Nelson - Alpine Beer Company

DeanMoriarty

California

4.88/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a growler of this at Alpine Brewery in Alpine, CA. and poured it into a pint glass.

A: Classic West Coast IPA appearance - clean and golden with a solid head that lasts, leaving lacing in my glass from start to finish.

S: Big Nelson hop smell that is strong and unique - sweet and floral, very herbal and earthy with hints of carmel and vanilla.

T: Big time hop up front - pink grapefruit, resinous pine, fresh cut grass, herbal, earthy with a sweet malt finish that balances the overall flavor perfectly.

M: Good bitter bight up front, milky viscosity with a mellow carbonation that lends to the overall creaminess perfetly. Extremely smooth and damn near perfect.

D: Too easy - we split 3 growlers between four of us and finished them all, wishing we had just one more to cap our night.

I'm born and raised in San Diego and grew up drinking IPA's - this is hands down my favorite IPA from the area. There'a a few others that give it a run for its money, but Nelson is consistently victorious (even in the bottle).

Serving type: growler

05-10-2010 06:12:43 | More by DeanMoriarty

HipHop5

California

4.88/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A creamy one finger and half head that dissipate fairly quickly.

Golden topaz tones and a medium to full body here. Thin and stringy lacing on a tulip glass.

Absolutely amazing peach,grapefruit and mandarin aromas/taste.

Medium to full body. Very sweet with few hop bitterness up front. Maybe a little in after taste as it warms up in glass and warms up your head. After all it's a well disguised 7% ABV. Extremely balanced and winey Nelson Hop back bone. The floral hops are stronger in the back.

Silky and smooth in the mouth as the fragrance is consistent through out the session. A mysterious potency of aromas and perfect consistency make this beer probably one of the most unique and drinkable IPA I ever tasted.

I literally could drink 2 or 4 of the 22 oz bottles I have in my fridge.

A master piece of warmth and refreshing all combined.

Enjoy it with no moderation.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2011 03:26:48 | More by HipHop5

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4.88/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Huge thanks to thome50 for including this in our trade - this is one of my all-time favorites, but I've never actually reviewed it.

A: Pours a slightly hazy light golden color with a thin white head.

S: The aroma of this beer never ceases to blow me away. It's an incredible, big dank fresh hop smell with some citrus notes in there as well. It truly makes my mouth water smelling this beer.

T: To me, this beer pretty much typifies what I think of when I hear the words "west coast IPA." It's got a huge citrus hop flavor, light on the malt, a little bit sweet and bitter in the finish. The rye flavor is present, but definitely subdued, I feel like it plays more of a role in the mouthfeel than the flavor itself. All in all, the flavor is flat-out amazing.

M: Perhaps the only part of this beer that isn't incredible, the beer feels a little bit thin, but it doesn't really hinder the drinking experience too much. It's got a very dry finish as well, probably due to the rye.

O: It honestly doesn't get much better than this for an IPA, and I wish I lived in San Diego so I could have this on a regular basis. Instead I'll have to be satisfied with enjoying it when I can. This beer is awesome.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2011 00:30:28 | More by starrdogg

Humulus85

Minnesota

4.88/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to tjkinate for this one, I always love me a Rye IPA, and I always love me some Alpine. Served from a 22oz bomber into my Darkness snifter.

Pours a slightly hazy honey gold. One finger of dense white foam has great retention and left behind some super sticky lacing. Hoping it tastes as good as it looks!

Smell is just wonderful. Pine, grapefruits, and rye, in that order. Been drinking a lot of Citra bombs lately so this is a nice change up.

And I just died and went to IPA heaven. This hits all the right notes for me. Earthy, piney, hop notes blend with fruity, citrusy hop notes. This is all backed up that wonderfully distinct biscuity rye flavor. It reminds me of a less malty Surly Furious. Everything is so damn clean and balanced.

