Presidential IPA - Diamond Bear Brewing Company

AgentZero

Illinois

2.08/5  rDev -37.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Thanks to Chris for the Arkansas tick.

A - Orangish copper beer with a finger of head that had good retention and left a bit of lacing.

S - Caramel, floral and herbal hops. A bit of honey, caramel, yeast. Has kind of a weird popcorn smell that is unpleasant, as is the aroma as a whole.

T - This tastes pretty bad. A lot of bread, skunk, bit of rotten fruit, a little floral and citrus hops. This beer is really not good at all, was hard to drink.

M - Medium bodied with some active carbonation.

O - Bad beer that I did not care for at all, glad to have knocked Arkansas off, but this was gross.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 23:10:00 | More by AgentZero

Thorpe429

Illinois

2.25/5  rDev -32.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Thanks to spycow for sharing this bottle. Served in a Cantillon tulip.

Pours a moderate golden-orange color with a single-finger of head with pretty good retention and a light cap on top throughout. The nose is quite strange and reminds me a bit of Corn Pops. Other than that, there's some light caramel alongside a tiny hint of floral and herbal hops. Quite bready and yeasty underneath. This bready character totally dominates the flavor, and not in a pleasant way. Feel is medium without much bitterness. An odd beer that I did not particularly enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2010 12:24:42 | More by Thorpe429

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

2.35/5  rDev -29.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

review from notes on 6.20.12. 12 oz bottle.

A: very hazed. a shade lighter than red/amber. head is bright white, lacing and retention are average.

S: caramel and toffee jump out of the glass. dried fruit. fig or prune. pancake mix. a little bit of fusel alcohol. in conclusion, nothing about this nose is saying IPA to me.

T: sweet malts, similar to the nose. minor bitterness back there. dry. milano cookie. very dry. raisins. more fruit than hop.

M: lower carb. on a medium body.

D: pretty one-note for me and not in a good hoppy way. malt sweetness into abyss...ive had the Two-Term in addition to the Presidential from Diamond Bear and while i thought the Two-Term was better, both are far away from any great AIPA or DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 22:24:54 | More by Jimmys

cdkrenz

Wisconsin

2.45/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A - Hazy dark copper colored body. Its head stands at about one and three quarter inches and is an eggshell white with a hint of tan. The top is hummocky and frothy.

S - Pungent fruit aroma. The scent's strength is not well exercised.

T - Its bitter in a way that's not all that desirable. The flavors are too pungent and don't work in sync with one another. There are apricot, banana, black licorice, and brown sugar tastes here but all are a bit off.

M - The feel is easy and mellow, unfortunately the feel isn't a big enough reason to drink this IPA.

~ This is a tough beer to really sit back and enjoy. While it looks good I think something may have gone awry with this batch. However, maybe the name means more than I realized initially. Presidential IPA, looks good but looks are deceiving when it comes to politics.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2009 00:02:19 | More by cdkrenz

Strix

Wisconsin

2.58/5  rDev -23%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Smells quite good, dominated by grapefruit and flowery hop flavors. Taste is hoppy with a bit of alcohol, has a buttery aftertaste noted by the last reviewer. The buttery taste doesn't go well with the hops and really turns me off on this. The buttery taste kind of moderates to a grassy taste as the beer warms, but it's still not something I like. I applaud small breweries for trying stuff, but I really wish they could improve the aftertaste on this one.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2007 03:18:20 | More by Strix

chocosushi

Oklahoma

2.58/5  rDev -23%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Served Celler Temp -> Saison Dupont Becker

A ~ Pours pale filtered amber with a promising 3 inch head with very consistent lace.

S ~ Very Mild citrus and bits of grass. Touches of pale malt and caramel. Mild nose if ya ask me.

T ~ Spiced oranges with a pale malt backbone. Doughy mid palette with a hint of wet leaves and zest. Oyster crackers?

M ~ Medium in body. Things aren't too thin here which makes it not horrible. Bittering is light and carbonation is light.

