Bison Organic IPA - Bison Brewing

fezmeister

California

3.65/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A faintly hazy golden color pour is topped with a medium head that fades to lace quickly. The hop-dominated nose leads to a pleasant surprise when caramel malts lay down a solid backbone in the flavor profile. While floral hops form the dominant up-front taste of this beer, being an IPA and all that, the malt balance is nice. A medium/light body make this beer fairly drinkable. Not a true stand-out in the style, but I'd drink this any day if offered - solid and fairly tasty.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2011 02:39:35 | More by fezmeister

Shrews629

Kentucky

3.15/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Mostly clear copper/burnt orange color. An off white head that was weak in size and retention. It left a minute amount of lacing. A couple bubbles rising to the top.

Smell - More subdued aromas of grapefruit citrus and floral notes than what is typically found in an IPA I thought. It seems to provide a more pronounced bicuit malt. It's balanced fairly well, but just insubstantial. This almost has an apple juice type of aroma.

Taste - Again, with the taste, the malt backbone seems to stand out a bit more than the citric bitterness. Small spalshes of alcohol find their way into the flavor. The malt is reminiscent of bicuit and caramel. Picking up some earthy tones also along with some more apple flavoring.

Mouthfeel - Medium mouthfeel. Relatively crisp and smooth. Slight alcoholic burn at the end. Left a little to be disired when covering the palate. Mostly dry in the finish also.

Drinkability - This beer is just ok in my opinion. It's nothing bad, but all aspects seem a bit feeble. This could be a good introductory IPA. The ABV is a bit high for a sessionable beer, but it's still relatively easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2011 19:35:16 | More by Shrews629

bucklemyshoe

Georgia

3.78/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Notes from 07/07/2010:

12 oz bottle at 42 degrees into a tulip.

A: It pours a transluscent blood orange color with a small half-finger head that has good retention and laces exceptionally well.

S: Grapefruit, orange, and a relatively mild floral hop aroma.

T: Coriander, grapefruit, orange, resin, and floral hoppiness.

M: It has a medium-light body but has turned quite flat with a bit of a watery finish.

D: This has a few flaws but it is still flavorful and very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2011 17:39:05 | More by bucklemyshoe

DocAJ

Alabama

4.05/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-Hazy gold color, fluffy white head fingertip head with a little rentention

S-Mainly citrus, slightly floral hop aromas

T-Consistent with aroma, citrus/floral hop

M-Smooth, perfectly carbonated, I was left tasting hops for a while, in a good way

D-A bit more filling than I thought it would be, though could probably drink a couple more

My first organic, a nice solid IPA

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2011 19:55:25 | More by DocAJ

psuKinger

Pennsylvania

2.73/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle picked up while visiting my sister in Virginia, poured into a standard curved-shaker pint glass. I see no freshness date on the label, and I fear that this guy may not be of ideal freshness...

A: Pours a hazy golden color with a nice fluffy white head on the top.

S: Malt-sweetness and earthy notes are readily detectable. I'm a hophead... my initial thoughts here are that this smells more like the stereotypical East Coast IPA than it does a California IPA.

T: Follows the nose. Malt-sweetness dominates. I am picking up some citrus hops, but bitterness is underwhelming here.

M: Tingly carbonation is pleasant, but the beer is otherwise unremarkable in the mouth.

D: When I started this beer, I didn't think it would "last" for me very long. Other IPAs with a similar malt presence don't hold up very well for me. But this "worked" for me further into the bottle than I expected. I will not seek this out again, but if a free one was handed to me I wouldn't turn it down.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2010 04:55:32 | More by psuKinger

philbertk

Washington

3.43/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Bison IPA--USDA Organic--2005 22 oz. Bottle. 6.80% ABV. 60 IBU's? 4.0 / 5.0. Light sediment. Mild lace head. Cloudy rich bright amber red color. Mild floral hop front. Malty doughy rich caramel mild sweet ester fruit body. Earthy bitter hop spice creamy end. Malt over Hops IPA. Sampled 12/2/2005.