Again, I can't find anything bad to say. Super smooth, nice and crisp without being too dry. Leaves a minimal aftertaste. Light in body but not in flavor, and some perfect carbonation.

Overall this is easily one of the top 5 IPAs I've ever had (and I've had many), and now one of my personal favorite beers in general. If I had to choose only one beer to drink for the rest of my life, Alpine Nelson would be seriously considered. There is just simply not much negative to say about this beer (except I can't easily get it). I love the delicate, yet complex hop profile, that plays so beautifully with the Rye addition. Recommended to all, every BA should try this beer. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2012 19:38:10 | More by Humulus85

GbVDave

Illinois

4.85/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 22oz bomber into a Loterbol tulip. Extra special thanks go out to errantnight for sending this in our recent trade!

A: Pours a slightly hazy, pale gold with an unbelievably gorgeous, three fingers of off-white meringue perched on top. The foam is fed by some moderately active carbonation that makes for excellent retention. The head slooowy recedes to some pillowy clumps that leave gobs of lace stuck to the glass.

S: Heavenly aromas of tangerine, white grapes, pineapple, apricot, pine sap, mint, wild flowers, clementines, lemon, grassy hops, and all of this is followed by a touch of rye malt.

T: The primary flavor going on here is an absolutely magical combination of Nelson Sauvin hops and fresh rye malt. I've had plenty of rye beers before, but I've never had one where the rye flavor is complimented so perfectly by the hop choice. As it warmed, I detected flavors of white pepper, more pine, earthy apricots, tangerine rind, orange zest, and white grapes.

M: The ONLY reason this didn't receive a 5 is I felt this was a touch too dry in the finish. This starts off fruity and juicy and then so very quickly it gets all spicy, bitter, and dry and I thought a bit of tropical fruit juicyness in the finish would have been perfect for balance. I completely appreciated the tangyness of the rye.

D: Please. This is one of the best AIPA/RyePA's I've ever had. Hands down. You southern CA SOB's are so lucky!

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2009 00:30:45 | More by GbVDave

illidurit

California

4.85/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Bottle courtesy of bret27. Pours a light gold color with a frothy off-white head. The lightness is actually enticing considering the darker hues of so many awful, oversweet crystal malt bomb IPAs. Aroma is just ridiculous. A huge wave of tropical fruits explodes from the glass. Peach syrup, tangerines, passionfruit, grapefruit, pineapple; I really can't stop smelling this. The taste is, thankfully, pretty much identical to the aroma, so much so that it was hard to tell when I had stopped inhaling and started imbibing. Fruit salad with a great resinous medium bitterness. Oh and I was so fixated on the fruitiness that I almost didn't notice the rye, which works to spice up (pun intended) the malt base, which would otherwise be imperceivable. Insanely smooth and drinkable. Just a fantastic IPA.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2009 20:01:14 | More by illidurit

Dijeriduster

California

4.85/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Got this as fresh as they come straight from the brewery. Growler fills are cheap here so I always get a few.

A - Light, slightly hazy golden colour. Very district luster - shimmery and clean vs. super hazy and amber in some IPAs

S - Amazing citrus notes. Grapefruit dominates the palate, actually a sweet smelling beer with only a hint of hoppy bitterness.

T - Again superb - grapefruit notes are just overflowing with this fresh Nelson. This comes from the Nelson hops a la New Zealand... Some malt notes, but pretty much only enough to support the massive hop profile.

M - Quite nice and drinkable. Thinner then some might like - Alpine IPA's usually are, but supports this sweeter IPA very well.

D - High. This is a stunner with the Nelson hops. Never had a bottle but I imagine it'd be almost as good as the fresh growler I got. Look for this and be suprised!

Serving type: growler

12-02-2009 21:34:27 | More by Dijeriduster

DogFood11

California

4.85/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Another spectacularly inviting brew. Appearance is very light for an IPA and it looks crisp and refreshing. The best part is the nose. A bouquet of hops livens the mind like smelling salts. I'd recommend this to trainers in the NFL. This would wake me out of a coma. Needless to say the startups are 5's.

