Columbus IPA - Columbus Brewing Company

Dogbrick

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cask version at Barley’s 5th Annual Mini RAF (04/28/07): This brew is a clear dark amber color with a compact bone white head and spotty lacing. Citrusy hops aroma. Medium body with hops, pine and citrus flavors. Touches of malt here and there too. The finish is hoppy and lingers awhile, and allows some roasted malt flavor to poke through. Pretty good overall.

Serving type: cask

10-09-2007 19:45:46 | More by Dogbrick

brewtechnik

New Hampshire

4.33/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Received a 12oz bottle as an extra in a recent trade and drinking it now...
Wow, quite the surprise...I'm really digging this beer. It strikes the perfect balance between bitterness and hop flavor. Finishes dry and with a little hop bite that begs me to sip again. More back loaded it seems on the hop additions... balanced for flavor and aroma than bitterness which always works better in IPA's imo.
Very nice aroma...the simcoe still coming through even though it's probably an older bottle?
The color is as expected...bit cloudy but what unfiltered IPA isn't?
Definitely worth the try if seen...wish we could get it here in New England!

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 23:23:58 | More by brewtechnik

ehammond1

California

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Bottle (2013)

Acquired via trade
Thanks, claaark13!

Hazed orange. Moderate off-white head. Gorgeous, sticky, irregular spiderwebs of lace left down the glass. Gorgeous IPA.

Tons of bright, juicy citrus notes and expressive pine hop character. A touch of sweetness. Fantastic. The Midwest's shining IPA star.

The flavor follows the aroma, along with a moderate level of bitterness. Juicy citrus, pine, a touch of sweetness, and bitterness combine exceptionally well.

Medium bodied with moderate to high carbonation.

Fantastic. Easily, my favorite Midwest IPA.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 23:50:18 | More by ehammond1

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A-nice amber color with a good white head and nice lacing

S-tropical fruit, herbal, earthy, light pine, floral notes

T-grapefruit, tropical fruit, pine, floral, earthiness, moderate bitter finish

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, crisp and clean

O-really nice IPA with great flavor, good balance

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 13:06:00 | More by MDDMD

sommersb

Tennessee

4.18/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Tasted On: 03-19-2013
Freshness: Not indicated
Packaging: 12 oz. brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Goblet
Purchased: Received in a trade

A: Big off-white head showing excellent retention and good lace, on a golden-orange beer that is clear on the first pour and then cloudy on the second, owing to the unfiltered nature.

S: Very nice aromas start with floral hop notes, and then have citrus/grapefruit smells and some sweet maltiness in the background.

T: Taste has a bite of hop bitterness and flavorful fruity/citrus presence. The grapefruit-like taste provides tanginess along with the bitterness.

M: Crisp and clean mouthfeel, with prickly carbonation on a medium body. The finish features more hop bitterness

O: Very good IPA; maybe less balanced and more one dimensional than others I've enjoyed.

Thanks to buschbeer for this!

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 19:00:48 | More by sommersb

tectactoe

Michigan

4.08/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to cneville for this nice, local extra. Pours and orange sunburst color - completely unfiltered and opaque - with a super heavy and foamy off-white head. Even minutes later, a huge chunk of foam is just chilling on top of the beer. Nice lacing all the way down, too.

Aroma starts off with a quick left jab of citrus fruits - and it's almost more of a fruit-juice type aroma rather than the hoppy-citrus aroma. Red grapefruit is big, along with mild pineapple and mango. The fruits are heavy, juicy, and sweet on the nostrils. Light yeast aromas float around as well. The hops give off a bit of an earthy and leafy aroma, but it's far more regressed than I would have expected - not necessarily a bad thing, though.

I take my first swig of Columbus IPA and it feels like I just took a bite out of an extremely ripe, tropical fruit. Big-time juiciness, mainly in the form of grapefruit. Other tropical fruits are surely there, though a bit harder to pick out. I'll go with my hunch from the aroma - pineapples and mangoes. Just as I start to wonder if I'm drinking a juice instead of a beer - the bitterness shows up to the party, about halfway through. The hop profile is leafy and a touch ashy, and the bitterness is pretty damn strong. It hits hard on the back of the tongue and overall, feels heavier than 50 IBU.

