AleSmith IPA - AleSmith Brewing Company

lordofstarside

Nevada

4.18/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bomber to specialty ipa glass, no freshness date

Pours a clear shallow gold with minimal carbonation and a finger and a half of foam, pretty good retention. Smells of strong hops, thick citrus and pine with a nice sweet malt. Taste follows the nose well, nice hoppy profile balanced well with a pale citrus malt. Feel is a little light bodied with a nice crisp and bitter bite, good bitter finished. Overall this is balanced too well for my taste, I like my ipas a lot more on the hoppy side, from a balanced point of view it's great

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 01:22:40 | More by lordofstarside

Vancoubeer

Washington

4.16/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured out of the bottle and it looks like beer. Its been filtered and looks like any normal beer but one things stands out. The head retention. The fact that it does not look like it is going away says that this is going to be a sticky beer with tons of hop oils in the flavor. Lacing galore all over my glass. Am I wrong? the smell is no different. I get tons of sweet hop juice. Citrus hits the nose strong and it appears there is this sweet malt character as well. Amazing for such a filtered beer to have such a sweet citrus like smell. I know it sounds weird but most of the filtered IPAs I have had are bitter instead of smelling fruit like. Now for the taste. Not as much citrus in the flavor as I thought but its there and there is a hint of bitterness but overall, this is one tasty easy to drink IPA. For a standard IPA, its pretty darn tasty. Nothing mind blowing but this has hops in the west coast tradition. Lost of the m but when it comes to bitterness, it takes a back seat when the malts come in to mellow it out. So for the flavor I would say I get that citrusy earthy flavors most IPAs are known by. I was more intrigued by the smell though. Nevertheless, the mouthfeel for this beer does it justice. Its full bodied. Sticky and carbonated just right. Overall this is a great IPA for people that are not looking for a bitter hop bomb but for one that is looking for some nuances. Well done. Easy to drink and worth the 6 bucks I paid. Is it the best ever? No but for a standard IPA there will be very few this good. Try this out.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 05:18:00 | More by Vancoubeer

vitALEity

California

3/5  rDev -30.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - very light orange, minimal head and lacing

S - mild citrus and pine - nothing that impressive

T - balanced but very light - not what I really like in a west coast IPA. It needs more of everything. A bit too sweet also.

M - its fine, but like the aroma and taste, nothing great

O - Maybe I have an old bottle? There is no brewed on or best by date. I hate when breweries dont put this crucial info on their bottles. This is a pretty "meh" IPA.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 02:39:30 | More by vitALEity

BradMacMullin

Massachusetts

4.81/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Purchased a bottle at liquor store in the Pearl District in Portland OR

A - interesting orange color - 2 fingers and nice lacing

S - citrusy hop smell. Grapefruit and pine

T - Great well balanced hop taste - pleasant surprise

M - Light amount of carbonation and not overly fruity or heavy on alcohol

O - Heard this was a bit like Pliny and I see it. Not as good but easier to get. Very good beer

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2013 01:20:27 | More by BradMacMullin

atr2605

New York

4.13/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A-pours a golden orange color and slightly hazy with good head retention
S-a bit subtle overall, has orange citrus, pine
T-orange/grapefruit citrus with malt providing a nice backbone but not lending alot of sweetness. Bit of malt flavor in the aftertaste
M-medium bodied
O-A nice, clean citrus IPA that is very drinkable and full of flavor. Only complaint is the aroma seemed to lack a bit, but still great beer

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 01:32:39 | More by atr2605

KFBR392

Illinois

4.51/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: A bright golden orange color. Oh it looks so beautiful. A unique color for an IPA but in a wonderful way. A decent amount of lacing on the glass but didn't stick to the sides of the glass like many elite IPAs I've had.

Smell: Very subdued here, almost too much so. But the aroma that is there is truly heavenly, bright citrus blasts that come in waves. Orange peel, mango, and other tropical fruits. Very pleasant.

Taste: Wow, such a wonderfully rounded citrus, hop, pine flavor. The bright citrus flavor seem to reign supreme here but the balanced flavor is elite. The fruit flavors attack the front of this beer and eventually yield to a creamy pine flavor. One of the best single IPAs I've ever had.

Mouthfeel: Incredibly drinkable mouthfeel. Goes down at an alarmingly smooth rate. The dry pine flavor sticks on the palette.

Overall: A masterpiece. My favorite of all the Alesmith beers. This beer really reminded me of Pliny the Elder with such a rounded perfected flavor (I really just wanted to brag I've had Pliny the Elder). An incredible value and will is a must buy.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 05:21:10 | More by KFBR392

GotWad629

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a burnt orange with a small head that dissipates quickly and leaves a good amount of lacing.

