost always get a fresh sixer when I pick this up. when you open the can, the beer just releases out of the opening as if it's begging to be drank. Gotta love fresh IPA! I keep a few cans of this in my fridge at all times. Btw, my wife loves it too... huge plus (or is it? she drinks as much of these as I do)!

Serving type: can

06-27-2012 02:34:21 | More by haddon