India Pale Ale - Meantime Brewing Company Limited

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

More hoppy than the regular British IPA, with Fuggles and Gouldings, a very drinkable pleasant IPA. Right there in balance. Good aroma, foamy head and lots of creamy lace. Orange, vanilla, pear flavours. Satisfying aftertaste which is not too dry, perhaps due to appropriate carbonation.
Still good on tap at Town Hall, 10 months later though liked it better in the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2008 03:23:59 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.03/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Ripe kumquat with a flurry of yeast in suspended animation. I like perfect clarity on occasion, but give me a beer that looks like it's from the wrong side of tracks any day of the week. The crown is tremendous too. It resembles orange juice mixed with clotted cream, both in terms of color and texture. With more lace, I'd be tempted to give the appearance a perfect score. Even so, this is the best looking English IPA that I've ever laid eyes on.

The aroma is strangely underpowered. I smelled more on the pour that I'm getting now with my nose over the glass. With all the hubbub about how many hops are in here, I would have thought they'd be jumping out the glass and smacking me around a little. What I do appreciate is the classic quasi-citric fruitiness of Fuggles. Golding are a less obvious contributor.

I have no idea how old this bottle is, but with a 'best by' date of sometime in '08 (the rest is smudged), it has to be pretty fresh. All the more reason to be disappointed at the relative lack of hoppiness (at least compared to most hoppy American IPAs). As long as I keep reminding myself that it's English, I'll be fine.

That's a pretty easy thing to do when the flavor profile is dominated by the classic hops of the style, Fuggles and Goldings. As far as I'm concerned, Meantime had no other choice if they wanted the beer to be both authentic and good. Thankfully, it's both.

Sugar cookie-like pale malt provides the solid structure on which the fruitiness of the hops can shine. At least there's no caramel malt or toasted flavors to screw things up. Generally speaking, I don't like the peach and apricot flavor of English hops as much as the grapefruit and orange flavor of the U.S. varieties. This one, though, is impressively orange marmalade-like. It combines the bitterness of the peel with the sweetness of the jelly.

I'm having a hard time believing the ABV. Not that I think the brewery is lying, but there's no hint of alcohol on the palate. Zilch. While nothing much changes with warming, I'm beginning to appreciate the flavor profile more and more as I enter the bottom half of the '750'. It may not be a gobsmacker, but it's clearly a well-crafted beer and is as drinkable as the day is long.

The mouthfeel is a shade lighter than I would like. Having said that, it's a near perfect match for the flavor and easily deserves the score that I've granted. More resinousness and more chewiness would give what is a good mouthfeel a chance to be a great mouthfeel.

I love the Meantime India Pale Ale bottle and label. The brewery has done a fantastic job with packaging and has come close to putting a beer into that package that measures up to the best of the style. After Ridgeway's version, this is my next most favorite English IPA. If you're looking for a delicious beer than won't wreck your palate for the rest of the day, this one fills the bill quite nicely. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2007 22:27:22 | More by BuckeyeNation

womencantsail

California

3.6/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: A hazy orange-copper color with a large white head.

S: Smell is mild citrus, but mostly bready, malty, and sweet.

T: Not quite as tame as the nose, but still not what I'm used to from our west coast IPAs. Hoppy bitterness, but not too much citrus. Yeasty and malty.

M: More carbonated than I'm used to, but still good body.

D: It's not bad by any means, but I think I'll stick to the American IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2009 23:44:05 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev -4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked this up at West Lakeview in Chicago. Served in a Mikasa tulip.

A hard pour really doesn't yield much at all in the way of appearance. There are a few bubbles that eventually accumulate atop the beer, but that's about it. Very light collar for just a bit and then even that fades away. The nose is pretty fruity and full of English yeast. Along with that are some mild hops and a bit of caramel.

The taste is pretty sweet and fruity, all things considered. Some caramel in the background as well as a bit of yeasty fruit. Other than that, also some floral and herbal hops. Mouthfeel is slightly bitter and a bit cloying with all the sweetness. Medium body. Drinks pretty well and the alcohol certainly isn't all that noticeable at all.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2011 01:39:45 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.55/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

But friends, this beer changed my life.

Appearance: Pours out a blurred coppery orange with a very fluffy, very inviting white head.

Smell: Exhilarating aroma of fresh bread, butter, and toffee tied to the spicy, herbal scent of English hops.

Taste: Yum! This brew was a perfect blend of caramel sweetness, rich grains, and a citrus hop flavor reminiscent of orange marmalade. Nice spicy finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Carbonation is soft and fine.

