Gold Stock Ale - New England Brewing Co.

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

golden amber with a thick white frothy head. A nice amount of sediment was visible as was a good deal of carbonation. The retention was excellent and this led to quite a good deal of side glass lace. There was a tremendously hoppy aroma, and this took me a bit by surprise, however I am learning this seems to be the norm from the brewery regardless of the style. There was defiantly a light fruit, peach, pear yeast component to the aroma as well, but the quick crisp citrus hoppiness of it really put it over the top. Such a nice medium body with great carbonation really let the flavors really pop and then linger to let you get the full experience. Very nice bright flavor profile, lots of lemon, and coriander mixed with a pronounced yeast flavor and a very nice light but noticeable bread backing. A slight hint of alcohol but nothing overwhelming and it was actually a nice little extra punch to it.

Serving type: growler

12-04-2011 03:46:37 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to woosterbill for this one. Reviewed from notes.

Pours a nice, deep golden color with a good white head. Nose brings some really strong earthy, herbal, and lightly-citric hops. Really, really nice. Taste is along the same lines with a bit of earthy and floral characteristics plus a good deal of pine and some slight citrus. This is a cacophony of hops without any one type really dominating. Slight bready notes. Great bitterness levels and a bit dry. I was not at all impressed with Sea Hag, but this showed me that when they try, NEBC can really bring the hop attack.

Serving type: growler

10-29-2010 02:16:03 | More by Thorpe429

MasterSki

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Aliza for sending a growler of this to the Chicago crew - split with Joe, Dave, Justin, and Matt. Served in a stange-like Dogfish pint glass.

A - Not sure when this was filled, but a nice hiss erupted when we turned the cap. Pours with a few fingers of off-white foam that dissipates to a thick cap and some spotty lacing. The body is a transparent coppery orange color. Really nice looking beer!

S - Spicy noble hops, lots of pine, and maybe a touch of soapiness. The profile is reminiscent of the Mikkeller German IPA I had recently. A bit of hop fade has set in during the six weeks since this was released, but it's not overly apparent. Malt backbone is one of toffeed apple.

T - The taste evokes a nice hoppy altbier. There's some fruitiness, with some bread and yeast, and light caramel notes. The hop character is more in the periphery, as these German hops just don't seem to have the ferocity of American ones. The finish is surprisingly clean, and the alcohol is not apparent at all. Probably more of a 3.75 here, but I'm feeling generous.

M - Soft, smooth, lower carbonation. Very clean finish with a bit of light stickiness. Body is medium, and sufficient for a 6.5% brew.

D - This was not what I expected, but it was super easy to drink. I suspect it was better a few weeks ago when the hop character was more intense. I'll give another spin sometime down the road.

Serving type: growler

04-23-2010 15:23:32 | More by MasterSki

Gusler

Arizona

4.3/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a beauteous clear gold, large and impressive white creamy head and some thick sheets of lace to seal off the glass. POW! hops right in the schnozzle, sweet malt under pinning, citrus crisp, a real treat, the start is sweet, the top is middling. Finish is “Big Time Hops, moderately acidic, dry and lightly bitter aftertaste, a damn good beer and one I hope to see again, as I’m sure the beer God’s won’t let me down.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2003 23:36:12 | More by Gusler

alexgash

Connecticut

4.48/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pint poured from a 64 oz. growler, filled on 1/28/13.

Hazy, cloudy, golden body with white brassy edges. Finger of cottony, gauzy, casky, off-white head. Nice lacing. Solid hop nose. Strong on the spicy, herbal, peppery, slightly funky noble characters. Some citrus rind as well. Fruity malt aromas play bass. Faint woody, oaky twinge. Lovely!

Spicy, bitterish, gentle hops up front. Malt fills in underneath, with notes of biscuit, cookie, and light fruit (melon and pear). Mineral water bitterness picks up a bit. Grassy, sea-air funk hop flavors roll in nicely. Peppery, dry finish. Subtle woody notes and even a little oaky vanilla. Medium body, with a smooth, creamy feel. Interesting, complex, and crazy drinkable. A big time winner!