There's a nice contrast with this beer - it has the delicate juicy sweetness that seems to crowd the front of your mouth that coincides with the leafy hop bitterness that stings that back of the mouth and tongue. A very interesting profile, that's for sure. The aftertaste errs more towards the bitter side, with the fruit flavors even developing into more of a pith-like stature, bitter and mildly abrasive. Malt is mild overall, with a hint of sweetness through and through. Your mouth gets coated with some yeasty flavors and faint caramel malt in the end, still battling the bitterness wounds. Surprisingly thin and under-carbonated, giving a wet, slick mouth feel.

Didn't know what to expect out of this, hasn't really been on my radar. But it was pretty tasty. Huge tropical fruitiness that comes paired with a heavy bitterness that work quite well together. Good drinkability at 6.5% ABV.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 17:35:52 | More by tectactoe

Teleweizen2

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - pours a deep murky amber/orange color. A fingers worth of tightly packed frothy white foam sits atop the opaque liquid. The foam quickly dissipates but covers the glass with little spots of lacing with each sip.

S - the nose is very intense with lots of complexity. Notes of citrus, flowers and pine just jumps from the glass. citrus notes of sweet orange pulp and candied grapefruit zest. hints of tropical fruit come out more as it warms like pineapple and passion fruit. hints of pine needles and flowers round out the nose.

T - sweet grainy bread malt profile up front. citrus flavors perk up mid palate with notes of sweet orange peel, grapefruit rind, and lemon pith. snappy bitterness. hints of pine needles. crisp slightly sweet finish.

M - smooth and creamy texture with a medium body. medium carbonation close to high.

O - Great IPA. Wish I had easy access to this, it would be something I would consistently come back to.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 02:58:09 | More by Teleweizen2

CommanderOfAwesome

California

4.51/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bottle sent via trade, about a month old.

A: Pours a murky golder orange, 2 finger head that lasts with excellent lacing on the glass ware.

S: Dank aroma that is similar to Sucks, citrus, and pine. Airfreshner

T: Bitter hop bomb, some surprising sweetness and pine. Hop forward.

M: Medium body, little thinner than I anticipated based on color. Dry sweet finish.

O: Excellent beer, one of if not the best best single IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 03:05:37 | More by CommanderOfAwesome

Clydesdale

District of Columbia

4.45/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a moderately hazy orange color. The orange-tinted head is tall, dense, and a bit rocky. Retention is impressive, and a lot of lacing sticks to the glass.

S: Pure tropical hop aromas. Tropical fruit and citrus is very prominent. I'm guessing Centennial and/or Simcoe are at work here. Orange, pineapple, and some resin seem bright. Little malt aroma is present; instead, it's a pretty neutral canvas for some seriously hoppy aromas to star.

T: Very faint pale maltiness up front. Little sweetness. Hop bitterness is robust and sticks around a while into the finish. Vibrant hop flavors accompany the bitterness throughout. Orange, pineapple, grapefruit, and resin are prominent.

M: Medium body with light but perky carbonation. The overall mouthfeel is slightly thin; I dig the relative lack of malt sweetness in terms of flavor, but it seems that the mouthfeel suffers very slightly as a result. Hop bitterness contributes a lasting dryness.

O: A very good IPA from Columbus Brewing Company. The big, citric and tropical American hop bill is right up my alley. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 00:06:14 | More by Clydesdale

denver10

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy yellowish-orange with a white head. A nice hoppy aroma of some citrus fruit on paired with a nice, sweet and bready malt backbone. Flavor was bitter and citric on top of a bready malt underbelly with a piney and bitter finish. A medium bodied, creamy mouthfeel. Overall, another good IPA from Ohio.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 01:43:54 | More by denver10

jmarsh123

Indiana

4.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Having this for the first time in a few years thanks to beesy

Pours a little bit of a murky dark yellow with a small white head leaving decent cling on the edge of the glass. Solid lacing down the glass.