This is a citrus bomb with hints of grapefruit, pine, and even some vanilla.

The taste matches the smell. There is a well rounded hop presence of citrus with a nice malt backbone. Hop resin lingers on the tongue. It is beautifully balanced.

The carbonation is perfect. It helps to cut some of that lingering bitterness keeping it very smooth.

This is possibly the best IPA I've ever had. A perfect amount of citrus and bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 01:34:31 | More by GotWad629

Brandywine

Washington

3.96/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Appearance: Poured a clear orange amber with a fingers worth of white head. Big bubbles.

Smell: Pineapple, mango, peach, guava, honey, sweet citrus like a candied orange. Subtle pine. Huge sweet tropical fruit notes. Smells amazing.

Taste: Lemon, resinous notes. Intense citrus. Grapefruit. The tropical fruits that were screaming on the nose are very subtle on the tongue. The bitterness from the hops is balanced nicely by a solid malt backbone. Tropical fruits come out more as it warms up. There's notes of mango.

Mouthfeel: Medium with light carbonation.

Overall: This really failed to live up to the nose, which was fantastic. Overall I found the taste too citrus forward given its lack of complexity. Still good but disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 06:10:06 | More by Brandywine

da_beers

Vermont

4.83/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

IPA - AleSmith Brewing Co.

A- light amber color, two finger head, good lacing

S- huge citrus scent, balances out with a sweetness, pine throughout

T- pine and citrus, some malt, hops in the end

M- has a bit of a bite to it at first, finishes smooth, carbonation is spot on

D- very drinkable, carbonation makes you want to keep sipping and not put down

O- excellent beer, IPAs are my favorite and this is one of the best I have had

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 02:48:20 | More by da_beers

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

poured into snifter glass.

reviewed 01/03/13.

Appearance: yellow bodied beer with big 2 fingers of white head. Good retention and lace.

Smell: big citrus nose, oranges, oranges, and more oranges. some grapefruit notes. tropical fruits and floral notes. bready and sweet malts.

Taste: Also sorts of oranges! A hint of grapefruits and tropical fruits, mango, papaya. A touch of pine on the back end. Malt backbone is fortifying without getting in the way of the hops. Good balance and nice complexity with the citrisy hop profile! Mild to moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel: low end of medium bodied beer. Moderate carbonation. This beer is so bright, fresh, and clean. It drink effortlessly smooth.

Overall: This is a crazy good regular offering from Alesmith! Love the fact the the hops are bo big without being overly bitter. It drinks so easily, I could see people knocking down a bomber of this beer themselves without a problem.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 20:35:41 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

StonedTrippin

Colorado

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

a really citrusy ipa. pours mostly clear copper color with a big tall delicate looking white lacey head that leaves trails after each sip. the nose is all grapefruit, bittersweet. the malt profile is rather unremarkable in both smell and taste, which is okay for me in this one, because it does what it has to while allowing a very unique and attention commanding hop bouquet to shine. again grapefruit is the main taste note, but there also something else acidic in here, maybe lemon, maybe pomelo. i really love the finish of this, which is as fruity as it is bitter, refreshing but dry, and with an alcohol content that cannot be tasted in the slightest. the feel is equally exuberant, with robust carbonation that tickles the tongue on every sip. body is medium to fuller, but the bubbles make it seem lighter than that, and a bomber of this is a joy to drink, wish i had two!

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 18:17:54 | More by StonedTrippin

VonThinker

4.03/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

My first review on this Xanadu of a beer site!!

22 Oz brown bottle, 7.25 % ABV, a fine Xmas gift from my bro

A : Pours a fairly clear, copper-amber, decent head of about 1 finger with off-white tone

S : Citrus is there, and pine prevails, perhaps also a mild honey scent

T : The hop bite is there but quickly develops into a crisp, citrusy-pine blend. Finishes a bit dry but lingers pleasantly on the back third of the tongue. The last half of the bottle transforms into a more earthy type taste as well

M : Medium body, light carbonation, not overpowering. Somewhat oily feel lingers a bit but the fine taste prevails

O: A fine IPA that I would definitely seek out again, reminiscent of Lake Placid UBU but far less of a potent feel

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 03:45:47 | More by VonThinker

scootpolute

Washington

4.13/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Serving type: bottle
1 Pint, 6 FL OZ. bottle into tulip glass.

A - Pours semi-cloudy golden, with a nice white head...- some good lacing.

S - Hops and lots of sweet citrus - some orange & grapefruit tones...

T - Smooth & Bright! A great hop kick at the top, followed by some citrus, then ending with a bit of pine-like spices...Pleasant & refreshing!!

M - Great carbonation! There's a good fullness. Present, but not 'too' much fruity/sweet flavors...The final pine/spice balances the beer out wonderfully!