D ~ A very "safe" IPA you could buy for friends who don't dig hoppy beers or are seeking a new session brew. Not a standout, drinks like water. Very drinkable by any means, but won't be a repeat purchase for me.

Why is it a Presidential IPA in the first place?

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 22:22:58 | More by chocosushi

bsp77

Minnesota

2.63/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Received in the ever increasingly crappy August shipment of my BOTM club.

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into Nonic Imperial Pint.

Appearance: Cloudy dark amber-orange with bubbly off-white head and some nice lacing.

Smell: Very slight citrus and sweet toasted malt. Very hard to detect much here.

Taste: Semi-sweet toasted malts grapple with citrus hop bitterness. Unfortunately the sweetness wins until the aftertaste when some spicy bitterness is evident. I really don't like sweet IPAs.

Feel: Moderate carbonation, medium body. Does not have the kind of dry finish I expect from an IPA.

Drinkability: While not really bad, I am not a fan of sweet IPAs.

Honestly, this has been a pretty meh month from my club. A decent Pils and then a mediocre Brown Ale, APA and IPA. Really, that is the best they can do at this time of year?

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2009 01:18:47 | More by bsp77

GPHarris

Alabama

2.63/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

a - poured a one finger thick bubbly tan head into a shaker glass that left nice lacing and sheeting throughout. the body was a slightly hazy, cloudy copper color.
s - muted grapefruit with a more toffee and baked apple aroma. definitely more sweet than hoppy.
t - grainy, bready with some slight citrus hops here but i had to search to find them. not much of a hop punch here.
m - medium thickness, slick.
o - incredibly ordinary and boring. more hops please. might be good for people new to ipas but not for me.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2012 17:20:26 | More by GPHarris

youradhere

Arkansas

2.83/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

On tap at the tasting room. Opaic golden body, whipped cream like head. Smell is of musty cat pee, moldy citrus- stop using pellets, and get fresh hops please. Taste is watery hay, grapefruit rind, and pithy bitter. Mouthfeel was creamy with prickly carbonation. This is a rather uninspired IPA, little to no fresh hop aroma, little to no hop taste. Do you guys know what is going on in the rest of the US?

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2013 11:02:43 | More by youradhere

mrasskicktastic

New Jersey

2.85/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

A - Very hazy reddish copper brew with an enormous durable head and copious lacing.

S - A clean aroma with some pepper and grapefruit pith with some mild bready and sweet malty tones.

T - Grapefruit pith, hint of lemon and a touch of medicinal tasting hops (like ground up aspirin, not NyQuil). Aftertaste is of lingering slightly medicinal hop bitterness with some bready notes.

M - A little drying. A bit harsh. Froths up immediately, under that, I'd guess it has a medium body.

D - Alright, too blandly bitter in the finish. After my three bottles, I don't think I'll have this again. If I ever see another from the brewery, I will try.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2009 07:07:29 | More by mrasskicktastic

TheKingofWichita

North Carolina

2.95/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a medium amber color with a thick soapy white head and a fair amount of lacing. Smells of pinesol and tons of floral hops with a hint of citrus. Tastes of loads of bitter hops with a little citrus undertone and some pine notes. Mouthfeel is medium with good carbonation. Drinkability is decent.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2010 01:42:03 | More by TheKingofWichita

jrallen34

Illinois

2.95/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Huge thanks to Chris for the elusive Arkansas tick...Medium orange pour, light tope head that is ok...A very malty aroma, tons of caramel, only the lightest bit of hops. Average, but too much alcohol...The taste is not good at all, caramel malt dominates this, hardly any hops, weird taste and feel.

Not as bad as I expected, but not good by any means. Below average IPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2010 19:28:47 | More by jrallen34

brewerburgundy

California

2.98/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle, Bruery tulip, bottled in February (hopefully of 2011). The man answering the phone at Diamond Bear today said that the ticked number, 1-12, on the label indicates month of bottling.

The pour is an attractive deep copper, very clear, and topped with a creamy quarter inch of head.

