Boatswain American I.P.A. - Minhas Craft Brewery

JayQue

Virginia

3.34/5  rDev +20.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Interesting beer. As an IPA, it is very mediocre. Thin mouthfeel, weak nose, lacking in hoppy goodness. As a session type beer, labeled as an ESB instead of an IPA and considering it is $1.99 for a 22 oz bomber, this is not bad at all!!!!

Poured from a 22 oz bottle into a pint glass. Clear copper color, medium size fizzy white head with spotty lacing and average retention. The aroma is just not there as an IPA. Call it something else and it is more acceptable....light grassy and floral hops and a little biscuity/bready malt.

Taste is fine (as an ESB or Amber Ale, but not an IPA). Grassy and floral hops, some bitterness but not the hop bomb that the term AIPA conjures up. Nice balance between biscuity/toasty malt and the mild bitterness.

Mouthfeel is pretty thin for an IPA, more acceptable for another style. Nice balance, somewhat crisp and refreshing.

For a $1.99 22 ouncer, Trader Joe's has done pretty well. As a lawnmower beer/summer quencher...not bad at that price. Not a particularly impressive IPA though.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 02:05:23 | More by JayQue

zoolou

Iowa

1.35/5  rDev -51.3%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.25

Tastes like a 'hoppy' forty. The smell reminded me of bad college parties and the taste didn't do much to help. Smell has a corny/syrupy aroma with some indistinct hops, and the taste is a little better, especially when it warms up a bit, but misses the mark completely when compared to even 'middle of the road' IPA's.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 02:43:11 | More by zoolou

BucannonXC5

California

2.29/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 1.75 | overall: 2.25

Type: 22-oz. bomber
Glass: Firestone restaurant glass
From: Trader Joe’s in Grossmont Center (San Diego), Calif.
Price: $1.99
Purchased: April 4, 2013
Consumed: April 4, 2013
Misc.: N/A

Poured a caramel copper hazy color with two fingers of off-white head. Reminded me of an packaged Lipton iced tea. Good amount of sporadic lacing on the sides of the glass. Very good retention (thick and white) on top all the way down.

Smelled surprisingly (but not surprisingly considering it’s a Boatswain) malts more than hops. Got bread, roasty nuts, caramel and toffee malts. Earthy, grainy hops, probably more resin than grass. Definitely some skunkiness in there.

Medium body. Oily texture. Average carbonation. Abrupt, bitter finish.

About what I’d expect from Boatswain, but it was $1.99. Had to give it the old college try.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 04:45:01 | More by BucannonXC5

Spikester

Oregon

2.78/5  rDev +0.4%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

Pours hazy amber with one finger of off white head. Some lacing early on.
Smell is slight floral hops maybe some citrus.
Taste is is pink grapefruit with a full backing of malt syrup?
Mouthfeel is average. A medium semi dry finish.
Overall a simple IPA much closer to a Pale Ale or even a hoppy Amber. Very drinkable though.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 02:45:47 | More by Spikester

BeerNinja007

New Hampshire

1.88/5  rDev -32.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 1.75

Can't believe I'm trying another one of these Trader Joe's beers, after the revolting experience I had with the Boatswain Twin Screw Steamer Double IPA. This one can't possibly be any worse. From that perspective there's definitely room for improvement, but that's not saying much.

22oz bomber for $2.49 at Trader Joe's in Newington, NH. Served cold in a tulip. Code 13 310 14 stamped on the bottle, whatever the hell that means. Hopefully that's not secret code for "ass beer".

A: Hazy reddish copper brew, fizzy light brown head 1 finger high from a moderate pour. At least it looks like beer so far.

S: Immediately upon pouring it put up a decent amount of rough hop aroma, but this faded away too quickly for me to really get a handle on it. What's left is a clean semi-sweet light malty backbone with some raw starchy grain aspects. Smells almost like a cheap Euro Dortmunder/ Export lager. Hops are completely gone at this point, like a fart in the wind. At least it doesn't smell like asparagus piss like the last one did. (Sorry, still hung up on that nasty Twin Screw Steamer).