Bison Brewing Company--BISON IPA--Organic India Pale Ale--USDA Organic Since 1989--2010 12 oz. Bottle. 6.00% ABV. 64 IBU's. (3.5 / 5.0) Big dense lacy lasting off white head. Clear bright orange gold color. Floral grapefruit pine hop front. Crisp tangy thin dry sweet citrus fruit light caramel hop infused body. Dry hop spice clean slightly astringent citrus crisp refreshing end. Needs malt. Sampled 12/14/2010. Malt of the Earth Beer of the Month Club Selection received 11/29/2010.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2010 05:49:36 | More by philbertk

mooseisloose

Florida

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

Part of the latest BOTMC selection, first brew from this brewery was tasty, let's give this one a whirl. Popping the top I get a blast of citrus hops. Lots of grapefruit and tangerine. The brew pours to a bronze yellow with a big foamy micro-bubble pillow top off white head. Raising the glass, I get an immediate citrus jolt followed by a deep hop bite. The hop bite is very rare it is in the back of the palate not the front as usual. The taste continues with a building maltiness that eventually takes over the hop bite, then transitions into a bitter lingering finish. This brew appears to be brewed with lots of hops up front and lots at the end, but not much in the middle. Mouthfeel is high viscosity and carbonated enough to intensify the bite. Great head retention and nice lacing. A complex brew with great flavor transition throughout. Very tasty and quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2010 19:28:19 | More by mooseisloose

FosterJM

California

3.83/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

86th Review on BA
bottle to pint

App- Straw colored with a fairly fluffy 1 finger head. Has some yellow and orange highlights.

Smell- Some mild citrus with a musky aroma, a little more full on the nose than most IPAs ive had.

Taste- The hops are pretty bountiful on this with a slightly bitter after taste.

Mouth- A mix of light to med carb with a nice please finish.

Drink- Not bad for my 1st Bison. Would like to visit them up in SF. Have a 22oz Choc stout to drink as well.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2010 06:23:10 | More by FosterJM

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.3/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Aroma is fairly hoppy with an undertone of sweet citrus, mainly mandarin orange. It pours a pretty clear amber with a thick, fluffy, fairly persistent off-white head - an extra half point there! Flavor is hoppy and just a little bitter with a hint of citrus sweetness. Texture is pleasingly smooth with a nice fizz, and it leaves a hoppy, woody, slightly bitter and subtly tingly finish. This is not the best IPA I have ever had, but it is worthy of at least a try.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2010 02:21:56 | More by Cyberkedi

jeffjeff1

California

3.63/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

My mom picked this up at Costco today.

Appearance- coppery color, thick foamy head

Smell- hops, pretty good aroma

Taste- some hops, pretty balanced, some malt in there too

Mouthfeel-- medium bodied

Drinkability- I thought it was a pretty good IPA. Pretty balanced

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2010 20:43:45 | More by jeffjeff1

cottonkoozie

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Hazy honey color. Nice off white head with great retention. Not much lacing.

S - Good hops smell, nothing overpowering. Smells like balanced variates of hops.

T - Similar to the smell. Not as bitter as many ipa's. A somewhat sweet aftertaste. Good malt balance.

M - Very full, great feel.

D - Good drinkability, would not expect almost 7% abv by the taste. taste like a great session beer, more like something in the 5.5% area.

Great beer, good flavor and balance, nothing to overpoering with this one. I would buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2010 00:22:35 | More by cottonkoozie

mklinger

North Carolina

3.43/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a shaker pint glass. Creamy head formed over a bronze color body that was hazy. A one inch head formed that fell to a 1/4 inch quickly but left lots of lacing.

Aroma was orange and tangerine. Otherwise, quite clean smelling. Maybe just a smide of caramel sweetness.

Taste was citrus sour orange first followed by a bit of maltiness and a nicely bitter finish. This is a good solid IPA. Quite dry, it's malty without being sweet at all. A little estery in there too. A quite solid IPA nonetheless. Not really an exceptional IPA but solid.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2010 02:14:47 | More by mklinger

cpone

New York

3.43/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Drank this in a head to head comparison with Racer 5, and the two look identical in a glass. Fairly clear amber body with a creamy white head. Leaves a foamy lacing.

