Portsmouth 5 C's IPA - Portsmouth Brewery

davey101

Connecticut

3.75/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Portsmouth Brewery. Served in a pint glass. From notes.

A - Golden amber body. Two finger off white head that laces all the way down.

S - Grapefruit, pine, and some light bready caramel malt.

T - Great citrus flavors with some piney hop notes. Bready and sweet with a nice bitter finish. Mouth feel is slick and coating.

O - A really solid IPA. I wasn't amazed by it, but its a very easy drinking and flavorful IPA. I really dig the name and concept of the "C" ingredients.

Serving type: on-tap

06-09-2012 03:40:05 | More by davey101

MasterSki

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to Reagan1984 - he keeps trying to find a Portsmouth beer I actually like and I appreciate his dedication and quixotic idealism. Served in a Russian River tulip.

A - A finger of white foam settles to a thin cap, thick collar, and spotty lacing. Lightly hazed golden orange body.

S - Citrus, pine, lightly toasted sugars, and an odd floral and perfume note that is reminiscent of aftershave and barber shops. Not sure which of the hops contributed that, but perhaps 4 Cs would be a better recipe. =)

S - Taste is an improvement, as the Old Spice flavor seems to have been limited to the aroma. A nice combination of citrus and pine malts mingle with a sugary malt backdrop. Bitterness is fairly light and only creeps up after half a glass.

M - Medium-bodied, lower carbonation, soft texture, and lots of residual hop oils and resins.

D - Other than the slightly odd aroma this was a solid and enjoyable IPA - definitely one of the better Portsmouth offerings I've had and something I'd consider trying on draft a their brewpub. I'm going to let me other bottle settle for a few more days to see if the odd aroma was due to travel-related "stress".

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2011 13:12:08 | More by MasterSki

rudzud

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a bottle of this while at the brewery. Poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a crystal clear orange/gold with a nice two finger white head that slowly fades to leave nice side lacing.

S - Shockingly average here. Getting some light bitter hops and somehow even lighter malt aromas.

T - Much better than the nose. Some light malts and the standard Portsmouth bread qualities. There are nice hop qualities, predominantly cascade with a good bitter finish.

M - Really nice mouthfeel here. Slightly creamy, slightly crisp, all around refreshing. Very sessionable.

O - This is a nice american ipa from portsmouth. Would like to try this a bit fresher, as I'm sure that explains the lack of a good nose.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2011 22:33:42 | More by rudzud

sethmeister

New Hampshire

4.55/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a growler filled at the bar last week. I sealed it with electrical tape and kept it in the frige for one week unopened.

Appearance is a very cloudy dark luminous orange (practically opaque) with a small, creamy offwhite head. The head drops to a film quickly but leaves diaphanous panels of remembrance down the sides of the glass.

Scent is first floral and citrus with Portsmouth's characteristic fresh bread notes. On further inspection grapefruit and pine emerge.

I love the unmistakable tangy (almost like sourdough) and crusty fresh bread flavor Portmouth IPA's always have. It's like breaking open a steaming hot loaf of sourdough bread fresh from the oven and enjoying the moist tangy chewy doughy flesh and slightly bitter, slightly charred crisp crust. 5 C's shares that malt character with Bottle Rocket but has a greater citrus content. Primarily grapefruit with lime peel and orange pith. Earthy and spicy hops. Dry fragrant pine appears on the backend with a gathering bitterness that builds and lingers. The balance is remarkable; this ale is all about hops, yet the malt character is such a present and satisfying part of this ale.

Mouth begins creamy and coating and ends astringent and puckering.

Drinkability is fantastic. I could enjoy this all day.

I love this IPA to the bitter end and I wish Portsmouth would put it on more often.