Drinkability: Very much so. I can't help but lavish this beer with uplifting compliments, positive energy, good-cheer thoughts and sugarplums.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2006 04:31:28 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Despite my fears when I removed the cork without a sound, the beer displayed a nice head that retained well and dotted the glass on top of the cloudy peach colored liquid

Smell: Although there are nice peach and apricot elements in the aroma, there is also an unpleasant solvent aspect going on

Taste: Starts with the fruity apricot and peach flavors up front, joined by caramel undertones mid-palate; after the swallow, some harsh flavors arrive, with a grassy, grapefruit bitterness and a touch of that solvent from the aroma on the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and surprisingly carbonated, given the lack of noise when uncorked

Drinkability: While I prefer AIPA's this is a good example of the English style, but it was not altogether without some aspects that reduced its drinkability for me

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2007 22:00:29 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle pour at the BevMo Holiday Beerfest held at Golden Road Brewing in Los Angeles, CA.

Pours a murky orange with a foamy orange-tan head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, citrus fruit, and citrus zest. Taste is much the same with a mild hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 05:45:18 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a hazy light amber color ale with a super huge foamy head with nice foamy head with great retention and good lacing. Aroma of grassy hops is really nice with a subtle caramel malt balance. Taste is also dominated by loads of grassy hoppy notes with lightly sweet caramel malt which is well balanced by floral notes. Body is quite full for style with great carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Not as bitter as the American IPA nor as dry as the English IPA but very nice with loads of floral notes.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2010 02:06:32 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.18/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

With great authenticity and balance, Meantime hits a homerun with this old world IPA with a modern attitude.

The beer pours with a deep golden to medium amber color and carries the classic dry hopped haze. A dense and airy off-white head builds upon the beer and sits prominantly while leaving a plethora of lace behind. Though the haze may be extensive, this is one sharp looking beer.

Balanced aromas of caramel and shortbread anchor the nose while whiffs of pine, resin, fresh cut grass, and sharp grapefruit rinds bounce above the rim of the glass. Light fruitiness helps to bridge the gap of freshly kilned barley and zesty hops. With no phenolic or diacetyl notes anywhere, these aromas balance exquisitly with a flaw to be found nowhere.

Sweeter and breadier early to taste than the nose suggests, but with a lightness on the palate that quickly ushers in the calvary of hop flavor. A mid palate of shortbread (sweet breads) laced pine, citrus, and grassy (mildly pungent) bitterness turns crisp and bitter going into the finish; and with a long and smooth hop bitterness to carry over to the next sip. Again, delicious and balanced throughout.

A creamy and bready feel to start shrugs off the sweetness quickly and allows the hop bitterness and dryness to carry the beer through to the finish. With a minty alcohol sensation, only mild hop astringency, and dry finish, the beer is highly drinkable and enjoyable.

Unfortunately, English IPA's don't get the credit they deserve. This is a world class example that should not be ignored!

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2011 20:06:14 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A beer that I have noticed a few times in the area and never picked up now I have and looking forward to it,poured a slightly hazy golden with a a real orange hue with a frothy two finger head on top leaving a sheet of lace behind as it settles.Very herbal,minty aromas due to the large dose of fuggles thrown in with a nice caramel undertone.Well balanced but with a real nice big hop profile,herbal "green" flavors hit ya but the big caramel sweet malt backbone holds up well even showing thru at times.Wow this is a nice big English IPA more subtle than some American counterparts but thats fine,well made and a treat to drink.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2005 20:51:51 | More by oberon

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazed, dusky orange appearance, big and boisterous, creamy white foam.

Out-loud nose: wild, funky, sour, citric, big orange with a twist of lemon...zesty!

Huge hops load the palate, band on board, and slideaway with a satisfying tingle. Same flavors as found in the nose, primarily the big, slick, raw, naked lemon zing...some spicy extra kick, as well. Drink again and a new tingle ensues, then fades again. Nice, tasty, delicious, and easy drinking.
Medium bodied, long, lightly citric/spicy finish...moderate enough to ease in the drinking, quite mellow. And I've got me a whole 750 ml bottle to myself, glad it's not too strong, this one.

I can feel the nicely turned effect of the dry-hopping in this, but these particular hops don't really flip my wig anymore. Fuggles and Goldings don't really turn my tastebuds, but that's nothing against them, that's just my preference.

A nice ale, like I said...but I could have spent the $7.99 on much more beer per volume. Oh, well, ya lives, ya learns...

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2006 11:07:51 | More by feloniousmonk

drabmuh

Maryland

4.03/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Beer poured into a Sam Adam's perfect pint glass. Beer is amber and hazy with a big off white head of small and medium bubbles. Lots of lacing, moderate carbonation, looks good.