Serving type: growler

02-02-2013 02:11:49 | More by alexgash

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.7/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Growler into a Duvel tulip

A: Clear, bright orange-amber body underneath three fingers of dense, creamy tan foam; great retention and a decent amount of spotty lace. Straightforward and beautiful.

S: Pure, fresh, pungent Old World hops: spicy, earthy, and floral. The pure pale malt base doesn't even begin to make an appearance, but on the very tail end I'm picking up a distinct note of cotton candy - interesting. Overall, this is a wonderfully aromatic brew.

T: The malt backbone makes its presence felt up front with some generic sweetness, but the hops are still the focal point. Hugely earthy, lightly spicy, and generously bitter on the finish. Upon further reflection, the aftertaste blends the hops bitterness with a lightly tannic presence from the oaked fermentation. The oak also lends just a hint of vanilla. Overall, this tastes like a German IPA, if such a thing existed. Supremely balanced and as fresh as it comes (today was the first day that growlers of this batch were available). Awesome.

M: Smooth medium body, but pretty light on carbonation - a little too light.

D: I've just raced through my first glass, and am planning on killing the growler by myself. Let's see how that goes... Three glasses down now, and I'm still craving the next sip. This is gonna be a piece of cake. Hugely drinkable.

Notes: I was so eager to get to try this that I showed up, empty growlers in hand, a few hours before the beer was ready. 24 hours later, it was mine. 7 hours after that, I'm just about to kill the first growler (btw, my first solo growler assault). The description I got at the brewery was that this brew has a pure pale malt base underneath massive additions of purely European hops (Hallertaur, Tettnang, Saaz, etc.), and is fermented on oak chips. The result is a wonderfully fresh, balanced, and flavorful beer. If you get a chance to try this, don't pass it up.

Cheers!

UPDATE: It's fun to look back at this review, since it was of my very first encounter with this beer. Since then I've had several more gallons worth (including, one time, an entire gallon by myself, in one night). The only changes I'd make to my first impressions are updates on the differences between the 2010 and 2011 batches. 2011 was a bit lighter in color (while still presenting fantastic head retention and lacing), and much heavier on the oak and vanilla. While I missed the more hop-forward profile of the '10, I have to admit that the '11 was an even smoother, more balanced, and all-around better-integrated beer. The slight increase in oakiness also gave it a bump in terms of body, and I think I'll raise the mouthfeel score accordingly. Actually, I'm tempted to go ahead and give this beer 5s across the board, since it's just so damn delicious. I can't wait for next year!

Serving type: growler

03-03-2010 05:19:50 | More by woosterbill

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to jastack for sharing this growler with our table at Ebenezer's on 2/27/10.

A - Poured a hazy, rusty orange body with a thin, wispy white head that reduced to a ring of retention and deposited spotty lace around the rim of the glass.

S - Nose is rather spicy with hints of pine needles akin to a spruce Christmas tree. Malt character is sweet with mild caramel and syrupy notes. There is also a subtle "beach" scent (you know... what you smell when you're at the beach) as well as a slight waft of alcohol.

T - Similar to the aroma, the flavor is heavy on pine but with a more spicy flair suggesting peppery notes and tree sap. Sweet caramel malt balances the intensity of the hops, although Gold Stock ultimately finishes with quite an aggressive hop bite.

M - Medium bodied with light syrupy texture and bristly carbonation. Finish is quite bitter with moderate alcohol warmth on the palate.

D - This is an aggressively hopped brew that drinks like a strong IPA with a unique piney character and plenty of residual spiciness.