Serving type: growler

06-25-2011 20:20:40 | More by sethmeister

DosBeerigos

Florida

2.95/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

C: Hazy
H: Dark Golden Yellow (Copper?)
N: HMM Soap? Citrus, and Hints of Caramel

Well quite often beers bring me back to times in my life that I remember. While searching for that beer that is the “best”, you often come across beers that remind you of particular scents, flavors, or just flat out memories of something from the past. I often share my memories here for your reading pleasure. That said, this beer’s taste remind me of something that is quite personal.
I often travel home to see my parents and sister on the other coast of Florida. More times then not during the drive I need to swing off and take a bathroom break. This beer brings me back to all of those memories. WAIT…..noooo, not what you are thinking! You didn’t let me finish.
This beer tastes and smells just like the Turnpike Bathroom Hand Soap. Yep, Pink Liquid Soap! I could not get past the taste or the odor on this, and immediately began laughing to myself. While I typically enjoy having these beers again that jog such vibrant memories, I think I will have to pass on the 5 C’s. I really don’t enjoy thinking about rest stop bathrooms. Sorry Portsmouth!

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2011 18:14:19 | More by DosBeerigos

Chincino

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I bought this beer to go from the Portsmouth Brewery when I went up there Sunday to purchase scratch tickets for the Kate the Great contest. I bought three of the 22 oz bottles upon the recommendation of a friend.

The beer poured a golden color with little white head. The aroma was of malt and some citrusy hops-ful of flavor. This wasn't one of my favorite beers from the Portsmouth Brewery, but definitely a decent beer in my book. I won six winning Kate the Great scratch tickets so picking up the bottles of this beer was just a bonus :)

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2011 12:05:42 | More by Chincino

Cmack15

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I was really looking forward to trying this beer, because my friend brought some back after winning 6 Kate the Great scratch tickets. The beer has a decent amount of hops in the nose but not in your face like I prefer. Mouthfeel was nice and taste had some a strong malt backbone. This beer reminded more of an English style ipa, but that could be because I have an affinity towards west coast/aggressively hopped ipas. Not a bad beer but not great either.
cheers

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2011 01:05:02 | More by Cmack15

dciBA

Maine

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

Pours a very attractive hazy orange from the growler into my snifter. A thin white head forms but quickly recedes and leaves behind just a skimming.

No surprise in the nose, hops, and plenty of them. Mostly fruity and citrusy notes. Taste is quite hoppy as well but there also a nice bready maltiness to balance things out perfectly. The citrus hops are the most noticeable. It's a smooth citrus flavor unlike other IPA's that can have a strong grapefruit flavor. Plenty of bitterness follows each sip but it's not overpowering.

Hop lovers will love this one but everyone will enjoy it for it's smooth drinkabilty. Flavor seems to disappear off the palate a little quickly, but this is the only real complaint I have, and it's a minor one. Very nice effort from Portsmouth Brewery. Me and the wife will have no problem finishing this growler.

Serving type: growler

01-23-2011 20:02:04 | More by dciBA

gford217

Georgia

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

Big thanks to Ben for this bottle.

Pours a hazy golden amber that clears up as it warms and shows a small soapy beige head that never recedes completely and leaves only spotty lacing.

Aroma is full of pithy citrus and resinous pine. There are some spicy, herbal notes as well as a lightly toasted malt presence.

The taste is highly astringent at first with pithy grapefruit and pine, especially in the finish. As it warms, it mellows a bit with the sweet caramel malts and more of the juicy citrus showing up.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied and sticky with hops lingering on the palate making for a bitter finish.

A hop-forward IPA from Portsmouth that's pretty heavy on the astringency but not as flavorful as I would like give the huge hop profile.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2011 02:59:12 | More by gford217

jlindros

Massachusetts

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

Tap at brew pub.

Light fizzy head with lacing, hazy golden orange.

Nose light pine citrus, some fresh hop must, light grassy hops, very light malty base, sweet hoppy fruits.

Taste is fairly bitter, lots of fresh musty hop resins, little oils too, some pine, touch of citrus and tropical fruit, but pine dominates, light juicy fruit. Long bitter finish, dries a bit, lots of musty hops.

Mouth is med with decent carb.

Drink is decent, no booze but long bitterness that builds.

Serving type: on-tap

01-21-2011 03:58:52 | More by jlindros

afksports

New York

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

Thanks to CooperEllis for the bottle which I'm consuming after playing football. There's an excellent lacing and a half finger head when you pour it out. Some head remains and there's walking legs, which is pretty impressive for a low alcohol India Pale Ale. It's amber and golden hued, and it's hazy.

