Avatar Jasmine IPA - Elysian Brewing Company

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from Premiere Gourmet. Pours medium yellow with a siginificant white foaming head. Sweet floral smelling. Very easy mouthfeel and a surprisingly good drinker. A 500 ml. is perfect, a 750 ml. is still good. Satisfying. A nice bitterness, with citrus and lots of well brewed jasmine.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2009 03:14:08 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.35/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Ripe pumpkin orange with a storm of yeast or hops or flecks of jasmine. I love 'dirty' looking beer. The lemon-tinted ivory head is thick, rich and creamy and looks to be settling in for the long haul. The lace display (a thick collar) is just good enough not to detract from what is an outstanding appearance.

I wish the nose was at least twice as strong. Granted, at the moment I'm trying to appreciate it through several inches of foam. The aroma is different from any beer that I've ever smelled; not surprising since I've never smelled a jasmine-infused beer before. It's a gorgeous nose, with elements of sweetened lemon peel and fragrant jasmine. Since it still isn't bold enough when the head is no longer running interference, I'll have to knock the score back a half notch.

On the palate, Avatar Jasmine is different, interesting and unquestionably delicious. A beer this good needs to have a palate punishing amount of flavor, not the teasingly sufficient amount that has been provided. I wondered about the IPA designation when I spotted the relatively low ABV. In truth, this beer is much closer to an APA.

Warming brings about brighter, more vivid flavors; jasmine mingles beautifully with sneakily bitter, lemony hops. If I shift gears and enter a Zen-like state, my appreciation for the subtle beauty of this beer increases dramatically. I'm not being facetious (much). There's nothing wrong with a more subtle, more delicate, exquisitely balanced APA when it's as exotic and as delicious as this one is.

I'm amazed to discover that Chinook, Glacier and Amarillo make up the hop bill. I'd never have guessed in a million years because the beer doesn't taste like those hops were anywhere near the brew kettles. Credit has to go to Elysian for keeping their more aggressive aspects in check so that delicate jasmine is able to work its magic unimpeded.

There isn't a thing wrong with the mouthfeel. Again, think APA. Although low on chewiness and lingering hop resins, it matches the lighter, more delicate flavor perfectly. This brewery seldom lets me down when it comes to mouthfeel, and they haven't come close to doing so here.

I love Elysian beer and have given out 4.4s to three of the four that I've been lucky enough to acquire. Avatar Jasmine shows that they aren't afraid to try something different and that they have the skill to pull it off. It's hard to imagine a better beer for a steamy summer night on the deck. Too bad I don't have any jasmine planted back there.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2006 22:46:55 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +21.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

really, really loved this one. I received it as an extra a few weeks ago and threw it right into the fridge. Served cold and poured into a pint glass, this one was consumed on 09/14/2009.
 
The pour was near perfect. Clear and rich copper amber in color. A huge head, nearly three inches in height towered over the top of the glass, settling down only slightly and leaving behind tons of side glass lacing along the way. Ample carbonation visible throughout the session. Aroma is enormous grapefruit and floral notes. Crisp, clear, and clean. With a definite amount of freshness to it. Perfect balance is achieved here with each and every sip. As the hops are bright and deliver a pronounced citrus and floral flavor, the jasmine plays off of it perfectly adding a very nice bit of balance to it. Dry finish with a crisp and clean bite to it. Nice medium feel and just an enormous amount of session ability to it. I could have kept going with this one, but alas it had run out,
 
Overall one of the best IPA's I have had in as long as I can remember. The jasmine added a very nice element to it, nice floral notes and a good bit of balance. Again this is one I would have no issue at all with going after again.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2009 22:21:25 | More by mikesgroove

brentk56

North Carolina

3.03/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Pours a hazy honey color with a decent head that retains and laces reasonably well

Smell: Jasmine tea aroma wafts above with an underlying caramel malt beneath

Taste: Starts with a biscuity flavor that is joined, mid-palate, by the jasmine elements; after the swallow, the mentholated jasmine battles with the grainy hops and produces an unappealing combination

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: A nice experiment, but the menthol element renders it unpalatable to me

Thanks, TheBungyo, for the experience; I was curious to try it and now I have done so

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2007 00:07:13 | More by brentk56

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.9/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a hazy, orangeish body with a small, white head.

Smell: Pale malts with a touch of toffee coupled with a full floral scent of jasmine.

