Falconer's IPA - Widmer Brothers Brewing Company

Bighuge

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Hazed caramel toned body. Thin beige head leaves adequate lace. Nice aroma of pine, citrus and resin. Light caramel malt aroma. Flavor is unique and hard to describe. Piney and minty mostly with some zesty lemon as well. Spruce tips come to mind. Moderate carbonation with a medium-full body. Solid effort, but I like the X114 better myself.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2011 05:31:47 | More by Bighuge

bump8628

Oklahoma

3.65/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clear copper, nice puff of white foam that lasts. Herbs, flowers, and other vegetation jump out first before the raw citrus edge emerges, some pine as I dig deeper. Clean and crisp with minimal malt distraction, touch of oiliness coats the mouth.

A nice IPA. I think they did a better job with X-114 - just a little brighter and juicier. Having brewed with the FF blend I know it is capable of something much more explosive. That said, this was $2.50/pint as the monthly special at the local - for that price I'll drink it all night.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2011 21:52:01 | More by bump8628

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.63/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle bottled on Aug17 11. Pours a mostly clear copper color with a sticky cap of light tan head. Nice lacing and decent retention.

Hops are quite tropical on the nose, some citrus fruit is evident too. Bright and clean with biscuity, husky malt backing it up. The base beer smells similar to the X-114. If you didnt like that one, chances are you wont like this one either.

Taste shows a nice spectrum of flavor hops through to a fairly strong bitterness. Malts are dry and grainy with a bit of burnt toast. Not much interplay between the malt and hops. Simplistic brew that goes down rather easy and the tropical flavors of the hops are pretty cool as they transition into somewhat of a catty, rough-around-the-edges bitterness. I am actually enjoying the Rotator IPA series, I like the new hop varietals they are using and the sixers dont sit around in my fridge very long. So, kudos to you Kurt and Rob.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 18:01:24 | More by twiggamortis420

TheMultiYeast

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a translucent amber/orange with a bit of white head and some lacing.

Nicely balanced nose but not a huge hop aroma for an IPA. Some fruity peach, subdued citrus and orange zest overlie sugary pale malts

Taste is similar in fruit flavors with some buttered biscuits thrown in. Again, hop bitterness is restrained but this is certainly a unique IPA

Mouthfeel is fairly thin with even carbonation.

Enjoyed this beer 3 months after the recommended date but I'm not sure if that had much of an influence on my overall drinking experience. I'm always interested in rotating IPA's and wouldn't hesitate to grab something else from Widmer Bros

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 04:48:53 | More by TheMultiYeast

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.35/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Nice orange color, mostly clear, decent head and pretty good lace.

Lots of earthy pungent malts, fruity citrus, grassy notes, a little oily pine.

For an IPA it's pretty malty, but not bad. Pungent malts, some citrus peel and pine, a little fruitiness.

Body is light to medium and moderately carbonated, earthy bitter malty aftertaste.

It's not my fav from Widmer but it's not bad.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 22:53:03 | More by AlCaponeJunior

Philousa

California

3.35/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Sits a clear copper with a quarter finger head. Thin but good lacing on the glass. A very floral hop scent greets your nose first, slightly herbal and pungent. Sweet malt is pretty prevalent once the hops subside a bit. Sweet malt turns bitter in taste, then grassy hops finish the beer bitter. Lots of carbonation balances what could be a too-viscous malty mouthfeel.

This is a decent IPA with good hop aroma. The malt is balanced with well chosen hop varietals. This could have been too malty, but the right amount of bitterness and carbonation offset it enough to showcase the malt bill without making it too viscous. An easily drinkable beer, I'd reach for this most nights if given the chance.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 22:59:38 | More by Philousa

ZAP

Minnesota

4.53/5  rDev +21.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-Muddied burnt orange...

S-Terrific...toasted breads and warm biscuit like maltiness....hops are very interesting...not sure what is used but I'm getting fresh pine combined with a sweet tropical style fruitiness....mangos...papaya...pineapple..

T-I think the malt really makes this beer but what an interesting hop flavor...not sure I've had many I can compare it to. This has some bitterness but the flavor profile really impresses me more so.

M-Medium bodied...never would have guessed 7%..drinks more like a pale ale loaded with flavor.

O-I've had two bottles of this. The first one I thought this was off the charts good and was saving this second bottle to review. My first impression was a bit better but this is definitely a tasty beer I would rate as an upper tier IPA

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 23:21:47 | More by ZAP

Jason

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz brown bottle with a freshness date.

LOOK: Impressive lacing, clear amber color.

SMELL: Grapefruit rind, spearmint, hemp seeds, biscuity, cracker maltines, passion fruit, guava, alcohol.

TASTE: Hop bitterness, smooth, creamy medium body, leafy, vague berry fruitiness, dry malt backbone, light toasted biscuit, citric zest and rind, bitter semi-dry finish.

A tribute beer and a tasty one at that, extremely drinkable for 7% and more than enough hops to appease my need. Solid.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2011 02:53:38 | More by Jason

zdk9

Texas

3.7/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours out very clear with a shade of orange ruby. A full finger of uneven head leaves uneven rings, strings, and dots of lacing on the glass.

S- The aroma is an initial burst of fruitiness, followed by a dank grassy weedy halo. There's a lot of good stuff here- strawberries, cherries, orange, fresh-cut grass, marijuana, wood chips, composting pine needles.