Aroma is minerally and mildly hoppy but earthy, not piny or fruity. There is some malt there too.

Beer is pretty full bodied and has this spicy / bitter finish to it that is pretty nice. Overall its a good beer. The forward malt sweetness is well balanced with the carbonation level and the midpalate flavors of mild spice and earthiness. The bitterness at the end is mild but appropriate with the levels of everything else. It's quite a good beer, one of the better English IPAs I've had.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2010 18:53:37 | More by drabmuh

zeff80

Missouri

4.33/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a clear, golden yellow color with a small, white head. Left lacing.

S - It smelled of raisin and mild grassiness.

T - It tasted of honey, sweet maltiness and some spicy hops.

M - It was fairly fizzy and sharp. A medium-bodied beer.

D - This is an excellent English IPA. I really enjoyed trying this one.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2008 01:51:41 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

3.93/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is clear light copper in color and has a moderate to high amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high white head that has excellent retention properties and consistently left a thin head covering the surface and lots of rings of lacing around the sides of the glass.
S: There are light to moderately strong aromas of earthy and spicy hops in the nose.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and is accompanied by a moderate amount of bitterness from the hops. There are some hints of caramel malts.
M: It feels medium-bodied, crisp and rather dry on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is well balanced and goes down rather easily since the hops are not overpowering. I had no problem knocking off a 750 mL bottle of this by myself.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 01:02:16 | More by metter98

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.22/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy, orange-copper color. It is not nearly as carbonates as I would expect from a corked and caged champagne bottle, but the head when roused forms a decent sized, rocky, frothy, tan colored head. The aroma is nicely hoppy, though it is not in your face like many American IPA's; it is a mix of fresh cut grass, currants, a bit of lemon, and a light hoppy spiciness. The beer is somewhat full in the palate, almost sticks to the mouth. The beer finishes with a solid, sharp bitterness, which is balanced by sweet malt and fruity hop notes. The hops in this have contributed a definite orange character, which I was not expecting from a mix of Goldings and Fuggles hops. The citrus note really picks up in the middle and lingers on long after the beer has been swallowed. There is an herbal, grassy note here as well. The sweet malt is here, but really only accentuates the citrus character in this beer; there is some subtle dry malt character here that makes me think of biscuits, toasted malt and whole grain crackers.

This is certainly not anything like your standard, subtle English IPA; this is full flavored, including a bracing bitterness that is not typically associated with an English beer. I definitely like this beer, better than I allowed myself to hope for. This is certainly balanced, but I do like the differing hop notes that play against each other.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2005 05:32:20 | More by Gueuzedude

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.83/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml bottle opended with a very timid pop. Pours a semi-hazy peach tea color with one finger of offwhite head. A whisper of lacing & head retention.

T: Herbal piney hops with hint of fruittyness upfront. Apricots dance with pine as this warms. Finishes bready,a little dry, warming & piney

S: Fruityness (dates & apricots)

MF: Medium bodied, very low carbonation & very good balance

Drinks easy enough for the abv, I suspect I'd like this fresher. I believe more lively carbonation would bring put the hop profile better. Not a bad EPA though, just believe this bottle-conditioned beer has to be at its peak to bring out the best in it. I will continue to seek out other offerings from this brewery as both this & the porter were pretty tasty IMO

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2007 04:48:22 | More by russpowell

Halcyondays

California

3.6/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

11.2 oz. bottle,

A: Pours amber with a medium white head, good retention, very light lace.

S: Toffee and English malt, British hop character has some hay like character with a hint of pine.

T: Malt has a good bready character which is nice. Hops are prevalent but there in balance, they never take over the beer like an American IPA. Sweet malt, but a good grassy hoppy backing.

M: Medium-bodied, smooth, a tad awkward in the end, but pretty well done.

O: This is a nice beer, Sam Smith's when it's fresh is better, but this gives a pretty clear view of the EIPA, worth a pickup.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 03:16:01 | More by Halcyondays

Gavage

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: pours a slightly hazy orange 2" head that lasts a while. Some light lacing develops.

Aroma: mild bitterness and citrus tones are detectable.

Taste: caramel / toffee, pears, hints of tart citrus, and a decent bitterness. Definitely an English IPA as the bitterness is more of a compliment of the maltiness - not focused on the hops to stick above the other flavors.

Mouthfeel: lightly crisp at the start, smooth and dry at the finish. Medium bodied. Short aftertaste.