Taste: Palt malts with a medium toffee-like sweetness. Floral jasmine flavor emerges and ushers in a medium bitterness to balance. Splash of light herbal tea. Hint of flower stems. Finishes dry.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: You know, that's not half bad. The jasmine puts an exciting, new twist on what would just be another IPA.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2008 03:09:19 | More by ChainGangGuy

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Without reading the label on the bottle I didn't know that this beer actually contained Jasmine. I first got lots of bready, medium-caramel malt, and then floral and grassy hops in the nose. The flavor followed suit, but there it was, Jasmine! Not that I've ever actually tasted Jasmine, but it grows wild near me and I love the scent in late summer. I thought the Jasmine moniker was just a name, but lo and behold, it's actually in the beer.

So, does it work? Yes and no. I think it's a really interesting beer, and I love the way that the Jasmine works with the rich maltiness and the subtly piney and juicy, berry-like hops that slip through from underneath. And the honeyish, spicy/floral finish that just seems to go on forever. It's just so bright and rich and floral, how could you complain?! On the other hand, the floral coating atop the caramel & Munich ball of malt can become a bit much for more than one glass. It seems a little full, and just a tad sweet beyond one serving. It sticks in the mouth. Still, I think it deserves a lot of merit for flavor and aroma and mouthfeel, as well as creativity. In fact, I think it's probably worth seeking out just to give it a try because it's so different, and it actually succeeds with style whereas a lot of other "herb & spice" beers falter. Nicely done!

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2009 01:51:53 | More by NeroFiddled

WesWes

New York

4.1/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a dark golden color with a thick frothy white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a very nice malt scent that boasts of pale, Carapils, and bisquit malts along with a highly floral hop and flower aroma. It's quite refreshing in the nose. The taste is good as well. It has an easy drinking malt bill of mostly pale and Carapils malts along with a wonderful mix of hops and Jasmine flowers. The flower taste and hop bitterness kind of get lost in one another. The malts provide the necessary balance. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a highly drinkable beer with loads of complexity. I also give these guys big ups for the use of Jasmine flowers. Who would have known it could be so good?

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2009 01:15:12 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

3.85/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Beer is yellow with a mild hazy, lazy thin white head of small bubbles, some lacing, low carbonation.

Aroma is nice and citrusy but overall weak, when you bill something as being "dry hopped with amarillo" it should smell like it.

Beer is sweet and really floral, finishing with a minimal bitterness, a nice not dry finish on a decent IPA. The flowers in this beer really adds to it. I think this is quite a good little beer and I would have it again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-22-2011 03:47:39 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

3.78/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to 5000 for sending this bottle my way.

The beer pours an orange-amber color with a white head. The aroma is very heavy on the flower and perfume. You can definitely tell there are flowers used in the brewing process. I also get some biscuit malt.

The flavor is very similar. The flowers are a little overpowering, but still go fairly well with the malt. Low bitterness.

Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2011 03:06:58 | More by Mora2000

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.03/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Acquired via trade from JoeyBeerBelly so a big "Thank You" goes out to him. Poured from a 22oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep amber color, with a thin off-white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of floral hops, caramelized malts, citrus and a touch of spice.

T: The taste starts out with a good burst of hops bitterness that is complemented well by the herbal flavor of the jasmine. Then there are sweet flavors of caramel and citrus that come in along with a hearty but not too heavy malt character to provide a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and very crisp, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, decent kick, good representation of style while adding a different twist to it, I wasn't expecting the jasmine to work so well with the hops but it made this beer one that is worth drinking for a while if you're the mood for something slightly out of the ordinary.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2009 01:39:04 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

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

This beer poured out as a lightly hazy golden color with a thin white head on top. The smell of the beer was hoppy and a bit floral... perhaps even spicy. The taste of the beer was good, I enjoyed it, it was bitter and yet it kept giving off some other flavors that I couldn't really pinpoint. The mouthfeel was light and smooth. Overall this beer is worth having again I think. It's a good IPA in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2011 01:55:55 | More by Knapp85

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a lightly hazy orange-copper color and is topped by a thin pale tan head. Whoa, the aroma is quite interesting, not at all what I was expecting. It almost has a candy character to it; like a jasmine honey candy. I really like the aroma on this, it is perhaps a tad sweet, but I am a sucker for jasmine tea, which I just love the aroma of. The taste is quite dry, with lots of herbal and floral notes to it; quite an interesting mix of hop and jasmine. The finish really reminds me of fresh jasmine infused green tea; a bit of tannic astringency, and a dry finish. There is a bit of bitterness in the finish as well, but it is not heavy handed for an IPA.