Big hop presence on the nose. I get floral and citrus as the main components. A little bit of a biscuity sweetness, but hop forward.

Starts off a little citrusy with a little honey like sweetness. Citrus hits more mid-palate before finishy piney and grassy. Resin lingers on the tongue.

Medium mouthfeel. Spot on carb. Lots of oily hops create a great mouthfeel.

A great example of the style. Not quite the best I've ever had, but solid across the board. Hops punch hard, but it's still a pretty well balanced beer and I love the mouthfeel and finish especially on this one.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 19:46:00 | More by jmarsh123

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

4.05/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into standard pint glass. Thanks goes out to mrfong07 for sending this one as an extra. It is difficult to make out the numbers on the bottom but if I am both reading it correctly and interpreting the code correctly, it was bottled on August 28, 2012.

A - Pours golden brown in color with a thin, sporadic head. Dies to a speckled film on the surface and leaves behind a nice lacing.

S - The smell is big and becomes apparent immediately from an armslength during the pour. Big floral hops with a prominent biscuit malt backbone. Some sweet honeyblossom and citrus as well. Solid.

T - Very sweet to start, floral and honey-like. Sweet and sour citrus hits hard midpalate, followed by a nice bitter grass hop finish. Pine/grass lingers on the back of the tongue.

M - A shade over medium in body with excellent carbonation. Coats the tongue and goes down smooth. Exceptional mouthfeel, especially for a regular gravity beer.

O - This is a great example of how much flavor can be packed into a non-imperial beer. Great floral and citrus notes on the nose and tongue. Very well balanced at two months old. The mouthfeel is the strongest facet of this beer, but that is not to say the other aspects are subpar. This is a great beer I would enjoy regularly if I had access.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 22:48:44 | More by NoLeafClover44

adamette

Ohio

4.65/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Live review. Poured from the one of the six 16 oz. bottles that I bought at my local Giant Eagle for, I believe, $7.99 into a clean, clear glass. I had this on tap some months ago but never did review it. I recall really enjoying it at the restaurant that served it. No "best by" date observed by me on the bottle. It might have been on the box but unfortunately that has already been recycled.

A Just a great look of a hazy, opaque orange body under a nice creamy generous head that took its time (maybe 3 minutes) to dissipate down to a thin layer on top of the body. I really like this look, a mature, seasoned look for an IPA. 4.5

S A really nice floral hops smell with the backdrop of sweet malt. This is an excellent smell to a beer of this style. I am not looking forward to the flowery floral smell carrying over to the taste but the fact that it exists in the smell is very welcomed indeed. The highest marks from me for the smell of this American IPA. 5.0

T Hops bitterness balanced out nicely by the soft pillow of sweet malt in this obviously artisan American IPA. So many tastes envelope the tongue. The aforementioned bitterness and sweetness dance about a great barley grain stage. Just a great tasting IPA. 4.5

M Despite the rather high bitterness and malt profile, there is a softness or creaminess to the mouthfeel that is not common. It makes for a highly enjoyable, drinkable IPA. 4.0

D/O Drinkability is very high. Despite the moderately high ABV I could drink 4 or 5 of these without hesitation. Overall this is a world class American IPA. 5.0

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 03:11:51 | More by adamette

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I forgot who gave this to me. I'm usually good with keeping track of who gave what, but I guess I missed this one, and I'm really sorry. If you gave me this please let me know asap so I can give you credit.

Big creamy 1.5 finger head fades semi slowly with nice lacing, hazy grapefruit peach colored.

Nose touch of bready semi sweet malt, then nice citrus hops, touch of grapefruit and tropical fruit, floral, a light Amarillo like fruitiness.

Taste has fresh hops, light tropical fruit, little juicy citrus, Amarillo fruity flavors, tangerine, nectarine, citrusy peach, etc, and light spicy piney hops. It has a decent bitter bite with light sweet malty base, touch grainy, nice balance and feels like it should have some booze but doesn't. Finish adds a long lingering bitterness, tropical fruit hops, quite dry, more of that tangerine and grapefruit like tropical fruit hops.