The beer smells like the hops that it features, which is a blend of crystal, chinook, centennial, cascade, and columbus. Hard to find 5 that go so smoothly together. This one reminds me a bit of Bell's Two Hearted. It tastes that way too, with a bite coming at the start, and some bitter lingering at the end. Malts and grapefruit and pine in the middle.

Smooth, well carbonated, easy to put back with lunch post football. I really enjoyed this one.

Now to work on getting my knee to bend properly.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2010 20:32:05 | More by afksports

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On cask at the brewpub on November 6, 2010.

Poured a nice copper color with a really strong bone-white head and quite a bit of lacing as the brew went down the side of the pint glass. The nose brought, of course, a good dose of American C-hops. I picked out some mild orange and citrus rind plus a light touch of pine.

The taste was a bit more restrained and there was some moderate citrus flavor going on, though not quite as much as with the nose. The dry-hopping likely hit the nose a lot harder, at least from what I can tell. Nice strongly-bitter mouthfeel. A really nice beer and particularly enjoyable on cask.

Serving type: cask

11-14-2010 06:13:42 | More by Thorpe429

Gosox8787

New Hampshire

4.33/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: On tap downstairs at the Brewery. Poured into a pint glass and served slightly chilled.

Appearance: Gold to amber in color with almost no head or retention. No sediment or haze at all.

Aroma: Strong pine and grapefruit notes from the hops are assertive. Pretty hop-centric, not getting much from the malt at all.

Taste: Nice balance of assertive bitter pine hop notes and some nice sweet citrus, although the pine hops are certainly more noticable. Again, there is some malt in the background, but the hops are front and center. Reminds me a ton of Smuttynose Finestkind.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and crisp. Very smooth and refreshing.

Drinkability: Even with the strong flavors, I feel like I could sip on these all night. A really enjoyable IPA.

Overall, I really liked this IPA. I prefer this to their other IPA, Bottle Rocket, although that is also good. Just a really nice IPA with a strong hop profile. Something I will order whenever I see it on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2010 18:54:59 | More by Gosox8787

Gtreid

Florida

4.05/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to joepais for hooking me up with a box of Portsmouth awesomeness! 22 oz. bomber poured into a tulip.

A: Cloudy copper color. The pour drops a two finger, cream colored head that recedes to a thin rim and leaves really nice sheets of lace.

A: Sweet crystal malt and tons of hops. Mango, pineapple, and clementine orange, with a touch of grass. The sweet malt balances the hops quite nicely.

T: Again, very citrusy. Loads of mango and pineapple, with sweet pine sap and honey. Alcohol is noticeable, but not prominent. Finishes dry but sweet.

M: Medium body. Lower carbonation makes for a somewhat sticky mouthfeel.

D and overall impression: Drinkability is above average but not outstanding. Overall, I think this is a pretty solid example of the style. If I didn't know this was a single IPA, I would have sworn it was a double. Big malts backing up the hops here. But really good, and I am very glad I got to try. Skal.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2010 01:16:40 | More by Gtreid

muttyd

Massachusetts

4.58/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at the brewery for my brother-in-law's 21st b-day.

A - Amber pour with a thin white head.

S - Pine hops, sweet caramel malts, some grass/earthy tones.

T - Delicious. Grapefruit, citrus, pine hops, caramel sweetness, some toasty flavors, and crisp bitter finish.

M - Moderate carbonation and sticky.

D - Ordered 3 of these. Too bad I didn't have an empty growler with me to get more. Love this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2010 23:01:38 | More by muttyd

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3.9/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle, shared by 321Jeff

First beer I've tried from Portsmouth. Pours a cloudy amber orange color with no visible sediment. Large off white head, that fades to a thin bubbly film and ring with minimal lacing. Aroma is fairly mild and restrained, primarily focused on the hops (piney and citrus) with a slight malt backbone. Not overly complex or strong, but pleasant. This is a very nicely balanced, citrus resiny IPA. Didn't blow me away, but was very enjoyable, crisp with pleasant bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2010 02:02:43 | More by yourefragile

Casey10

Maine

4.5/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap excellent wanted to pick up a bottle or two in the gift shop. They were out decided against getting a growler (what was I thinking). Here is the review.