Aroma is much as I remember it on draught; soft grapefruit, vegetal hops, and the same coriander. Caramel malt lends a sense candied grapefruit. The coriander is surprising, but not altogether out of place. It's a bit earthy with lemon zest and herb. The aromas are very weak, but it doesn't smell like a two week old IPA or a ten month old one. I'm a bit confused.

The flavor profile is tediously close to what is found in the nose. There is more pop in the grapefruit and vegetal earthiness here. Malt is medium but not a star either. A moderate amount of pithy bitterness props things up and grows as the beer warms. Fleeting, appropriate alcohol.

The mouthfeel is nearly great. Body starts off moderate but finishes almost watery. Carbonation is creamy.

This beer somehow just underachieves severely. Everything seems headed in the right direction. I admit I'm trying to like it because Diamond Bear is the only bottling brewery in my adopted state of Arkansas. Maybe that's all the more reason to be hard on them. That said, let this warm quite a bit.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2011 23:09:32 | More by brewerburgundy

emmasdad

Colorado

2.98/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Many thanks to my smokin’ hot wife for bringing some Diamond Bear beers back from her recent trip to Arkansas. Poured a medium orange amber color with a decent white head. Aromas of muted hops, caramel and bread. On the palate, this one was light bodied and fizzy, with flavors of light hops, caramel and bread dough.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 23:40:52 | More by emmasdad

ATLbeerDog

Georgia

3/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

From a 12 ounce bottle - Pours a slightly cloudy deep orange/red with low carbonation, and average lacing. Delightful smells of big sweet malts and some big hops. First sip is somewhat bitter with a welcomed hop presence that is complimented with a strong enough malt backbone to really balance out the aggressive hops. Not too bad.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2008 03:07:52 | More by ATLbeerDog

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.03/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a hazy dark orange with a very grainy head that starts to fall apart a little too quickly, although it does leave some scant lacing. Smells very sweet- like malt extract with just a tad of citrusy hops. As it warms some light graininess becomes noticeable and the hops are slightly more present. The taste starts out much better with a fair dose of piney hops, but it very quickly falls off into the sweet malt extract taste at first, and then a light seltzery taste afterward with just a touch of sour graininess. If the bitter start lasted throughout the taste, this would be a much better beer. Both grainy and a little watery in the mouth with just a touch too much fizz as well. A little worse than I was expecting- a punchier hop profile is really called for in an IPA.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2009 17:41:42 | More by Georgiabeer

thesyko56

Georgia

3.05/5  rDev -9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Received through BeerMonthClub.com

A: Dark amber color. I got about a two and a half finger yellowish head.

S: Sweet with hints of floral hops.

T: Taste is kind of a let down. Very bitter but not in the good way. Seems that perhaps the flavors do not go together.

M: Highly carbonated and slightly heavy body.

D: Not a very impressive IPA

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2009 02:41:42 | More by thesyko56

JoeyBeerBelly

New York

3.08/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

got this beer as an extra in a trade with Tilley4

12oz bottle, with a '12' notched on the bottle label, served in a standard pint glass.

A - cloudy, orange/amber color with a small beige head that fell to a ring with a few clumps, leaving tight sticky bubble lacing.

S - slight funkiness and light citrus hop aroma.

T - sort of a musty hop flavor, bitterness is there, but it leaves a sweet after taste. no hop burps :(

M - medium bodied with good carbonation.

D - it's ok, and I would drink it over a Bud Light, but I would pass it up for a whole slew of other IPA's.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2008 22:14:53 | More by JoeyBeerBelly

brauseboof

South Carolina

3.08/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Well, is was in Little Rock, waitin' on a plane when I found this on tap in the airport lounge.
Poured a nice dark amber, with a fairly small head, with good lacing which held up well.
Not much in the the aroma category, perhaps a bit of citrus.
The grapfruit bitterness hit immediately, followed by a nice roasted malt.
Nicely carbonated and smooth.
A bit too much bitterness for me and not real interesting, but a decent beer overall.