O - This one is great!! I think what make this beer so good is the fine line of not over-doing 'it' in any particular area (hops, fruity-flavor, pine/spice, carbonation, and last but not least, alcohol level). VERY refreshing and will get again and...…Goin’ to look for a tap ASAP!!!

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 21:35:31 | More by scootpolute

snaotheus

Washington

4.13/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle pouredinto a large mug

Pours yellow-orange, slightly cloudy, medium sized white head. Fair amount of carbonation. Smell is very pretty, flowery, sweet, some citrus rind. Very nice.

Taste is hoppy bitterness -- pine and grapefruit zest, with a mild flowery sweetness in the background to mellow it out.

Mouthfeel is light, a little watery. Overall, this is quite good.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 21:24:11 | More by snaotheus

davednyc

New York

4.8/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

For a long while, an IPA was my go-to beer of choice. But I've also begun to get that "been there, done that that" feeling for some time now. This beer really stood out...

A - Cooper, cloudy, with a bit of a head and lacing out of the bottle

S - Strong (but not overwhelming), complex, floral, hops, citrus

T - Again, a complex floral, citrus thing going on.

O - Very nice, very distinct!

Got this as a gift at an early Christmas party. I'll be hunting this one down at the local sellers for sure!

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 22:59:37 | More by davednyc

gabedivision

New York

4.23/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

poured from a 22 oz bottle to a tulip glass.

*no bottling date*

Pours a clean, transparent light copper/orange with a 1 finger inch pillowy white head that thins to a tight lace around the glass, decent sticking and lacing. Smells of spicy citrus, mango, peach, a touch of earthy onion, and garlic also. BIg juicy hop flavors on the tongue, mangos peaches, orange juice, piny and earthy hops, slightly bitter on the finish. Meduim bodied, sugary sweet, citrus, finishes dry and bitter. Overall; i took a chance on this beer, and i was very impressed, this is a classic West Coast IPA. I just do not understand why there is no bottling date on an IPA that is being shipped across the country, lucky for me, it tastes pretty fresh.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 04:14:29 | More by gabedivision

Pinknuggets

Vermont

4.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bomber to hfs sniffer

A:honey at the bottom but more of a red dark amber sort of orange in between with a 2cm tan head

S: floral hops with hints of tropical fruit smells wonderful but not much else there

T: follows the nose a tropical floral hop taste that fades nicely into bitterness and fruit flavor it's tart like grapefruits and melons as it warms these fruit flavors come out more. It is also quite resiny like pine

M: crisp and light easy to drink for the abv it doesn't show at all. Oily with a light carbonation to complement the bitterness well this goes away and gets somewhat smoother as the beer warms. The beer also has a sticky resin like feel to it

O: really solid ipa great balance with hops taste and bitterness great mouthfeel smell is decent but wish it was more pungent color isn't great and bitterness is a little much for my taste but still great ipa but not my favorite still would definitely try again

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 02:48:30 | More by Pinknuggets

match1112

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Orange copper body with two fingers of thick clumpy sea foam looking head. Great lacing and head retention.

S: Tropical fruits, grapefruit, pine and caramel.

T: Big sweet fruity burst of flavor. Pine resin on the backend with a nice balance of malt thru out.

M: Medium body with good carbonation. Oily feel to it with a long dry bitter finish.

O: Just another great west coast IPA. Tasted too good to savor, so my notes are short, but you should seek this out if you're lookin for a great easy drinkin IPA.

Thanks for helping me knock this off the Beers of Fame list ehammond1!

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 01:08:08 | More by match1112

endovelico

Portugal

4.78/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

From time to time i will have a beer that is so flavorful, luscious and intense that i find myself feeling guilty for not really questioning it or for just wanting to give in to the Vox Populi without doing any real in-depth tasting. This is perhaps my most glaring case of this.

Trying my best to over compensate, i can still only find faults in the appearance and aroma - That, while gorgeous, is a bit rough around the edges and lacking in depth when you compare it to other American IPAs. I should also point out how the last third of the bottle feels like a totally different (but equally awesome) beer. The yeast adds some welcomed earthy undertones and the 'bite' balances out the sweetness revealing elite Craftsmanship.

If somehow the guys at AleSmith managed to add slightly more depth and a more sophisticated aroma, we would be looking at a contender for the perfect IPA award.

Pretty awesome, indeed.

DESCRIPTORS: Exotic fruit, Flower, Caramel, Pine, Citrus. Sweet-ish finish. Medium Full bodied. Medium bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 23:15:09 | More by endovelico

ummswimmin

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I got this beer from a BIF and I was really excited to open it up. We don't Alesmith in New Jersey.

I poured this into a fluted glass. The IPA is orange with with plentiful sticky foam on top.