T: This is pretty rough. A tad bit of coarse malt and a mild generic hop, combined with an equal amount of green vegetable stuff and a really pungent EtOH peppery heat. Tons of fusels. Wow. Like half as nasty as the other one. Yes an improvement, but nowhere near enough of one that I'm glad to be drinking this. Borderline drainpour material. Really unrefined, raw, choppy. What a train wreck. Who the hell is making this stuff??

As it warms/ airs, counterintuitively, it seems to improve a bit. Maybe some of the offensive volatile stuff is burning away, who knows. A light syrupy sweetness emerges to balance out the raw grain. Some mildly tropical thing going on in the body. Not much hop still... just a tad bit of generic bittering hop in the finish, mixed up with the fusels and rubbing alcohol.

M: Unbelievable how poorly-hidden the EtOH is. It's only 6.7% but I'm pretty sure you could dilute rubbing alcohol down to this point with pure water and it'd go down more smoothly. Carbo is appropriate. At least it's not flat or overly fizzy, so at least I can give them that much.

D: A step up from the Twin Screw, but again that's not saying much. Not worth $2.50. If I was a homeless bum and this was $1, it might be an option versus MD 20/20 or Boone's Farm every now and then.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 03:53:48 | More by BeerNinja007

DmanGTR

New York

1.44/5  rDev -48%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.25 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.25

Bottle from TJ's. Was only $2.39 for a bomber so I thought nothing to lose...

Poured a deep amber, very clear, with a short lived billowing off-white head. Scant lace left behind as the head receded. It kind of looked dead after the head died down. Giving a sniffy sniff, I must say that it was superbly underwhelming. Nose is faint overall even though I poured the beer slightly below room temperature. Bit of malt and biscuit in the backbone and mild herbal notes. Bit of fruit that seems like a blend of dried orange peel, lychee, and bitter herbs. The flavor is very much like the aroma but there is a metallic distastefulness that sends it all down the drain. Barely any citrus or pine notes that I would expect in an IPA. I'm struggling here to find anything appealing about this beer. Body is pretty hefty for the mild carbonation, almost a slick feel to the beer. The beer kind of starts off with the sweetness of malt, then picks up the herbs and mild citrus, then dies, leaving only a scant bitterness in the finish.

I found water to be more appealing than this.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 03:21:13 | More by DmanGTR

rodney45

New York

2.89/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

A: Amber brown with a small head that laces the glass throughout.

S: Boozy and malt smelling with little hop aroma.

T: First notes are of crystal malt and cracked wheat. Secondary flavors are of light hops and a second dose of crystal and munich malts. Finish is not dry and has distinct flavors of cherry and belgian candied sugar.

M: Medium to mid heavy mouthfeel with low carbonation and little bitterness.

O: Middle of the line brew, not bad for the price of 2.79 for 22 oz. I'd def buy again because although it doesnt seem like a traditional IPA, it isnt bad. Its more along the lines of a scotch ale or a blond ale gone dark. I liked it, and i'd recommend it (for the price.)

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 07:50:21 | More by rodney45

SolaceBrewing

California

1.83/5  rDev -33.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 1.75

22 oz Bottle from Trader Joe's

Appearance - amber/orange in color; one finger head that disappears within a minute; somewhat darker than I would expect for an IPA

Aroma - faint alcohol; little to no hop aroma; hints of sweet malt

Flavor - bitingly sweet malt flavor; if this was homebrew, I would think that I needed to repitch yeast to continue fermentation; subdued hop bitterness, with little to no hop flavor

Mouthfeel - syrupy; carbonation level is good--a good balance of tingly and smooth on the tongue

Overall - I'm glad I didn't pay more than $2 for this. It is not something I would drink again. It is also lacking in hop flavor, aroma, and bitter/malt balance I would expect from an American IPA. I couldn't finish the bottle and dumped it.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 21:25:25 | More by SolaceBrewing

spokeydonkey

New York

2.25/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Got a bomber of this at Trader Joe's for under $3. Bottle claims 75 IBUs, 15.46 plato starting gravity and 6.7% ABV, which would make a pretty dry, hoppy IPA. Unfortunately, it tastes like none of these things. Their "appearance," listed as "brown" is spot on (bear in mind, this is an India PALE ale).