Some may argue this is one sided. I say its a damn fine west coast IPA and one sided is what I'm looking for. Hop Resin, mild citrus, and a raw wet taste combine for excellence.

Notes: Nothing but good things to say about this brewer. I will be making this a staple in the arsenal.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2009 07:04:06 | More by DogFood11

fox227

California

4.85/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A: Hazy golden color with a small head and nice lacing.

S: Lots of goodness going on here. Lemon and stone fruit are present. I smelled the rye before I even poured this into my glass. You know that you're in for something good when you can get the aroma before you even pour!

T: A very complex IPA. The taste follows the nose very much as I get lemon, peach, rye, a bit of yeast, and the nelson hops come in at the end and lends a bitter balance.

M: Good carbonation, but not too much. The hops linger on the tongue, but not for long. This beer goes down very easy.

Overall I must say that beers wins out massively in every category that matters to me. Nelson is not a hop-bomb IPA, but a delicately complex and deliciously balanced one. Seek this one out.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2011 21:04:15 | More by fox227

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.84/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up some more of these at the Provisions shop a few weeks ago. Glad I did, still had the amazing orange appearance and 1" head. Aroma was the funkiest Nelson aroma experience I've ever come across. A unique hop to say the least.

Taste, ever so drinkable, big funky hop almost tropical citrus thing going for it. Alcohol on the lips in nonexistant. Rye doesn't come out, must be a low % of the malt bill, which they keep low, allowing the hops to shine. Tons of Nelsons here, imparting an almost white wine like fee to the beer, very light, but heavy handed with the Nelson hop. You'll be tasting this one for awhile, and should be happy about it. Almost perfectly unbalanced.

EDIT: Scored more of this, damn, this beer is so funky fresh. Excellent, maybe my favorite IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2011 17:40:39 | More by Beerandraiderfan

pwoods

Ohio

4.83/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

My original review was definitely from a bad bottle. I've since had it a few times and this might be the best IPA out there. The Nelson hops are fucking outstanding and Alpine definitely knows how to make an IPA.

22oz. brown bomber poured into an imperial pint.

A: Pours a hazy grapefruit skin color. Large hiss when opened... infection? Still get about 2 fingers on an easy pour(infection... maybe, maybe not), pearl white with good retention. Pretty good lacing.

S: Lots of citrus and pine. There's a sharpness that could be either infection or a sharp spiciness from the rye. A bit of malts in the back but not much sweetness. Hmm...

T/M: Mild bitterness. Still plenty of citrus and pine. There is that sharpness that could definitely be an infection, but it could also be a spiciness from the rye.... really not sure. Not much sweetness from the malts which could be an infection fermenting what the regular yeast can't... and the carbonation is high which leans in that direction as well. I still don't know, though. It's definitely odd to say the least.

D: ABV is reasonable. Kinda of a chore to drink from the high carbonation and what might be an infection.

Alpine should send me another bottle so I know if it's an infection or not :)

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2010 05:09:54 | More by pwoods

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a hazy yellow to orange-ish color with an off white head. In the aroma, grapefruit and orange citrus hops. In the taste, dry small citrus hops, dry small fruit notes, and a nice dry malt with a hint of rye. A hop bite and medium bodied mouthfeel, with a dry rye and hop aftertaste. Nice rye and big hops, simply remarkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2010 15:27:34 | More by OWSLEY069

Bitterbill

Wyoming

4.8/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

22oz bottle, says it is 7.0%abv.

I flipped over Alpine's Duet so I'm anxious to give this one a go. Purchased from South Bay Drugs & Liquors and shipped quickly to me by Joey. Thanks you, sir!

A hazy light golden colour, I get a 1 finger head of foam with some good lacing. It doesn't look spectacular though I *do* like brews with a bit of haze in them, for the most part.