Mouth is med to fuller bodied, good carb.

Overall a nice ipa, fairly impressed. Good hop character, nice light malt balance, good bitterness, drinkable, a very well done IPA.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 01:32:02 | More by jlindros

Onenote81

North Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Always grab some sixers of this when in OH visiting the in-laws. Noticed I never gave this a proper review. 12oz bottle into a goblet. The pour yields a dark honey-amber with a thick frothy bone-white head. Great retention, with spotty lace left behind. Pine, citrus, floral overtones. Nothing new here, but the aroma is so potent and fresh. Love it.

Medium carbonation gives this beer enough heft to hold up the flavors, but without any lasting astringency. The reason I love this beer so much is the perfect balance between the bitter hops and sweet malty backbone. I would say this even leans slightly to the sweet side, which isn't a detriment to it at all. Grapefruit, musk melon, orange give this a nice fruity quality. The hops add just a touch of oily feel as well, and they don't linger too long on the aftertaste. Just enough "burn" to satisfy the hop-head in me, but fleeting enough to keep me gulping this one. This is one of the most drinkable and approachable IPAs I have had, and it will be one I continually buy when in the area. Can't wait until Christmas when I can get some more!

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 12:23:36 | More by Onenote81

emerge077

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bright saturated orange jewel tone, thin layer of white foam that leaves a little irregular spotty lace. Second pour hazes it up a bit. Retention is ok.

A fairly pungent nose, big citrus rind... orange and grapefruit.

Creamy smooth feel, light carb and a moderate hop bitterness that isn't too overpowering. Bitter grapefruit rind, mellow flash of malt sweetness in the middle. Nicely melded, would be a go-to everyday IPA, the lingering hop bitterness lasts for awhile. Overall it's very drinkable and seamless in feel. Would buy this by the sixer easily.

Thanks Chris for sharing this one!

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 22:09:37 | More by emerge077

yamar68

Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to inebriatedjoker for this one - poured into a sweet Columbus pint that he also sent:

Body is slightly darker than Bodhi but it's got that same haze thing going on. Thick, dense white cap of froth retains well on top of that, laces perfectly.

Smells very appetizing... sweet, smooth hop profile, far from harsh but still the dominant player, some pale malts beneath that. Inviting.

It's similar to Bodhi in the way it displays a rich hop profile without imposing an invasive level of bitterness. That said, I would guess that the IBU's here are actually a bit higher than in Bodhi. Tangerine, mango, spruce tips, and just that faint dry bitterness on the tail end - like the kind you would get from a hot black tea. Nice.

Thanks for sending this one Mike - I wish this could have a year-round spot in my fridge.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 22:05:44 | More by yamar68

cfrances33

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle thanks to clegolfski, poured into a tulip.

Pour: Hazy amber orange with three fingers of awesome off white head. Leaves very sticky lacing, and the head stays around forever.

Smell: A nice tangerine and pine with a light caramel backbone.

Taste: A little more malt forward than I was expecting, but still really good tangerine juiciness comes through.

Mouthfeel: Lighter than I expected as well, but nice juiciness.

Overall: A nice IPA, and better than Head Hunter in terms of Ohio offerings, IMO.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 01:17:38 | More by cfrances33

superspak

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled in Aug 2012. Pours very hazy golden orange color with a nice 1-2 finger dense off white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Some nice soapy lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of big orange zest, grapefruit, pineapple, pine, floral, caramel, bread, grass, earth, and herbal spiciness. Damn nice aromas with nice balance and complexity. Taste of big orange zest, grapefruit, pineapple, grass, pine, floral, caramel, and herbal spiciness. Good amount of floral bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of citrus, pineapple, floral, pine, grass, and herbal spiciness on the finish for a good bit. Excellent hop flavor complexity with a great malt flavor balance as well. No cloying flavors after the finish at all. Medium carbonation and body; with a fairly creamy, sticky, and crisp mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with nearly zero warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic IPA! Great hop flavor complexity and balance; very smooth to drink. Outstanding and highly enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 03:47:22 | More by superspak

miketd

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

pours burt orange with a foamy white head. Leaves good lacing.