This appears to have relied on the Jasmine for the bulk of the aroma and flavor, it makes me wonder what a bit of a heavy handed American hop additions would have done. The Jasmine would not be as noticeable but it would have mixed nicely with citrusy hop notes. I definitely like this beer quite a bit, it is amazing how sweet the Jasmine makes the aroma seem, yet how, relatively, dry the beer actually is.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2005 05:51:07 | More by Gueuzedude

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bomber at BeerBistro...

This beer pours a hazy medium apricot colour, with one finger of thick soapy off-white head, which leaves random webbed lace around the glass in its wake. It smells mildly of sweet florals, rather perfume-like. The taste is strong jasmine, mild caramel malt, and a bit of citrus hops. The carbonation is low, the body a bit on the light side, and it finishes with more sweet floral/herbal jasmine essence.

Partial truth in advertising - nicely rendered jasmine, but not a whole lot of typical IPA character going on.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2010 00:07:47 | More by biboergosum

Gavage

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: pours an orange color with a 1" head that lingers a while. Some spotty lacing develops.

Smell: loads of floral hops and jasmine flowers along with orange citrus.

Taste: caramel, oranges, green grapes, and a nice floral bitterness. The jasmine flowers provide a unique flavor to the beer.

Mouthfeel: lightly crisp from start to finish. The finish is also slightly dry. Medium bodied.

Drinkability: very nice sessionable IPA that will not overwhelm the tastebuds.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2008 18:40:36 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours orange-ish amber with a thin, lasting white head that leaves broken rings of lacing.

The smell is of minty herb (which I'll take to be the jasmine) with grapefruit and a soft biscuity background.

The taste is of minty/floral spicing (again - I'll take to be jasmine) with light citrus and some buttered biscuit. A more balanced, softer, IPA with a unique jasmine/minty herb spin. It has a spicy, but soft, finish.

It has a soft, light-to- medium body with a nice smoothness. It has a refreshing - just brushed my teeth (but not swallowed the toothpaste) aftertaste.

Something different for sure - A mildish IPA with enough citric bitterness to fit the bill of an IPA (though I wouldn't argue with a slightly more aggressive "Jasmine APA" either). It does "disappear" quickly, though I don't know that I'd want to "session" it. An interesting "spin" on an IPA that works well enough for a "change of pace" IPA. My bottle says 6.3%, and is well-hidden.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2008 02:02:40 | More by jwc215

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 650 mL bottle purchased at Liquid Solutions.

A: The IPA is a golden amber color, radiantly translucent, clear and pristine. A half a finger of head on pour is just a wispy band resting atop the beer.

S: Caramel malts drive the nose, sweet and bready. A faint grapefruit hop presence adds a balance to the malts. A mild floral scent marks the jasmine.

T: Caramel malts are strong but the ale has a wonderfully floral taste. The flowers ar enot hoppy and bitter but sweet and pleasant. The jasmine masks most of the hoppy side of the IPA, which is a little disappointing.

M: The mouthfeel is a mix of caramel and flowers; not much of a hop profile in here. The jasmine could easily replace the hops from a flavor perspective, oily and sweet.

D: A nice sippin' IPA. I've been nursing it for several hours and it's been very pleasant.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2009 02:12:45 | More by akorsak

WVbeergeek

Ohio

2.98/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

If your're looking for traditional IPA grab their Immortal IPA, this is the hybrid herbal flower Jasmine infused IPA where the floral aspects overshadow the hops, I did get some mild citrus and herbal bitterness from hops but the Jasmine smacked me around, a semi clouded golden copper orange hue with an off white khaki tinted head forming thick. Carbonation levels were dead on nothing cloying in the actual texture more the unrelenting bitterness from the Jasmine additions. Flavor wise a nice base beer as jaded by the Jasmine, I just didn't care for this combination or the fact that they have to get so creative with an already stellar style of beer, the IPA. Overall I think I said it, drink the Immortal and try a thimble full of this and move on.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2012 06:32:15 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly fogged golden amber with a thick crème head. Nose is light and floral. A bit citric. Flavor is definitely influenced by the jasmine, but there is also a slight salty edge to it all. Overall it is a well balanced mix. I start to get an almost inky aftertaste though. Seems a bit light and airy, but complex enough to keep it interesting. Feel has a good carbonation to it, though a bit low, and the liquid body is decent as well.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2008 16:28:27 | More by RblWthACoz