Serving type: growler

03-07-2010 16:02:55 | More by ffejherb

Durge

Connecticut

4.4/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a couple growlers of this seldom available brew. It's been a couple years since my last and first taste of Gold Stock at a local brew fest. It shows a generally clear orange amber that hints at a little haziness. The off-white head borders on a light oatmeal color, big and foamy it dies down to a thin but tenacious cap with tremendous lacing. The aroma brings a fairly unique barnyard hop, slightly pine, with a moderately grassy highlight and a suggestion of earthy nut malt. Very pleasant though not what you expect from the average strong ale. The flavor gives you a bright grass/malt bite with a neat piny hop overtone. I do see the strong ale quality, it's just on the mild side, but like the aroma, it is probably not what you would guess. Just the same, I really like this stuff. It has a somewhat pungent quality with some nutty kicks here and there. I find this to be subtly complex, even some citrus ideas maybe. A bit hoppy for sure but not a typical IPA. And it feels so smooth going down even though it holds a crisp bright note at each mouthful. I would call it medium bodied and wonderfully drinkable. It's really a unique brew. It may not wow everyone but I think this is a pure winner, something you could enjoy any time of year. Refreshing, satisfying, tasty, not too heavy with little signs of alcohol presence. While it may not be a true strong ale, it is a welcome addition to that or any other category and one everyone should give it a try. I also find the hop flavors build as you work your way through a pint or two. This was worth waiting for and really needs to be available more often. The rest of the world just needs to discover it!

Serving type: growler

03-02-2010 04:17:38 | More by Durge

merc7186

New York

3.99/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Sandman3479.

Growler into snifter glass.

A: Hazy Golden Straw Hue, Passes Some Light, White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Floral, Mild Citrus, Mild Oakey

T: Floral, Citrus, Grainy

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium Bodied, Mildly Bitter, Mildly Drying

Overall, very hoppy and grainy for 'american strong ale'...more like an IPA.

Serving type: growler

01-31-2013 03:34:06 | More by merc7186

far333

Connecticut

3.95/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Mmmm. Never had this one before NEB went away, and now they're back and it's great. A honey copper color with a low off-white head. Aroma is very faint, but I smell some hops. Mouthfeel is crisp and tingly, very fresh. Flavor is floral hops, with a distinct grassy taste throughout. The chewy hops flavor lingers long. This is a very nice beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2003 01:58:47 | More by far333

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.98/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A-Pours a supremely hazy honeyed orange color. Head is smaller but leaves popped bubble lacing remnants on the glass. Head is bleach white.

S-A very interesting nose. Very hoppy. Hops are of ripe and juicy melons foremost. This really smells like a ripe melon. Fruity hop derived aromas of other tropical fruits. I even get a distinct aroma of coconuts. Light vanilla and oak too. An extremely unique and complicated nose.

T-This beer is so outstandingly original. Great hoppiness. Grass and herbal hops combine melodically with pine, citrus, melon, and a ton of pineapple. Definitely tastes like coconuts. I taste almonds, too. Smooth, sweet malt and a light oaky finish. Wow, there is just so much to comment on here.

M-The most buttery feel I have ever come across. Medium boded with plenty of carbonation. The feel of this beer is simply perfect.

O/D-I didn't know what to expect from this beer here, but I did have high hopes. This blew me out of the water. This is a beer set from its own unique mold. I love the flavors and the complexity. NEBCO kills it once again. I absolutely love their brews. This is one of my favorites without a doubt.

Serving type: growler

02-04-2012 03:14:34 | More by VelvetExtract

UnionMade

Colorado

4.88/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Very similar to the casked version, but the hops are slightly less pronounced in the aroma, yet come through a little heavier in the finish. I think the dry hopping in the cask brought a more potent hop aroma. The same solid beefy malting, but with a more active carbonation. Still an incredible beer, just a bit less hoppy in the aroma.

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2003 02:41:01 | More by UnionMade

Gambrinus1184

Connecticut

3.93/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on-tap at Delaney's Tap Room in New Haven, Conn.

A: Poured a golden yellow, rusty amber color with a thin veil of white foam and moderate carbonation. Brew left a bit of sticky lace on the glass as well.