The smell nearly knocked me on my arse with the huge grapefruit hoppiness.(a good thing;) I get some tropical fruitiness as well and some serious spice eminating from the use of rye. I don't think I smell any real malt character other than a really really faint sweet note. No probs.

The taste is big grapefruit and the spicy rye flavours up front and in my mouth. Ha, betchya thought I was going to say face. lol.

The bitterness is very big but there's *something* there to hold it back enough for me say it isn't over the top. I guess the rye mixed in with some fruity tones and a mild malt sweetness is doing *that* job and they deserve a damn raise. Especially the rye. The more I sip, the more flavourful it gets and the finish, though bitter, may be the highlight of the session. Me hearts this brew. I'll go ahead and say it...Nelson Sauvin hops from NZ rule!

Medium bodied, carbo is just a tad below medium, I'm thinking this has a great, smooth feel to it.

Drinkability? A pretty average abv for the style these days is a major plus. Easily, one of the best and most drinkable American IPAs on the planet. Super thumbs up!

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2010 23:16:21 | More by Bitterbill

awalk1227

Georgia

4.8/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Consumed 10/25/10 Sent by Rock4sc96 thanks Chris!

Poured into an Alchemist Brewery pint glass.
I've been extremely excited to try this beer; not only have I heard good things about the Nelson Sauvin hops, but I have sought out Alpine's highly regarded IPAs for some time.

A: Pours a hazy sunshine yellow with a thick white head. Dissipates fairly quickly but leaves a white collar.

S: Perfect, perfect, perfect! Oh lord, I could smell this beer as I was pouring it. I can smell it right now, as it sits to my left while I type this. HUGE aromatic hops, citrus, tropical fruits, mango, pineapple, delicious.

T: Oh lord, this has RYE in it too? One of my favorite beers is Terrapin's Rye Pale ale, along with Founders Red Rye and Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye. I love hoppy Rye IPAs, and this is now up in the big leagues with them. Delicious creamy malt starts it off, then a blend of spice from the rye and citrus blast from fresh hops finishes.

F: If you've read my other reviews, you know how I like my IPA mouthfeel. This is perfect. Prickle from the carbonation, but a smooth creaminess that denotes a fine balance.

D: No alcohol detected, and such a complex IPA you want more. A lot more. I love it.

Alpine, you've wowed me once again. I will seek you out soon.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2010 03:41:55 | More by awalk1227

rayjay

Hawaii

4.78/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Bistro's IPA fest last saturday. All New Zealand hops, not sure of the variety used.

Very unqiue. Bright yellow and hazy, almost like a hefe; reminds me of sunsine in a glass. Unfiltered with a capitol "U." I love it because it's a totally different color than any other of the 50 IPA's here today.

Taste/smell is awesome. The hoppiest beer I had that day, but let me explain: not bitter hoppy, rather they captured the essence of the hops more than any other beer I've had. Really really citrusy, with lots of grapefruit, but also lemon zest and kiwis (sorry!) with some pine (more like fir) and white pepper too. 65 IBU's and really smooth, with a relaxing, enjoyable bitterness that shares the aftertaste with the pungent fruits which hit you in the sinuses. Not british tasting hops, not over-the-top bitter US hops, but a totally different vibe that I'm having trouble describing.

Body is almost like a wit beer. Very pale rye must have been used for this to turn out so bright colored and smooth. For contrast, BR's Hop Rod Rye is dark red/brown and has a heavy malt body.

A great drink that really stands out, both for the grains and the hops used. Good luck finding this one, but do not pass it up!

Serving type: on-tap

08-14-2006 23:27:22 | More by rayjay

yeahnatenelson

Illinois

4.78/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Another lovely Cali bomber gathered from teh internets.

Appearance - Copper-hued brew with a fluffy mound of virgin white head. Lovely...

Smell - To me, this smells uncannily like an english muffin with butter and orange marmalade...