Appearance: Dark amber-brown. Definitely not a pale ale of any variety. Looks fairly clear wit a decent off-white ead.

Smell: Lots of caramel malt and some citrusy hops.

Taste: UGH! There's only a few beers I've poured out, but this is one of them. Syrupy caramel and cloying sweetness. Can't detect much in the way of hops. Way out of balance for the style and for any beer in general.

Mouthfeel: Syrupy. Didn't get past that and didn't want to.

Overall: Barely drinkable. The sweetness and lack of hop flavor is offensive. I dumped it. If you like sweet, low-bitterness beers relying heavily on caramel flavor, this might be up your alley. If you're looking for an IPA, look elsewhere! I dumped this and grabbed a Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye for my hops fix.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 23:31:25 | More by spokeydonkey

barczar

Kentucky

2.95/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours a slightly hazy deep copper with a dense one inch cream head that lingers. Leaves thick lacing as it eventually dissipates.

Citrus zest, pine, floral hops, and lightly toasted malt form the initial aroma. There's a skunky note, as well as a hint of onion and earthy hops.

Flavor is way too sweet. Caramel malt, slightly toasted breadcrust, and buttery toffee form the initial profile. There's an underpinning of floral hops and grapefruit pith, but the sweetness of the malt dominates into the lightly bitter finish.

Body is pretty full, with fairly low carbonation, which compounds the syrupy mouthfeel. There's significant grainy astringency at the finish.

Overall, wish the flavor followed the aroma more closely. Cloyingly sweet, and masked the hop profile.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 20:30:01 | More by barczar

markipa1

Massachusetts

2.48/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

This is so far from what I think of as an "American IPA", that name is almost laughable. If you are a true fan of American IPA's, just avoid this. It's drinkable, more like an amber, but has none of qualities one would associate with a decent IPA.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 23:15:56 | More by markipa1

Offa

California

3.13/5  rDev +13%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This is a decent beer, hardly great and rather rough and simple, but a solid, enjoyable beer and good with food.

Pale golden copper, it has a medium off-white head steadily shrinking to thin ring.

Aroma is bread crust, hint of metal and coins, hint of citrus - orange flowers, and dusty pine.

Taste is alcoholic orange flowers, jammy with hints of bread crust, fruit candy. It's a bit sweet with only light spicy bitterness, and it's a bit rough and simple, but it's nice tasting nonetheless and is quite enjoyable with food, where it holds up well.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 00:27:30 | More by Offa

mactrail

California

2.6/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Very dark hazy amber in the New Belgium tulip. Really nice cloud of foam on this with plentiful lacing and sudsy mouthfeel.

The sweet flavor is kind of a shock. It's sweeter than a bock beer. It's like a DIPA missing the hops. I'm always complaining about abusive levels of bitterness, but hot this one. It's so unhoppy I'd have to call it insipid, like a malt liquor. There is a leaf mold sort of smell, with a bitterish murky taste that must have something to do with hops.

Overall, this has that nasty sweet 'n' bitter combination that usually signals "drainpour" for me. However, I had a bottle of Knee Deep Simtra open, which is a ticking hop bomb. Mixed fifty-fifty it wasn't a bad combination. But what do you want for two bucks? Rubber biscuit?

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 07:24:09 | More by mactrail

LXIXME

New Mexico

3.53/5  rDev +27.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A medium sized light tan head settles into a nice lacing on a clear orangeish copper colored beer that seems to have a fair amount of carbonation.

Light sweet malts with a light orange citrus aroma.

A light almost bitter dryish citrus taste with some light sweet malts adding balance to this drink.

There is a light sweet malty dryish aftertaste on this medium bodied beer.

For the price this was a pretty good deal, decent to better taste on a relatively cheap bottle of beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 03:09:28 | More by LXIXME

Simlaw111

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev +47.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I think the problem with this beer is naming it an IPA, being from England and growing up on traditional bitter, I really like this beer. It is nowhere near as complex and aromatic as an American IPA should be but for a pleasant quaffable beer it hits the mark. Perhaps thats why they put it in a 22 oz bottle, of course you do not want to drink it in the same volume as an English bitter as its considerably stronger than most.