I smell a lot of pine and some citrus. There is even a little lemon in there.

The flavor is like a stock San Diego IPA. THe flavor is good, but not the ridiculous 'over the top' beer that I have read about on the boards. I'm sure it would be tough for any beer to live up to the expectations that the reviews have left.

I would get this beer again if it was easy to find. It was a pretty good IPA.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 01:31:01 | More by ummswimmin

ThickNStout

Georgia

4.83/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

22oz bottle from j47paco (thanks Juan!). No bottling info. Served in a Wild Heaven snifter.

Pours brilliant orange with a full frothy one finger head. Nice beads of lace.

Smells of crisp grapefruit and tangerine. Oh so inviting!

A bright hop explosion of grapefruit, pine, orange zest, pineapple and a touch of peppery spice with a pleasant noticeable biscuit backing. An excellent blend of tropical yet bitter hops

Oily slick medium body with a good bit of zesty carbonation. Nice citrus hoppy finish.

Wow! This is a truly outstanding IPA that I'd choose over several even double/ imperials (and I'm typically an 8%+ abv drinker). For my money this is what an IPA should be.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 04:54:17 | More by ThickNStout

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22oz Bomber - thanks to jfam for this

Appearance - Slightly hazy dark amber/copper colour with a small size fizzy white coloured head. There is a low amount of carbonation showing and there is some faint lacing. The head lasted for only a few minutes.

Smell - Malts, caramel, hops, grapefruit

Taste & Mouth - There is a low amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, caramel and some hops. There is also a bit of tangerine and grapefruit. It ends with a malty sweet aftertaste with a medium amount of lingering hop bitterness.

Overall - There has to be something wrong with my bottle.. it's almost like it's from a cask. There was no head, and the beer is basically flat. I can tell that the beer has some promise, but this is not what I was expecting. I see no code/date on the bottle. Oh well, I'll try to re-review, but I'll probably just end up buying sculpin instead.

Edit ***

Had another bottle Nov 2012 from Bear World Watertown NY for 7.99 - Great carbonation and taste, lots of hops. This might be the first time I've had it reasonably fresh. However, the price and no dating still irks me. If this was available in 6 packs and had a bottle date, it might be unstoppable.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 01:11:40 | More by spinrsx

TangTKE402

New York

4.05/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Poured from a 22oz. bomber bottle into a 16oz. tulip glass. Poured clear, the color of hay, with a beautiful white, 2-finger head that left some sticky lacing all the way down. Effervescent and inviting.

S: A beautiful, balanced aroma with some strong notes of Oak, Vanilla, Citrus, Pine and Flowers. This nose is delicate, inviting, and aromatic.

T: The beer hits you with a peppery front on the tongue, and then transitions to a woodsy middle and a hoppy swallow. The flavors are well aligned, and not conflicting with a balance of lightness in the mouth and a heavy-ish after-tatse that lingers.. Other notes of cedar, pine boughs, earth, grass, and sediment.

M: Chewy, with a loaminess that belies its crisp, filtered appearance. This beer has a distinct presence, with some bubbles to give it a lighter texture, but overall, it's a beer that sits low in your mouth.

O: Delicious, but don't buy looking for an overwhelming hop flavor. The hops in this one are buried, and discrete. The first impression isn't particularly strong, but the subtle notes and flavors sneak up on you just at the right moment of enjoyment.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 22:54:58 | More by TangTKE402

Greywulfken

New York

4.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: medium amber body with a finger+ of off-white foam from a center pour into a tulip. Left some lace drapings.

S: piney and citrusy hops over a malty base

T: follows nose: classic IPA hop profile, lots of delicious bitter hops, suggestive of fresh pine and fresh rain in a grassy field; citrusy grapefruit; clean fresh malty flavors, with just enough sugars to balance out the hops into a well-balanced beer.

M: medium-to-light bodied, brisk carbonation; overall, crisp and refreshing, just a touch of nice chewiness; great drinkability

O: a well-crafted, snapshot profile of an American IPA by one of America's great craft brewers. So easy to drink, and fairly easy to find.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 00:07:24 | More by Greywulfken

Treebs

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle served in a Firestone Walker tulip. Big thanks again to mfavoino (Matt) for sending this my way.

A: Pours a clear golden orange color with a thick white head forming on the pour. It recedes slowly leaving behind sticky sheets of lace.

S: Pale malt sweetness, dried grass, little bursts of citrus fruit and a little pine on the back end as well.

T: More piney bitterness than the nose, but the same pale malt sweetness comes through. Grassy and little less citrus as well.

M: Light bodied with a nice, medium carbonation level with a sweet malt finish.

O: A little maltier than I would have liked, but this was easily drinkable and the flavors blended nicely together.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 15:09:00 | More by Treebs