Aroma is citric with pine and sweet, ripe fruit.

Flavor is pine and grapefruit, with cracker and bread. Maybe a little more malty than I like an ipa.

Nice body and pretty dry. Easy to drink, without any real flaws,

Very nice beer and another winner IPA from Ohio.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 22:59:56 | More by miketd

libbey

Washington

4.38/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into a pint. Big thanks to markintihar for the tasty local.

A: The beer pours a dark hazy orange with a nice cap of head that held good retention leaving a trail of spotty lacing throughout the session.

S: The nose has a nice piney nose with a bit of grapefruit bite from the hops. There is a touch of biscuity malt sweetness on the back providing some balance.

T: The initial taste had a nice piney hop bite that is fairly juicy (grapefruit) in the middle. Touch of malt on the finish balances everything out perfectly. Very tasty.

M: The carbonation is spot on and carries this medium bodied IPA throughout. The finish is dry, crisp and refreshing. Exactly what I look for in an IPA.

O: Overall this was a highly drinkable and very tasty IPA from Coumbus. I will actively be seeking out more of these. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 00:26:11 | More by libbey

garuda

Pennsylvania

3.05/5  rDev -28.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A - Golden, hazed, nice white head that retains and laces well. Looks good.

S/T - Rich, ripe grapefruit hits first, but then my super sensitivity to the simcoe hop takes over and I get a healthy dose of cat-pee-soaked carpet amongst resinous pine flavors and aromas. Biscuit malts with some honey sweetness. Gets a little too catty in the taste to actually enjoy the drink.

M - Medium body, ample carbonation, finishes dry with bitter pine.

O - If you're sensitive to the simcoe hop like me, this beer is not for you. If not, you'll probably love this one.

Serving type: on-tap

09-19-2012 15:18:06 | More by garuda

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A bottle brought back by Sourbatchkid

A- Golden with some small bronze hints with a bright white head. A nice cap afterwards but not much stick.

S- For a fresh IPA this seems pretty muted. Hardly any hop aroma and strong on the pale malts. Small citrus hints with a touch of grass.

T- Mimicks the smell in that the taste is for the style is muted. Im thinking str8 pale ale but the small amount of alcohol and the malt presense leads towards IPA. Faded C-hops with small citrus, light pineapple, grapefruit. Pale malts lead the pack. It's not as sweet as most East coast IPA's though so there is that.

M- A step down from medium, nice malt build, not very bitter, carbed up well, what more do you want to know?

D- I drank it quick, it was tasty but a bit muted, but I can tell that fresh, this would be one to grab a six of and just chill for the afternoon

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 19:45:28 | More by onix1agr

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to MikeTD for including this in a trade. Poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Poured a very nice hazy golden orange with a good two finger white head that fades to leave light side lacing with very good blanket retention.

S - Okay...pine and grapefruits really explode on the nose. Lots of deep forest pine, grapefruit meat, and light malty sweetness.

T - Taste is very solid. More of the sharp pine notes and grapefruit skin/oil this time. Would like a touch more citrus on this and there is some faint tropical notes as well. Quite nice.

M - Mouthfeel is excellent for an IPA. Crisp, clean, super drinkable. This stuff goes down way too easy.

O - Overall this was a really, really nice IPA. I keep trying different random IPAs from Ohio and each one has been solid or better! Woohoo!

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 00:56:15 | More by rudzud

ErikSkidmore

4.88/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I poured this bottle into a standard pint glass. Very delicious IPA.

A: Very bright orange, hazy with about a finger of off-white head.
S: Citrus and grapefruit first then you get hit with pine, followed by the backbone of the malt.
T: More pine than fruit, but the fruit is definitely there. Bitter but not overdone, just perfect for this beer.
M: Medium-bodied, but on the lower side. Definitely very sessionable and goes down very easily.
O: Very, very solid IPA, one of the best I have had so far. Definitely worth the money, the only downfall and reason my overall rating is not a 5 is simply because there is no date on the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 06:00:06 | More by ErikSkidmore