Taste - Much less of the sweet citrus, more bitter rind. Again with the buttered bread. Spicy rye toward the back end along with some grassy, vegetal taste.

Mouthfeel - Medium-bodied, medium-light carbonation.

Drinkability - This is a tasty beer! My experience with rye beers is limited, as is with the Nelson Sauvin hop varietal, and I have to say this beer has piqued my curiosity in both. The beer seemed to disappear as if by magic. So well rounded, with flavors that are completely foreign to me (The buttered bread, I'm telling you!).

I found this to be a very exciting and supremely drinkable brew. The fact that Alpine doesn't distribute in my state is unfortunate as this could have easily become one of my go-to beers...

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2010 20:24:20 | More by yeahnatenelson

hu5om

Wisconsin

4.78/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

thanks again to enelson for the nelson. perfect.
split with newk340
a- orange golden amber, white fluffy foam subsides to a white ring that leaves excellent lacing
s- orange citrus, bitter, white grapes, tropical fruit, nectarine?, very strong, with a rye spiciness
t- crazy, rye spicy, whie wine smoothness, very bready rye spice, light citrus. fairly piney also. mind=blown
m-amazingly smooth. i'm so overcome by the taste, that mouthfeel is a bit under the radar. very dry finish, champagne like.
d-i'm blown away. these hops need to be utilized more often. this was friggin great. up there with pte as a close second best ipa i've ever had. excellent. screw high life, this is the champagne of beers.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2010 23:52:44 | More by hu5om

marquinoftroy

California

4.78/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This feels like a refined and mature IPA. There is a solid malt foundation supporting the hops, and adding rye to an IPA is a brilliant idea. It smells similar to a double IPA, a lot of malt and some spiciness. This beer does not smell as hoppy as I initially assumed, the bitterness is there but not overdone. Once it hits your tongue, youre not bombarded with bitterness. It's a big beer and balanced well. Plenty of carbonation and a nice finish. Also, if you live in San Diego, it's not that expensive.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2011 06:09:09 | More by marquinoftroy

AndyGz

California

4.78/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Wow, do I have a new favorite IPA?

Very light in appearance, it almost glows.
Clear Citrus and Mango notes predominate the nose.
Hop notes sweeter than I've ever experienced in anything this light. Delicate, frothy, small bubble carbonation.
Light, crisp, refreshing.

I LOVE this IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2011 09:09:28 | More by AndyGz

ehammond1

California

4.78/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Growler

Alpine Beer Company
Alpine, CA

A clear goldenrod and yellow. Fluffy and light off-white head. Sticky and consistent lacing down the glass. Gorgeous!

A relatively sweet aroma. Hoppy and bright, citrus and grapefruit, extremely floral, and as this beer warms, it smells more and more of pungent, dank marijuana and grapefruit. Not a bad thing.

Sweet and bright IPA, yet bitter enough for balance. Tastes incredibly fresh and vibrant--floral. Relatively bitter, yet there's also a grape-like sweetness and a decent cracker malt backbone as well. Balanced and delicious. Grapefruit. Rose. Marijuana. This is perfect.

Medium bodied. A pleasure to drink. Slightly creamy even. Unique.

A uniquely perfect IPA.

Serving type: growler

06-19-2011 01:16:41 | More by ehammond1

kungpao

Texas

4.78/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

This is a world class American made beer.

A- A nice dirty dark blonde and very clear beer, very unusual considering the style. This thing is alive, obviously bottle conditioned, yeast floaties aplenty. Poured semi aggressively into a pint glass. Pours an impressive eggshell color 3 finger pillowy head with tons of retention. The head is reminiscent of Duvel... I'm impressed.

S- Citrusy, fruity, piny dank hops. This beer smells great. Definitely up there with some of the best IPAs available in terms of fragrance. Earthy rye and clean yeast are hidden somewhere amongst the dank hops.