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2009 22:08:15 | More by brauseboof

RBorsato

Virginia

3.1/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Tasted on-tap 04/18/07 at a bar in the Little Rock, AR airport.

Solid golden in color with a low off-white head. Nicely balanced India Pale Ale from a hop/malt perspective. Some definite buttery tones which detract from it's positives. Medium bodied and smooth with a disappointing lt butter finish.

Wondering if the butter character is present in the bottled versions or if was just bad handling at the airport pub...

Per DB website:
Malts: 2 Row Pale, Caramel 40, and Carapils
Hops: Goldings, Cascade, and Fuggles
ABW 5.82%
OG 15.3P
IBUs 57

Serving type: on-tap

06-07-2007 18:05:06 | More by RBorsato

LXIXME

New Mexico

3.1/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from an inch or so above the glass gives you a super sized off white head above a clear honey golden colored beer.

A light sour on a citrus hops aroma is quite noticeable.

The taste is more of the light sour citrus with a dry slightly bitter hops taste.

A medium bodied beer that leaves a lightly sour dry aftertaste.

An alright IPA but, these guys do better with their Paradise Porter and some of their other stuff.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2011 22:49:30 | More by LXIXME

shivtim

Georgia

3.15/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Nice rich copper color. Slightly murky. Small light tan head, good lacing.

Nose is quality west coast hops, sticky, gentle malt backbone. Taste matches. Simple but well done.

Slightly thin mouthfeel, average to good drinkability. It's a pleasing but gentle and simple IPA.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2009 19:02:10 | More by shivtim

WJVII

Wisconsin

3.18/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

August BOM 2009
Poured from a pint glass with an aggressive pour, this brew has a burnt orange color with a cream colored wildly large head that just lasts and lasts. Thick luscious lacing sticks to the glass. The aroma is very citrus with orange and lemon in the front. There is a sweet floral hop finish in the back of my nose. The taste has a great hops bite! A little more sweet than sour citrus, but there is a nice hop presence as there should be in an IPA. This so far is the best brew from August BOM. Not overpowering, but a decent balance and a nice session brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2009 02:49:29 | More by WJVII

estlinska

Arkansas

3.19/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

Served in a standard shaker at the tap room at the Brewery on 3/24/13. Pours a very hazy soft copper color with a very bubbly off-white head. Does not allow much light penetration. The smell is very subdued for an IPA with more bready malt smell than the hops. The hops a somewhat spicy and earthy overall with a little bit of soft flower smell to it. The taste was again surprisingly mild on the bitterness bill and very sweet overall. The malt just stood out a lot and the flavor was not quite astringent, but there was something off to it. The mouthfeel was soft with just a slight alcohol burn to it I didn't expect. I've had this beer before and really didn't think much to it, but this was a little bit off to me. I'll keep at it while I live in Little Rock, but it really did not do well on my palate.

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2013 21:54:15 | More by estlinska

DoctorDog

Ohio

3.2/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to beveritt for passing one of these along to sample. My first Arkansas brew, as far as I know anyways....

Presentation: 12 oz bottle into a nonic. Side of bottle is notched at "4" out of 12 possible, but with no year notch available.

A- Dark copper with a bit of a haze. Pours with ~2 fingers of creamy, tan head, which fades slowly to a thin cap, leaving good lacing. Good retention.

S- Solid sweet, malty notes are quite forward, with a lightly citrus/flowery hops presence.

T- Moderate caramel maltiness kick it off. This is followed by some tea-esque, fairly harsh/somewhat astringent metallic-tinged hop flavors. This edge seems to temper acceptably as the beer warms slightly.

M- Moderate carbonation. Medium feel, and slightly creamy.

D- OK. The hops didn't really mesh quite right, and the slightly metallic edge to the bitterness detracts a bit.

Future outlook: All in all, not really that bad, but not all that great either. Happy to have tried, but no reason at all to try again.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2009 04:46:44 | More by DoctorDog