A - Bright orange nice head poured into a pint glass at the brewery.

S - Wonderful hop forward orange, citrus just nice.

T - Again light "balanced" just a tasted a touch of malts and the awesome hop character. Citruis abound can't believe this is only 6.5%

M - Again nice tingiling feel smoothness just a nice feel.

D - Had two could have had a bunch more absolutely lovely.

I know Portsmouth rotates their beers this should be in their regular rotation.

I would have liked to try this from the bottle and kicked myself once home that I didn't get at least a growler.

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2010 00:01:10 | More by Casey10

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.93/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another new one from Portsmouth I had the pleasure of being able to try last night. Served cold and poured into a pint glass, this one was consumed on 10/16/2009.

The pour was easily the best part as the rich amber colored ale sat near perfect in the glass. Rich head of white on top settled down gradually into a nice web like lacing all along the glass. Aroma was a bit weak for me, light citrus hops, notes of pine and a light bit of buttery malts, but it all seemed just a bit too light for me to be honest. As I take the first sip initially a nice bite of piney hops hits me followed by a light tart hit of grapefruit. Warming brings out loads of caramel malts and a touch of a biscuit like flavor. Nice and smooth, medium body with very nice carbonation. ABV is well hidden as well and it makes for a nice and sessionable IPA.

Overall I think it could have used a bit more pop, especially in the aroma and a nice kick up of hops would not have hurt either, but I think it went quite well. I would not mind trying it again.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2009 17:38:30 | More by mikesgroove

IBUnit63

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served into a standard pint glass at the Portsmouth Brewery.

I wonder if the glass just rinsed off by the bartender precluded solid head retention, because the head isn't too interested in sticking around at the moment. Regardless, there's a solid butterscotch body that's both cloudy and rustic. What head there is has a nice chunky seam. Carbonation is moderate; it works.

There is a big floral component but, at first, almost a sulphursish scent. There's slight citrus in there as one would expect from something called "5 C's" (Centennial, Chinook, Cascade, Columbus and...I forgot...thought it was Cluster but the bartender said Crystal). Off-sulphur thankfully makes an exit. In short (too late), this smells like a ballsy IPA.

Holy crap, that's a fresh hop pucker. All grapefruit rind, all the time. Slight light caramel malt backbone. Slight. One-trick pony? Maybe. I'll give the benefit of the doubt; consider Major Charles Emerson Winchester the Thiiiddd: "I do one thing...I do it very well...and then...I move on."

Gotta love the tight hop pucker on this one. Even better on the palate feel than on the taste buds. It may be a little green but it is quite good.

Truthfully, this one burns a little. Not from the booze but the hops. This is like sucking on a hop flower. Crazy. Still, quite an enjoyable pour.

Serving type: on-tap

10-08-2009 12:08:06 | More by IBUnit63

ALeF

New Hampshire

4.93/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

As a devoted drinker of American and English IPA's, I find Portsmouth Brewery's offering, 5 C's IPA, to tantalize an IPA-crazed persons senses!

As you pour this beer, a cloudy, orange haze fills the glass. There was very little head that formed (due to coming from a growler?), but there still was a decent amount of lacing on the sides of the glass.

This is a deliciously flavorful smelling beer. It contained the full hoppy citrus aroma that one looks for in an IPA, but it was also accompanied by a hint of spice.

The taste was that of a spicy-citrus flavor, balanced out by just the perfect punch of sweet malty flavor.

As this beer hit the tongue there is an initial bitterness that transforms into a sweet flavor, and concluded with a spicy, somewhat dry feeling. This beer left me wanting for another mouthful.

This might quickly become one of my top 10 favorites.