S: Smells good and hoppy, with complex floral and fruity ale notes mixed in with the pine and grapefruit acidity which dominates the nose.

T: Flavor holds a complex blend of rich buttery malts and strong, fruity esters coupled with an alcoholic sting and lush citrus hop profile. The brew is slightly astringent and the finish a nice, slick oily citrus hop flavor. Quite tasty, if not a little rough around the edges. Some decent complex malt bitterness is present as well, as it isn't just a big hop bomb.

M: Mouthfeel is medium-full bodied with a slick hoppy residue and a moderately crisp, fruity ale character.

D: One of those notorious "is it an IPA" strong ale cases for me; the saving grace is the complex ale fruitiness that maintains around the citrus hop notes and alcohol presence. At 6.5% ABV and with a palate as sharp as the Gold Stock presents with, it could be good to split a growler of and move along. All in all another good local brew from NEB.

Serving type: on-tap

03-16-2010 04:12:42 | More by Gambrinus1184

erosier

Connecticut

4.47/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

L: Pours a nice cloudy golden color with a tall and thick off white colored head that laces the glass nicely on the way down.
S: Smells of sweet toasted malts, a big earthy, spicy, citrus-y hop aroma follows with a hint of something sweet at the end.
T: Tastes like it smells with a nice sweet toasted malt base followed by a slightly sweet taste and then a nice medley of earthy, spicy, citrus-y hops with a pretty clean finish.
M: Very smooth, slightly warming maybe more relaxing, perfect amount of carbonation.
D: Very drinkable, this pint was done with ease and joy. With much less abv than most of the strong ales out there this was a nice break from them.

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2010 13:59:39 | More by erosier

ShogoKawada

Rhode Island

4.53/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

64oz growler thanks to Mr. ubufan2112, I owe ya for this one.

Poured into Firestone Walker pint glass.

A- Hazy gold/brown, dull in low light and vibrant with some light behind it. 1cm dense head settles into a dense outer ring of bubbles on the pint glass.

S- Pine sap comes off the top.

T- Bitter, earthy, herbal hops. A fantastic crispness that I was not expecting. Almost refreshing. Pale malt balances the earthy bitterness fantastically. The hops come on as bitter and earthy, also grassy and a bit spicy.

M- Great carbonation, balance, body, I am floored. 5 of 5.

D- High. One of the most unique beers I've ever had- they don't make 'em like this. A strong 6.5% ale that kicks ass- I need more!

Serving type: growler

01-25-2011 01:12:04 | More by ShogoKawada

Patrick

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Pabs311 for this growler.

A: Pours an almost clear amber/gold color with a one finger eggshell colored head that leaves behind some spotty lacing. Looks pretty good.

S: I can pick up very minor amounts of grapefruit and orange on the nose but mostly there is a soft bready backbone with some honey like sweetness.

T: Definitely lots of orange and tangerine peel up front with some biscuity malt behind it. The middle has more lingering citrus, and at the end it turns to lots of pine and hints of honey. Very tasty.

M: Dry, crisp, well carbonated, medium bodied.

D: Fantastic beer, glad I got to try this. I'll have no problem polishing of the growler.

Serving type: growler

03-24-2010 23:20:46 | More by Patrick

PicoPapa

Connecticut

4.55/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

64oz growler I picked up 3 days ago from the NEBco. Pours a hazy amber color with a thin head that disappears quickly. Not much lacing. Great aroma. Pine, hops, sweetness, and a hint of tropical fruits (namely pineapple?). There is a lot of flavor here. Nice blend of piney hops, tropical fruits, and a great bitter bite. A bit floral as well. Pretty smooth and easily quaffed. Wasn't sure how well it would keep in my growler. Not a lot of carbonation but there is enough. When I tried the plastic sample cup at the brewery I couldn't believe how tasty it was. Now I'm really glad I paid $10 for a growler. Such a deal. Outstanding beer.