S: Mild, woody hop aroma (Willamette) with a bit of spicy malts. Orange and banana are prominent as well.

T: Very mild bitterness, which is almost completely overshadowed by malts. You'd (or me, rather) expect more kick from a nor cal IPA, which isn't a bad thing.

M: Medium/light bodied - slightly thin.

D: Drinkable, but slightly on the sweet side.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2010 02:14:13 | More by cpone

chumba526

Oregon

3.65/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Appears an orange like amber color with a sizable white head.

The aroma was very citrus and floral. It almost smelt like a flower garden in the spring. There is also a slight sweet malt smell as well.

The taste is very smooth. There is a nice mild floral and citrus hop taste. A nice subdued caramel malt taste is also fairly noticeable. There is a good amount of hop flavor thought it is not very bitter.

The carbonation is moderate. The drinkability is good because the IPA is smooth. Overall an interesting version of the IPA that uses hops but more in a floral and citrus way rather than a bitter way. It tastes a bit more like pale ale to me though.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2010 04:39:35 | More by chumba526

tronester

Oklahoma

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

Pours a clear golden orange with a small white head. Smells of a hint of citrus. Taste is light cane sugar up front, with a bready middle, and a resinous, citrusy, piney finish. Nice bitterness levels match up with the high sweetness. Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, nice low carbonation. Drinkability is good, I would certainly get this again.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2010 23:19:22 | More by tronester

fourword

Oklahoma

3.58/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours pale orange with a white frothy head. Aroma of sweet malt colliding with earthy hops. Medium bodied mouthfeel with average carbonation. Taste is sweet, of base malt characteristic, with a lingering bitterness that ends with a flavor of light lemon.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2010 02:31:16 | More by fourword

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.53/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Pours a clear orange with a thick white head. Great sticky lace. Scents of floral tones, mild citrus, and whiffs of pine on the back end.

The mouth is crisp and clean. Flavors of tart citrus, with a bit of a charred aftertaste. Mildly bitter. Some faint sweetness noted. This is not a bad IPA by any means. It's not the best, or what I was exactly looking for in this style, but still good. Easily drinkable. Could be an easy crossover IPA for the inquisitive.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2010 14:22:20 | More by Onenote81

bump8628

Oklahoma

3/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours dark with a nice dense white head that stick admirably.

Muted aroma of husky grain and a hint of citrus. The taste offers more with a grassy/herbal hop flavor and a lingering, almost harsh, bitterness. Clean, neutral yeast profile with a dry finish.

I like the idea of organic brewing, but in this case the high quality ingredients weren't put to a good use. High hop bitterness without the bright and juicy hop flavors doesn't add up to a good IPA in my book.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2010 20:15:06 | More by bump8628

feelmefoam

South Carolina

2.7/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Bison's Organic IPA pours a murky burnt orange color with lighter orange highlights and a finger of white head that quickly dissipates and leaves only a little thin lacing around the glass. The head started out looking nice, but it was gone pretty damn fast, not leaving too much in its wake.

You really have to search for the aroma, and once you find it, it's just OK. I can appreciate a good bit of caramel maltiness accompanied by a faint citrus character, but really nothing that jumps out of the glass at you.

The taste is the worst part of this beer. It's very plain on the tongue; up front is a long, unimpressive showing of caramel maltiness that slowly fades to a bit of hop character that is lacking not only in bitterness, but also that bright, zesty, juicy hop flavor that I look for and cherish in my favorite IPAs. This is pretty plain all around.

The mouthfeel isn't bad, but it isn't great either. A few notches above medium with the body, and a pretty hefty lack of carbonation leaves the alcohol open to rear it's head, which isn't very desirable, especially in this beer.

I'll finish this beer, and it's not horrible, but I certainly won't be buying it again. Just pretty plain in all areas of the spectrum. It started out well, then slowly got worse. If this is a representative of what organic beers (or at least those advertised as such) have in store, I might think twice before purchasing another. Anyone have any specific "organic" examples that could change my mind?