Serving type: growler

10-05-2009 21:48:46 | More by ALeF

alexhammond

Maine

3.93/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had two of these on tap at the Portsmouth Brewery.
Hazy orange color, with a decent head that dissipates quickly. Initially, the smell up front was kind of strange... not overly unpleasant, but something I'd not experienced with an IPA before. Beyond that, nice citrus and grassy scents.
Really awesome tasting beer, with fruity hoppiness, not a whole lot of malt. I think I prefer the Bottle Rocket, as I recall it was a little crisper, but having said that this is still an excellent IPA. Going to go back and try it again, I think the initial scent kind of threw me off but certainly did not scare me off. As with nearly all the selections at the Portsmouth Brewery, it's a beer worth stopping in for.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2009 14:25:05 | More by alexhammond

Patrick

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Pours a light caramel color with a slight haze. A half finger off white head sits on top and leaves a fair amount of lacing while you drink the pint.

S: Pretty citrusy, lots of fresh grapefruit and orange zest greet your nose. Some light breadiness can be detected as well.

T: Lots of grapefruit up front with some pine afterward. Light caramel flavored bread in the middle, and the end has some more citrusy hop flavor. Not bad.

M: A bit on the thin side, well carbonated, dry.

D: Not a bad IPA, but this one lacked body.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2009 20:23:48 | More by Patrick

portia99

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bomber purchased at the brewery on 8/8/09. Poured into a Portsmouth goblet.

A - Pours a cloudy orange with hints of brown. Looks yeasty, but no signs of sediment in the bottle. Lots of extremely fine bubbles raise to the top after the pour and eventually form a thin head which almost immediately recedes to spotty islands of bubbles on the surface. Very thin collar forms also.

S - Lots of citrusy and piney hops in the aroma with some less prominant spicyness detected too. Not over the top hops like many west coast style IPA's, but very complex. Minimal malt comes through in this one as sweet and biscuity hints.

T - Pine flavors dominate here. Very fresh and resiny. Grapefruity citrus flavors are holding their own here too. Nice sharp bitterness that lingers. Just enough sweetness from the malts to balance this one out, without stealing the stage from the hops. Very crisp and flavorful - pretty impressive.

M - Mouthfeel is very good in this IPA. Medium body, a little bit sticky/resiny feel that lets the hops linger a good, long time on the tongue. Ample, but very fine carbonation rounds this one out nicely...lively but not harsh.

D - Really nice IPA, very crisp and bitter with lots of hop flavor. Great IPA - only 6.5%, but feels stronger, a tad heavy and filling...couldn't stay with this one all night and still feel good in the morning, but I think it might be worth it.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2009 22:47:55 | More by portia99

gameface23

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Served in a pint glass. The body is a hazy copper/orange color. The head is frothy and thick and leaves nice lacing down the side of the glass.

S: A subdued blend of pine/floral/citrus/grassy hops.

T: A little too spicy, but the rest of the flavor is really nice. There is some definite pine and citrus aspects to the taste. I am assuming they use an English ale yeast, because the malt flavors aren't in your face, but they definitely don't run and hide like in a west coast styled IPA.

M: Medium bodied and well carbonated.

Serving type: on-tap

08-09-2009 22:29:44 | More by gameface23

rpstevens

New Hampshire

4.55/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on draft at the Portsmouth Brewery, poured into a pint glass.

The appearance is a slightly foggy amber/orange, very cloudy and light around the edges.

The smell is grapefruit and citrus, but much more mild than a west coast example of the style. There are tones of lemon and fresh cut grass as underneath, but not much malt, this beer is all hops in the nose.

The taste is a bitter/citrusy splash of grapefruit on the tongue that is quickly dried out by an equally bitter but somewhat mild pine flavor. There isn't much malt to this beer, just a slight fruity sweetness that is very welcome.

The beer is perfectly carbonated and for a beer this hoppy it is also relatively low in alcohol at 6.5%. It is very bitter, dry and citrusy, but something that I could drink all night long. It has all the characteristics of a west coast DIPA as far as the hop and citrus characteristics are concerned, but they keep the sugary sweet characteristics out. In my opinion this is better than the Bottle Rocket IPA (also from Portsmouth), the Torpedo, Smuttynose Finest Kind and most other standard IPAs available; it's one of the finest beers that they have brewed at the Portsmouth Brewery yet.

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2009 01:29:03 | More by rpstevens