T- Awesome. Slight bittering hops up front, followed by a TON of piney/ fruity hop flavor. I'm surprised that the rye didn't get lost amongst the hops but it shines threw at the end to help add to complexity and balance the lack of malts.

M- Amongst the best I've ever had. Chewy, thick, simply luxurious. A little bit more carbonation than I was expecting but it works well. This is probably the most memorable and unique quality of the beer, which is saying alot.

O- Excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 21:10:45 | More by kungpao

CliffBrake

New Hampshire

4.78/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to breaks808 for the bottle. Cheers!

Light orange color with light haze. Awesome rocky white head, long-lasting and leaving a dense curtain of lace.

Grapefruit aroma nicely balanced and supported by bready malts and a bit of a rustic, spicy character that must be due to the rye.

Citrus and tropical hops - papaya and orange, grapefruit - all blend beautifully and with the smooth mouthfeel contribute to a very juicy character. Bready malts add some body to the mix but the emphasis is on the fruity hop characters. Spicy, lightly bitter finish.

Big flavors but well balanced and light on its feet. Nelson proves that a big American IPA doesn't have to be clunky. A pretty beer through and through.

Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 01:06:41 | More by CliffBrake

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4.78/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

22oz bottle into a tulip

A: Pours a slightly hazy dark golden color with a finger of very dense head with a vigorous pour. Amazing retention and tons of lacing.

S: Lots of Nelson Sauvin hops upfront - I mostly get peach and musty grapey barn farm-like aroma. tough to describe, but very typical Nelson Sauvin. Maybe a touch of caramel sweetness, but the sweetness is mostly fruity.

T: Very interesting. The Nelson Sauvin hops again are very prominent. I get grapes and must first and foremost with some mango and citrus in the background. The hop/malt combination also allows for some great mango and vanilla sweetness. I typically dont like much sweetness in my IPAs, but this is certainly welcome. The bitterness is balanced and on the lower end. Complex and very well executed.

M: On the thick side with low, creamy carbonation. I've never really seen carbonation like this in an IPA - very soft. I very much enjoy it. It really helps the flavors come out of the beer.

O: I love this IPA. Complex, interesting, well put together, and balanced. One of the best I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 01:44:26 | More by coreyfmcdonald

SweetNessa34

California

4.75/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

[SOURCE]: On-Tap at BluePalmsBrewHouse. Served on the day of arrival (4/9/09) shortly after tapping

[SERVING TYPE]: Pint Glass

[SMELL]: Amazing "nose" - packed full with a potent bouquet of fresh, lightly fruity hops combined with a crisp Rye aroma- jumps out at you from this super pale white/gold ale.

[APPEARANCE]: Super pale white/gold ale + light white, fluffy head

[TASTE]: Bold, dynamic combination of assertive flavors is almost startling in comparison to the super pale, light appearance. Clean, crisp Rye intermingles with a heavy dose of super fresh, slightly fruity hops and is balanced by a very minimal malt back - for an incredibly light, fresh and flavorful overall

[DRINKABILITY]: Intense combination of hops and rye flavors are very well balanced with minimal malt back. Thus, the overall result is a very drinkable beer that is light, fresh and jam packed with flavor + aroma.

[OVERALL]: very drinkable, extremely fresh-flavored RIPA (especially when poured shortly after tapping)

Serving type: on-tap

04-20-2009 07:05:19 | More by SweetNessa34

drink1121

California

4.75/5  rDev +7%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to mauerhan for this as an extra in a trade.

A- Hazy straw color with a huge head, too big - however, great retention.

S- Very hoppy... pineapple, grapefruit, everything a west-coast IPA should be plus.

T- Similiar to the smell, however a little more spicy. Not too balanced, but this is how I like it.

M - Slight bitterness at the end. Not too watery, not too thick.

D - A lot of hops to drink too too many, but the one I am having is going down just fine.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2009 03:06:13 | More by drink1121