Overall a good beer if you forget the IPA rating.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 20:47:27 | More by Simlaw111

seagullbeer

California

1.83/5  rDev -33.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

A- Rich dark cloudy orange

S- Sweet dried apricots, peaches

T- Syrupy, sweet, very fruity ipa not very hoppy. Fruit sodaish. Taste a bit stale.

M- Smooth, fades quickly but the tail end of each sip reveals the flavors I disliked the most.

O- Didn't care for it. Its 2 dollars for a tall bottle at trader joes so wasn't hoping for much... it wasn't much. I'd rather just go for light beer in a can.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 02:47:28 | More by seagullbeer

Mosstrooper

California

2.83/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from 22oz bottle into Duvel tulip glass.

Appearance: Hazy amber color with a large off-white head that dissipates relatively quickly and leaves behind a thick ring of lace.

Smell: Sweet caramel with orange and lemon hints. Seems lacking in hop depth, but doesn't smell bad.

Taste: Begins with sweet caramel and citrus, becoming breadier as it rounds to the finish, which only shows a faint touch of hop bitterness in the back of the throat.

Mouthfeel: Creamy body with smooth carbonation and a watery finish.

Overall: Not a bad beer, but really lacking in hop flavor for an "IPA"- probably closer to an American amber ale. Still, at $1.99 per bomber, you really can't complain too much.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 01:16:47 | More by Mosstrooper

OneWheelJoe

4.03/5  rDev +45.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 oz. bomber into a room-temperature Guinness glass. The label is red with a very rustic, simple style of writing. There's a basic description of the beer at the bottom. It promises extra hop flavor and boasts a solid 8.4% ABV.

Appearance: Nice, clear amber color with a hearty finger's off-white head. Bubble stream consistently toward the top, feeding the head again and again. This brew is crystal clear. Not typical of my more beloved IPA's.

Aroma: Hops blast the nose, making my mouth water. Pouring this brew into a glass has definitely allowed it to breathe nicely, as a whiff of the open bottle yields very little aroma.

Taste: The moment of truth. Wow. The flavor presents an unpredictably sweet front end. The aftertaste is where I find the intentional bitterness. I find few complexities to divulge, except for the slightest tinge of apple and grapefruit.

Mouthfeel: Light, almost empty. For a double American IPA, I would have expected more weight on the tongue. It is easy to rocket the beer from lips to the back of the throat without it spreading to the rest of the mouth, which is disappointing. A double IPA should invade the entire mouth without warning or apology. However, the overall feel is not unpleasant.

Overall: This is easy to drink, which can be dangerous at 8.4% ABV. If I was seeking a hard-hitting IPA, this would fall short in terms of weight and feel. Considering however, the it was only 3 bucks for a bomber, I'm not prepared to complain. I would purchase it again.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 01:43:19 | More by OneWheelJoe

Cavanaghty

Maine

3.13/5  rDev +13%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: Deep amber is what was described on the bottle. I saw a copper color with a slight haze and a thin off-white head.

Smell: A light smell of citrus, carmels and pine notes.

Mouthfeel/Taste: Medium bodied. Taste like pine up front with a sweet honey like aftertaste.

Overall: Nothing really special about it, it was good. Glad I tried it.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 21:26:52 | More by Cavanaghty

5thOhio

South Carolina

2.95/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Call me crazy, but I like the Boatswain HLV strong ale, especially for $2.29 for a bomber, so I thought I'd give this a try.

Pours a typical IPA color, orangeish amber. Nose is odd, slight malt and another aroma I can't put my finger on. Not much there however. Also not much head and very little lacing.

Mouthfeel is decent, medium-thick with nice fizzy carbonation. Taste certainly isn't what I'd expect for a DIPA. Malt up front with a hint of boozy alcohol, hops remind me of an overripe orange. Hint of residual sweetness in the finish with lingering bitter orange.

An OK beer. I'd certainly drink one if offered. Definitely better than an Adjunct lager. But for my money, I'd buy the HLV strong ale. It's a poor man's Dragon's Milk.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 00:26:17 | More by 5thOhio

Ryan011235

Ohio

1.5/5  rDev -45.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Poured into an Allagash glass on 8/24/12

The appearance is a dirty brown tangerine; very cloudy, too. The head is a hair under two fingers, though retention is thinner. Some drippy lace remains.