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2010 03:58:43 | More by feelmefoam

yemenmocha

Arizona

2.65/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours hazy orangy-golden color with modest head. Nose is almost entirely absent, but with what is there it is just simple citrus. On the palate this one is quite malty for an IPA, with alcohol rearing its ugly head even when the pint is at its coldest initially after the pour. Bitterness is there, but not a lot of the nice aromatic, floral, citrusy, piny hops. What a let down.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2010 03:18:18 | More by yemenmocha

evansrdbrew

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Drank on: 3/7/10
65 ABV
12 oz. in pint glass

A= Nice 1/2" thick head which left a nice high foamy lace. Beautiful golden copper colored ale. Nearly translucent. Slight foam layer and lace had great staying power.

S= Light malt aroma, almost pilsner smelling. Mild citrus and sweetness. Orangish hop aroma, with slight hint of pine.

T= The beginning is good with nice refreshing flavor and a nice earthy, herbal hop flavor. Wierd slightly metallic aftertaste with hints of citrus/lemon. Very light malt flavor. Very light bitterness with a slight piney hop flavor. Aftertaste is overwhelming though and not very appeasing.

MF= Light with no coating of mouth. Fairly mild carbonation and bitterness.

D= Aftertaste was off putting not making me want to drink any more.

Overall, my least favorite from bison brewing.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2010 17:30:32 | More by evansrdbrew

snaotheus

Washington

2.98/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle poured into a large mug

Pours a slightly hazy straw-amber color with medium head that fades very slowly and good hefty lacing. Smell is mild and mostly citrusy.

Taste is a big, mild, malty ale with hops in the background instead of up front. Some hops are detectable in the bitter aftertaste which is pleasant, but I think it's too subtle for an IPA. Granted, I'm sure organic hops are pretty expensive to brew with.

Mouthfeel is thick bready and pleasant, a little sticky, a little chewy. Quite drinkable. Not a stellar beer, but nothing seriously wrong with it.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2010 03:44:25 | More by snaotheus

wesbrownyeah

Florida

3.9/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bison Organic IPA... at 6.8% alcohol and cellered a little longer than needed. Has some massive yeasty floating left overs.

A- Poured half an hour ago to allow sediments to settle. Heavily hue orange fluid that still retains that huge two inch head that then turned into a mass of sea water froth that leaves patches of thick lacing.

S- Nice citrus scent upfront with fresh cut grass follow. Mild malt smells that are mostly sweet and sugary.

T-M- Strait-up bitter bite front from the citrus, grass and grapefruit hops. Yeasty as hell pucker that provide freshness but wow a tartlike feel follows. Like I said before over due beer but shit loads of yeast sediments make a beautiful mixture of bitter and tangy flavors excellent! Mouthfeel is a wee bit smooth with light bubbly carbonation that oh to easy for almost 7% alcohol.

D- Drinkable as any without the massive yeast compound due to over cellering but hey excellent beer all round.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2010 22:30:13 | More by wesbrownyeah

WeezyBoPeep

Florida

3.58/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a standard pint glass.

A: Golden with a copper hue; a tiny bit cloudy with a minimal head.

S: Quite a bit more earthy than other IPA's with mild citrus hops, flowers, honey and a syrupy scent.

T: A sour to bitter front with piney hops, cannabis smoke and malt with an earthy quality. Good balance.

D: A refreshing change; for the regular IPA drinker, this earthy, organic brew is pretty drinkable.

Value: Expensive considering what else is out there.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2010 04:03:53 | More by WeezyBoPeep

hophead247

California

3.3/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured clear pale golden with a short cap of off-white head. The aroma was rather weak, with bready notes, lemon, and grass... warmth brought out a touch of juicy lighter fruits, but you have to stretch to find 'em. The flavor also had sweet bready notes at the core, with light grassy and lemon bitterness surrounding.. the sticky finish carried through a little more bitterness, and was slightly refreshing. Medium-bodied with lower carbonation and a bit of zestiness from the lemon. All in all an average IPA that was drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2010 01:40:51 | More by hophead247