Drinkability: this is an easy to drink, definite session beer. Worth picking up.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2006 12:05:42 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to jcwattsrugger for sharing this 750 ml bottle:

Pours hazed golden with a large foamy head that slowly descends to half-size and stays around. Foamy lacing sticks to the glass.

The smell is lemony, earthy, floral, leafy, citric. A caramelish/grainy background lends a balance to a nice, hoppy aroma.

The taste is hoppy - nice blend of Fugggles and East Kent Golding - The hops show their potential, matching the aroma well. Tied together with a caramelish/grainy maltiness the hops show well while being balanced. The hoppiness is more subtle than American IPA's - but stand out more than typical for English IPA.

Medium-bodied - bitterness remains into the aftertaste without being puckering.

A pleasant, well-crafted English IPA - great example of the style.

Thanks again, John!

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2008 15:37:55 | More by jwc215

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.06/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750ml wire cage and corked bottle. All I can think of right now is Spacehog's 'In the Meantime', so that is what Youtube will be doing for the next five or so minutes, on repeat, maybe. Oh, and a rather weak lack of brewer's spiel on the back label - thank you no [sic] much, Mr. Importer.

This beer pours a clear, medium copper amber colour, with three fingers of puffy, rocky, and foamy dirty white head, which leaves some decent bathtub ring lace around the glass as it steadily and readily recedes.

It smells of rather prominent and heady biscuity, grainy crystal malt, strong lemon zest, a bit of orange rind, and dry floral, leafy, earthy hops - English beyond a doubt, in a very good way. The taste is semi-sweet grainy, biscuity pale malt, a touch of caramel, soft citrus rind, and slightly zingy floral, grassy, earthy hops, the noble sort at their near best. The 15-proof booze does well to remain totally inconspicuous.

The bubbles are fairly innocuous, the body just on the lee side of medium weight, and more than adequately smooth. It finishes off-dry, the crackery, biscuity malt still large and in charge, with the caramel, fruit, and hops (stiff in upper lip only) more or less giving up the ghost.

A quite tasty English ale, one which I would have much more ease believing if you told me it was a hepped-up ESB, rather than another rendition of 'we're not an American band' IPA. Give it a rest. Anyways, a rather sexy bitter ale, with a grand ol' bit of warming sass, sans the typical flavour consequences.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 07:50:40 | More by biboergosum

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Keith for sharing a bottle. This appears a classic hazy light orange with a tight white head. The hops and malt are a little too well blended and neither really stand out. I can tell there's a grassy/citrus mix and dry bready malts, but they're hard to pick apart. This sort of flavor reminds me more of a under-hopped pale ale. Otherwise this beer is very drinkable and overall tasty. I'd just want a little more from it.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2009 03:32:44 | More by tempest

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a fully clouded orange with a very minimal head. Nose is perfumed and also with hop character. Flavor is very smooth and consistent with hops. There is a definite salty tone. Feel has a lot of bubble and a good liquid feel. Overall this is a good smooth IPA. Nothing showy at all, but more along a traditional line I would say. Nice to try.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2008 05:00:10 | More by RblWthACoz

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.18/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured nice deep orange with a small white head, Smelled and tasted less than great. Smelled of malt and some hops, rather let down. Tasted some hops, plenty of malt and if you let it go for a minute the bitterness will hit you at the very end but not much. It was an average IPA but not worth what I paid for it, however always worth a try and not to bad.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2009 04:15:50 | More by barleywinefiend

Wasatch

Utah

4.38/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

750ml Caged/Corked

I've been sitting on this one for awhile. I got a nice loud pop when I removed the cork. Pours a cloudy orange color, nice carbonation, little fizzy off-white head, some sticky lacing afterwards. The nose is of sweet/tangy malts/hops, citrus, apricots, and caramel. The taste is sweet/tangy, slightly malty, slightly hoppy, a nice touch of citrus/apriocots, and some caramel thrown in. The finish is quite dry for an IPA though. Medium body. Very drinkable, I really like this one. A very nice English IPA, highly recommend.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2007 19:03:36 | More by Wasatch

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.2/5  rDev -19.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

(Served in an American pint glass)

A- This beer has a clear bright orange body with a yellowish cream thick head and a strong carbonation of tiny bubbles.

S- The smell of raw field corn takes on more of a raw cream aroma and then gives way to a pungent green bitterness at the finish.

T- The soft taste of pale malt is dry with a plastic quality to it that lingers into the big bitterness of hops in the finish.

M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with no alcohol heat and no astringency.

D- This beer doesn't really have any hop aroma or flavor except for the bitterness that doesn't have much character in itself. No real off flavors except for the plastic and there were no real hop flavors except for the bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2009 19:28:34 | More by rhoadsrage