This thing smells pitiful. Burnt grains and biscuit, piney aerosol cleaner, shoddy citrus pith and peel. Perfume and hints of metal shavings. This smells a lot like its big brother; that ain't a good thing,

I can't believe just how unpleasant this is. It's a slick, almost syrupy concoction of candy made from chintzy fruit and sub-par hops oils. Toasted grains and adjuncts. Sure, there's some bitterness on the latter half, but it's generic and not overly enjoyable. The feel is terribly coating on the finish. The appropriate level of carbonation is about the only thing going for this beer.

Boatswain does disappointment really well.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2012 03:12:20 | More by Ryan011235

TheSixthRing

California

3.33/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a semi-clear burnt orange amber with an off-white, silky 2 finger head. Great retention. Resulting lace is thick and sticky.

Smell - Toasted biscuit malts backed by flowery hops with notes of citrus.

Taste - Starts with some malty sweetness; toasted bisquits. Hops are underwhelming, or rather overpowered by the malt presence. What is there is floral with a hint of citrus bitterness. Very little in the finish or aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied, with a slightly syrupy malt character. Decently carbonated.

Overall - This isn't a bad beer, but as an IPA it fails. Malts take the forefront, while the hops take a supporting role, leading to good balance but not what's expected of the style. Might be better off re-classified as an APA.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 02:24:55 | More by TheSixthRing

katan

Colorado

3.58/5  rDev +29.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

22oz into a point

A - Dark orange, thick. Heavy white head formation, thick but it quickly breaks down to a film.

S - Light nose, only a hint of citrus flavors. A little bit of resinous flavors. as

T - Starts off smooth and sweet, light amounts of citrus hops and some two row malt. mid-stream gets almost balanced, with a little more earthy. Finishes lightly citrus, smooth and even a little sweet.

M - Moderate to strong body, light carbonation - comes off kinda heavy. Sugary sweet and sticky.

O/D - The bottle says DIPA, but I certainly don't believe it. But overall is a very easy drinking. ABV is managable - lightly filling.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 23:59:20 | More by katan

beertunes

Washington

3.23/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Hated 22oz bottle poured into 10oz goblet. Poured a dark orangeish amber color with with about 1/2 inch of light tan head that had moderate retention and lace.

The aroma was mostly malty with a subdued hop profile, mostly citrus, with some floral notes. While the flavors were mostly the same, the hops did have more of a presence.

The body was the typical medium of the style. Drinkability was OK. Overall, a decent budget beer, otherwise very average. Try it or don't.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 18:52:14 | More by beertunes

BEERchitect

Kentucky

2.53/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Trader Joe's attempt to make craft beers for the budget minded consumer takes a hit with this heavily malty and timidly hopped ale.

Bright amber in color, the beer builds a moderate off white creamy froth that retains well after reducing to a sheet across the glass and providing lacing patterns on the glass. The beer certainly looks like well crafted IPAs.

Fruit, caramel, and a whiff of faint floral and herbal hops waft over the olfactories with a scent that much more heavily favors non-descript English ales than anything hop forward.

Grainy sweet to taste, the flavors of toasted barley husk and simple caramel provide the majority of taste while any attempt to balance with hops leaves the beer feeble and unsupported. Fruity fermentation character makes the beer taste like candied apples, cherries, and grapes. Lightly floral to start, the beer turns lightly herbal before a woody, grassy, and soapy bitterness finishes the beer shy of even-keel, where the style expects complete hop dominance.

Full and sticky from residual malt sweetness, the beer's procession across the palate is slow and lumbering; never developing the dry malt, clean resin dryness, or refreshing closure that I look for when reaching for IPAs. Only the light impression of alcohol resembles anything pale ale.

Where I appreciate Trader Joe's price pointed intentions with craft beer, they should try to more aptly name their beers not with intent but with how the beer actually tastes. An English strong ale dictation would have yielded a kinder review.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 03:16:52 | More by BEERchitect