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.22/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a deep orange color with good carbonation and a nice white head that clings to the glass, leaves lacing. Nose is jasmine, fresh hops, maybe even pale and crystal malt. Taste is earthy, jasmine and fresh hops. Caramel too. Mouthfeel is light booze, very crisp, refreshing, jasmine. Very drinkable delicous.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2010 03:18:42 | More by barleywinefiend

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in an American pint glass)

A- This beer pours a bright golden orangish-brown body with a thin white head that has a slight yellow hue to it. There is a strong carbonation of tiny bubbles that slowly rise to the surface.

S- The smell of fresh floor-dried malt with a slight graham note was wonderful. This was followed by a light jasmine ginger hop finish. I don't know that I would have been able to tell the jasmine was not part of the hops if it wasn't printed on the label.

T- The smooth light taste of lightly toasted malt has a sweetness and a freshness that was great. There were notes of pale malt that kept the malt flavors light. There was a nice grapefruit hop flavor that was juicy and had a smooth bitterness in the finish.

M- This beer had a light mouthfeel with a sweetness that was very light in the finish. It gave the hop taste more of a boost.

D- This beer had great fresh malt flavors and it had a smooth hop flavor that was bigger than the malt. The hops were very tasty but didn't punish the taste buds like some IPAs, which I also drink and love. It also had nice subtle complexity to all aspects of the beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2006 15:49:59 | More by rhoadsrage

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Super clear orange slight amber orange color, light head.

Nose malty, caramel, chewy hops, quite a bit of jasmine tea, nice floral hops.

Taste earthy floral hops, jasmine tea, light sweet malts, semi sweet overall and some bittering hops.

Mouth is med bodied, dec carb.

Overall not bad, nice jasmine and hop blend, done well but nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2011 21:34:38 | More by jlindros

Jason

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap @ Redbones in a 12 oz flute.

Shimmering golden hue, mild haze and good head retention. Mild yet slightly pungent hop aroma, hint of fruit and biscuity malt in the aroma and flavor. Bitter upfront, kiss of malt in the middle and then finishes with more hop and a tingly spice in the end.

A solid spiced IPA, a bit small for an American IPA but certainly drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2005 01:38:34 | More by Jason

Billolick

New York

3.9/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber 22 ounce bottle, w/o freshness info offered. Pours golden and clear, eggshell head, moderately retentive in nature, and t leaves respectable and fine lace. Fruity nose, leads to a pleasant, resiny quaffer, quite dry in nature. Second one I have tried from Elysian, and I'm impressed. Tasty, smooth and drinkable. well worth a try for lovers of nicely crafted hoppy and dry ale.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2008 00:12:56 | More by Billolick

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle purchased recently somewhere in the MA/NY area. Label dated Sept 04, 2009, unclear if that is a born on or best by date.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 3/4" eggshell head over the golden amber brew which is filled with big floaties, which are off-putting. Head lasts, with thick coating lace. Aroma is floral and earthy. Taste starts sweet, jasmine breaks out in the middle, and closes with moderate bitterness. Mouthfeel is soft over the tongue, and drinkability is pretty good. Just have to try not to think about all the chunky bits.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2009 21:39:07 | More by ppoitras

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a clear copper, with a couple fingers of bright-white head. This retains with roughly a finger of rich froth, coating the sides of the glass with sticky foamy lace. The jasmine gives the aroma a pleasant floral scent, which works well with the fruitiness of the hops. This is undercut by a fresh earthy bitterness. Sweet malts soften the edges of this up a bit but flowery textures here mostly control the nose.

The jasmine flavor also translates well to the taste, once again working in tandem with that soft fruitiness form the hops and the sweet graininess of the malts. This still however has a solidly fresh and leafy bitterness to it that cuts through the profile, leaving a dry pithiness in the finish that lingers some extra flowery accents. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a lively crispness that fills the mouth, yet this is still fairly smooth and slick feeling underneath. This has a very easy feel to it with no alcohol being detected, helping add to the overall drinkability of this.

I liked this. The jasmine definitely added something to this and worked well with the floral and fruit character that was already present from the hops. A well hid ABV and smooth body only added to the approachability here. A unique and tasty offering from Elysian.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2011 17:07:24 | More by Kegatron