Misty Mountain IPA - Back East Brewing Company

Durge

Connecticut

4.23/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A second introductory beer from this new Connecticut brewer, found at Southington Wine & Spirits in Southington, CT, this IPA is a dark orange copper color with a magnanimous near oatmeal colored head and healthy lacing. The aroma is a unique skunk cabbage malt with leafy hop and an almost chocolatey edge. Firm and nice. The flavor is again unique and oh so good. Lots more skunk cabbage malt and leafy hops that send a bitter streak to the back of your throat. The combination brings an almost minty, root-like flavor that presents in a fairly bready, grain way. It’s a medium body brew with a very fine but effective carbonation that makes for a mellow, smooth feel with a little bit of crispness. Delicious and very sessionable in my book.

Serving type: growler

09-14-2012 18:04:31 | More by Durge

davey101

Connecticut

4.18/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pour from a 64 oz growler. Freshness unknown.

A - Pours a nice clear dark amber body. A two finger high head forms with tight bubbling. Settles down to very thin cap with a moderate amount of lacing and retention.

S - Piney hops. A whole lot of them. A touch of caramel and bready malt round the beer out as well as a light alcohol presence.

T - Very clean and simple. Pine forward with almost no citrus or fruit. The caramel malts provide a nice bready warmth and sweetness. The finish is super bitter. I'm curious to know the IBU's as this comes off more like a DIPA. Mouth feel is light to medium with nice carbonation and a clean slightly dry finish that really lets the bitterness do its thing.

O - I was surprised how good this was. Maybe its because its a somewhat fresh growler, but this is damn tasty. This may be my go to pine bomb when I want a break from the citrus heavy IPA's of the world. This brewery has great promise!

Serving type: growler

08-23-2012 01:42:36 | More by davey101

sulldaddy

Connecticut

4.13/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pouring from a cold growler into a snifter. SPlit the growler with my two brothers and fish113d.
the beer pours a clear amber color with some fluffy beige colored head of about .5 cm that fades to a surface layer quickly after pour.
The aroma is light caramel and toffee mixed with some grass,citrus rind and spicy hop profile. Not a huge nose but it is enjoyable and appropriate for an IPA. Dont expect double IPA nose from this beer.
The first sip reveals an average body with fine gentle carbonation. Texture is smooth and crisp. Overall physical properties are nice.
The flavor is similar to the nose with some caramel that rolls to earthy spicy hops that finishes a bit dry. No hints of any booze and the dry finish entices the next swallow of beer.
The beer is very drinkable and we polish off the growler with no problems. Everyone was happy with this solid IPA offering from a new brewery in CT!

Serving type: growler

12-23-2012 23:12:12 | More by sulldaddy

Zbyler

Connecticut

4.11/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

out of a bottle given to me by a distributor/salesman

A- Nice dark golden color. A bit cloudy in the glass with some nice bubbles sprinting towards the off white finger of head on the top.

S- Sweet malts take over the smell, a slight hop hop aroma but not as much as I was expecting.

T- Big delicious piney/ citrus hops up front. A bit of tart grapefruit and other citrus notes. Gives way to a sweet malt backbone and a deliciously sweet finish. Every sip makes you want another.

M- Nice mouth feel, subtle carbonation. A bit heavy on the tongue.

O- Overall I was very surprised with this beer. Had this one after previously having their Imperial IPA. Great hop flavor with a nice palette cleansing sweet finish to it. A very good beer overall in my opinion. The 7% ABV is not noticeable until after you have had a few.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 19:45:50 | More by Zbyler

strengthdoc

Connecticut

4.03/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a growler purchased from Liquor Depot in Simsbury, CT into an imperial pint glass. Nice thick foamy head with a good amount of lacing and a deep copper color. There was a nice crisp floral hop aroma and the mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with a mild buttery feel on the lips. The taste is a moderately strong floral hoppiness from start to finish with a nice pine aftertaste. This is a very good IPA, I really enjoyed the consistency, but it could use a little more body.

Serving type: growler

08-18-2012 01:14:03 | More by strengthdoc

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

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

Poured from a growler into a tumbler pint, the beer is a bright, vibrant, crisp, copper coloringw ith a thin, filmy, clingy, frothy, off-white head of about a quarter of an inch. Decent head retention as you drink. Aromas of roast toffee and biscuit in the backbone, with a mossy, peppery, cedar hops presence that smells both wet and rich. Flavors are hop forward, with a strong, green presence up front, heavy in cut grass, earth, and cedar pitch, followed immediately by a blast of resiny, bitter, and floral hops characteristics that balance with a tart blast of grapefruit. The malt profile is anchoring the brew, giving enough of a roasty, toasty, and slightly sweet backbone to keep your palate from being completely overhauled by the hops presence. This is a tasty, bold, big beer. All of the flavors build on the tongue as you drink, but at least the body is light and smooth enough to keep plowing through. Very green and bitter aftertaste, with only a hint of the citrus remaining. It's starting to feel like a foresty marsh of hops vines in my mouth, and that's not a bad thing. Very smooth, clean finish that clears quietly amidst the hops chaos the beer has left behind it. Very powerful, hop-heavy brew, with a dash of the citrus tart lingering behind...I really like it.

Serving type: growler

12-30-2012 02:48:06 | More by GarthDanielson

Gambrinus1184

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on-tap in a fluted pilsener glass at Republic in Bloomfield, Conn.

A: Poured a dark, copper-amber color with a two-finger head of dense, white carbonation bubbles. Clarity is good and carbonation consistent throughout, leaving a bit of lacing.

S: Dry, spicy and mild herbal hop aroma rises with baked bread and hints of fruity malts. Flecks of mint kick up with the milled grain and musty, floral esters.

T: Well-balanced approach to this IPA; a bready, medium-bodied caramel malt flavor up front with hints of sweet, smoky roast intertwine with herbal, bitter hops that don't raise too much acidity on the palate. Mild bready, fruity and chocolate flavors mesh seamlessly with faint, herbal bitterness before washing back with a hint of dry, musty bittersweet spiciness.

M: Medium bodied with good carbonation and a smooth malt mouthfeel to back up the very mild hop bitterness.

O: A nice, middle-of-the-road IPA with lots of upside given the study malt backbone to support pleasing, herbal and slightly grassy hop bitterness. Reminds me of the NEBCo Sea Hag of old, to a degree. It's not the best American IPA that's likely to be on tap, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to the amber ale fan looking for a boost in bitterness.

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2012 02:23:32 | More by Gambrinus1184

DanE

Connecticut

3.68/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Purchased a growler from Cork and Wine in Glastonbury and poured into a tulip. I was told this was less than a month old. Me taking it out of the cooler grabbed a lot of attention, the owner of the package store raved about it there recent tasting and another patron chimed in as well.

A: Deep amber, much like a Deviant Dales or Centennial IPA. It is definitely filtered. 1 1/2 finger white head, great carbonation.

S: Piney, bready, and a hint of caramel and floral. It smells very similar to SN Torpedo.

T: Very similar to the smell. Piney and slightly sweet. Again, much like SN Torpedo, however more bitter than SN Torpedo. The bitter profile is throughout and provides an excellent balance. As it warms the after taste is very complex.

M: Excellent. The carbonation is hitting the spot.

Overall: Support locals! I personally like more citrasy IPAs, but this is very tasty. I would recommend it to me fellow Connecticut residents.

Serving type: growler

08-21-2012 23:30:51 | More by DanE