Serving type: growler

01-25-2011 05:17:23 | More by PicoPapa

Pahn

New York

4.63/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

64 oz growler that I got at New England Brewing Company earlier today. Poured into a Duvel tulip.

Appearance: Violent-ish pour yields a half inch frothy white head that dissipates steadily leaving puzzle pieces of lacing. Pours a hazy yellow orange and leaves tight streaks of lacing.

Smell: Whoa, huge hop aroma bursts out of the growler after unscrewing the top.

This is one of those "Let's take a trip to the homebrew shop," beers, otherwise known as, "I like to smell/taste the ingredients that went into this," beers. In the glass, smelling the beer is like sticking your head into bag of fresh hops. There's an earthy melon character, along with Cascade citrus, pine, and some harder to pin down notes from the other hops.

Once your nose gets accustomed to the hop assault, it's time to stick your face into a bag of pale malt. New aromas coming out (some pastry dough), but I'm still squarely in the homebrew shop. The smell of this beer is so fresh and potent. With warmth, the hops (tangerine, melon, earth) come back along with the malt and the smell settles into harmonious perfection.

Taste: Up front, the taste is exactly the same as the pale malt in the aroma, proceeding to a piny, citrus bitterness, back to a smooth malty finish. The second sip brings out more of those smooth, earthy, melon-like hop flavors, with just a bit of oak influence coming out in the end. The same great balance and interplay continues throughout the glass.

Honestly, I've never tasted a beer like this. All the flavors/aromas are familiar to me, but never balanced this way and never with such an amazing "farm to table" like ingredient-oriented freshness. As others have mentioned, it really is IPA strength (German) hops, some decent west coast IPA-like bitterness and dryness in the finish, with a huge influence from the pale malt backbone and some great subtle notes from the oak. It's unique, but not gimmicky. It's just a really good idea that surprisingly hasn't been emulated more often.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied. Really mildly creamy and slightly resinous feel, with a dominating bitterness in the middle and mild dryness at the end.

Drinkability: I don't want to be too hokey or cliched, but this a real beer lover's beer. It's mindboggling to me that craft beer has taken off so successfully in the United States, yet beer that tastes like this is so uncommon. It is excellent. I only hope I can resist drinking the whole 64oz growler tonight.

There isn't much more to say in summary besides further gushing. I can count on two hands the number of beers in the past few years (out of several hundred) I've had that were this unique, and on one hand how many of those unique beers were even close to this good. Given how old this recipe is (about 20 years), it's just astonishing that there aren't more Gold Stock imitators. It goes without saying that I would love to see NEBCO bottle/can this beer.

Serving type: growler

01-26-2011 00:09:47 | More by Pahn

Hautacam

Connecticut

4.78/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

What a treat this was ! It was served on cask at the Litchfield Brewfest in CT on 6-23-07...absolutely the best , most interesting tasting brew there, IMHO....and there were lots of good beers.
I had wandered over to the New England Brewing setup for a draft Sea Hag and saw the beer engine with a sign that read " Gold Stock Ale"...I had to try it.
It came out very cloudy dark amber...almost brown with a lively off white head.
The smell was amazing....the hops so fresh and piney...like an IPA.
The taste was fantastic...sweet caramel malts, honey with lots of hints of various subtle fruits....then that wonderful piney hop kicked in and it all melded so well...it was a "Holy Shit " moment.
The body was medium/heavy ...really nice...perfect cask micro carbonation...velvet. My description just doesn't do it justice.
Drinkable ..?? I think they got tired of seeing me show up again and again at their table for another taste.
One of the best beers I have tasted this year.
I asked 'Barley Wino' if he had tried it and he held up a pint glass half done and smiled. I told 'Sraimondi' about it and he thanked me after tasting it.
I understand that the only place this will probably be available will be Delaney's in New Haven. If you see it , get it !!

Serving type: cask

06-25-2007 22:48:48 | More by Hautacam

Arenbeer

Connecticut

3.78/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at New England Tap Takover Prime 16

A- Poured a nice golden orange with not to much of a head other than a 1 finger white layer on top.

S- Strong orange and tropical citrus fruits with a good amount of hops. Slight malts but mostly the fruity notes took over.

T- Wow a very different strong ale. Strong citrus up front, just pure orange and tropical fruits with a nice hop bitterness in there to even things out. Not to much malt presence suprisingly, it's as though they took ghandi bot and up the fruitiness.

M- Medium bodied with moderate carbonation and a nice dry finish from the hops.

SkÅL!

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2011 06:35:18 | More by Arenbeer

Stoneman78

California

3.55/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap at Delaney's Tap Room on a recent trip to New Haven
A- Pours a murky golden orange hue, head is white and creamy foam that dissipates, thick swaths of lacing
S- Subtle pine hops, grassy tones, crisp biscuit malts, subtle hints of funky mildew
T- Initial taste is grassy, almost musty/funky, hops, very earthy, opens up to pale malts, finishes dry and bitter
M- Medium-bodied, watery texture, amped up carbonation
D- A nice balance of malts and earthy hops, low alcohol presence, but the musty mildew essence detracts from drinkability

Serving type: on-tap

01-26-2008 10:27:45 | More by Stoneman78

pmlondrigan

New York

3.98/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Well after a little over 6 months of wanting to try this beer today was my lucky day! Went to the bar to get some work done and surprise this was on. Not the most attractive beer in the glass, cloudy yellow with a little crystal white head and poor retention. The aroma is straight forward and hoppy. The flavor surprises me on the first sip. This beer must be the most flavor for the lowest alcohol I have tasted in a while. Big oak-y flavor that delivers vanilla, toast, and a light caramel note. Then a wave of hops bitter, pithy with a hint of citrus that leaves an indelable impact on your palate. The body of this beer is pretty good and the oak adds a rich quality. There is a bit of a cloying aspect to this beer which gets to me after a while. I'm glad to try this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2012 02:51:56 | More by pmlondrigan

abrand

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Growler obtained from fantasy football league shared with friend.

Pours a bright orange color with a nice sized white head. Very good clarity in the pour. Smell is full of hops with herbal notes. Some citrus as well as euro funky smells. Taste is amazing. Plenty of citrus and floral notes with a pleasant hoppy finish. Really good tasting. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and decent carbonation from the growler. Overall this is truly a great brew. More of an IPA than a strong ale to me. Nice hop finish to the taste.

Serving type: growler

02-27-2012 20:26:02 | More by abrand

Brez07

Maine

4.18/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Split a growler into several pint glasses

A: Pours a hazy copper/amber color. Leaves a one finger head with lots of soft lacing

S: Nice pine scent with subtle amount of citrus in the background. Also a little bit of malt present

T: Not overly complex, but great tasting. Pine and lemongrass flavors

M: Medium bodied. Slight bitterness in the finish

D: Pretty sure this beer is in the wrong category. Tastes like a cross between a pale and a pilsner. This makes sense as the brewer said it would be a German IPA if such a category existed. Very easy drinking. The growler went a lot quicker then I thought it would

Serving type: growler

03-01-2010 23:17:16 | More by Brez07

DNICE555

Connecticut

4.6/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had the Cask Republic for R Moe Nay's 28th birthday celebration. A nice full golden pint with some generous white head. As I inhale I'm getting some really nice citric hops along with some earthy tones. Almost an herbal like quality reminiscent to an Arizona iced tea. Some very nice pine and citrus hops are hitting my tongue now. The hops really dominate for a strong ale - I love it! A nice dry, crisp mouthfeel that I have grown to love. I loved the way the hops came through in this ale. Very well done. At 6.5 percent I could not imagine this beer to be more drinkable. Awesome brewery doing big things.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2011 21:22:56 | More by DNICE555