T- The taste is a little more malty,a little more dusty, a good deal less complex. Where has the fruitiness gone? Transformed into harsher heavier hops I suppose- grapefruit and lemon and lime piths, along with some pine. Some of the dankness is still present. Simple sweetness takes the form of light maple syrup. And ever-present is this minerally, chalkiness.

M- Very bitter. Unexpectedly bitter compared to the smell.

O- I wish the entirety of this beer was like the aroma. But alas it is not...

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2011 08:35:56 | More by zdk9

Reidrover

Oregon

2.8/5  rDev -24.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz single from Roth’s Vista Market ,Salem. $1.35 typical burnt orange body with a nice,thick and frothy eggshell white head. not liking the aroma..this is the type of IPA aroma that puts me off pungent green onion..though it gets Ok after the first few deep sniffs. Taste ..bland really..sweet malty..grassy hop...slightly fruity..meh. Ok i suppose on the palate..nothing to write home about. Another dissapointment from the Rotator series..im not sure am i missing something?

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2011 03:16:01 | More by Reidrover

jmarsh123

Indiana

2.98/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pint on draft at Atlas Bar.

Pours a deep clear copper color with about a 1" white head that sustains pretty well.

Smell is bready/grainy with some pine. A bit too malt forward for an IPA.

Taste is similar. Strong bready and caramel malt bakcbone with some slightly astringent pine dry bitter finish. Hints of some wood as well give it a unique taste.

Mouthfeel is good with good carbonation.

Perfectly drinkable beer although the dry bitter finish may make having more than 1-2 of these unpalatable. Nothing horrible, but nothing great either.

Serving type: on-tap

11-03-2011 16:17:41 | More by jmarsh123

MrHurmateeowish

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle purchased at Shaw's in North Hampton. Pours a crystal clear dark amber body with a half inch or so of off-white head. Smells fruity and malty. Pulpy piney hops share the flavor pretty equally with caramel and toffee like malt flavors. Medium in body and carbonation. Pretty good overall, though not quite as hop-forward as expected.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2011 01:08:25 | More by MrHurmateeowish

musicforairports

New York

3.68/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very clear amber pour, adequate head and lacing.

Smell is sweet malt with notes of pine and tropical fruit.

Taste: A strong malt backbone--probably too much for an IPA--with notes of pine and maybe some citrus. Slightly dry and slightly bitter. The hop profile is a bit flimsy, but I've had much worse malt-forward IPAs.

Medium-heavy mouthfeel for the style, a bit sweet, with nice carbonation.

This one isn't bad for the price of a 12-pack, but the X-114 was a lot better if you want to try something from the Rotator series.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2011 03:00:44 | More by musicforairports

JDizzle

Indiana

3.43/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the standard 12 oz glass bottle. Bought a 12 pack for $14.99.

Pours a copper/amber clear color. Looks a little more viscous than it is. It has a nice one finger off white head.

Bready, hoppy, malty are the strong fumes that hit me first. It has kinda of a soapy smell I really can't put my finger on. Smells OK.

The taste is pretty hoppy off the bat with a meaty backbone that is earthy, bready, and sweet. Really no sign of alcohol. A piney finish that is quite bitter.

The mouthfeel is good with a fair amount of carbonation. The bitterness might stop it from being a session beer, but pretty drinkable for the price.

Good beer by Widmer, but I would rather have a Torpedo being the same price.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 00:42:34 | More by JDizzle

RJLarse

Washington

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

I bought a six-pack of Falconer's IPA in a grocery store. Part of the Rotator IPA Series. Poured into a pint glass.

Pours a light copper color, clear, with a creamy egg shell white head.

Smell is faint, more grain than citrus and pine.

Taste is a caramel malt flavor up front, with a mildly bitter pine finish. There is a lingering bitter aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a very slightly cloying character.

A very drinkable IPA. more in keeping with the English style I think, as opposed to American IPAs. I'll have it again.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2011 00:49:58 | More by RJLarse

Gatch

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Nice shade of amber with a fluffy, tall, white head that settles into a pillowy, lacey layer.

S - Fruity, hoppy goodness in the nose. Becomes subdued as the head fades. Slight alcohol.

T - Of course the hops are there, with notes of pine, wood, smoke, alcohol, caramelized sugar. The alcohol seems to dominate.

M/D - Can be a bit cloying and monotonous after a while. Smooth with little carbonation. Noticeable alcohol in the finish.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2011 06:58:37 | More by Gatch

Duhast500

Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a Sierra Nevada Pint glass.

The color is a clear copper-amber with a finger of foamy off-white head and some nice lacing left on the glass.

The smell has some nice earthy hoppy aroma with some

The taste is pretty hoppy at first with some earthy notes that hold a good sized bitterness that also a good sized malt presence as well. The hits with a taste of piney hops at the end and makes this comes back to the bitterness.

The feel of this beer is medium bodied and has a nice drinkable feel to a beer that has a good amount of hops. It does have a smooth side and it make this beer surprising in how well this drinks.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 04:13:47 | More by Duhast500

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.25/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle from a sixer that cost me $8.49. Dark orange color, not much head but some sticky lacing on the glass. Smells like alcohol and fruit but not exactly citrus. The taste is alcohol, some fruit (again not citrus), more alcohol. Overall this has too much of an alcohol flavor for me, I preferred the X-114 a lot more.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 02:35:36 | More by ArrogantB

tehzachatak

Massachusetts

3.4/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

poured from a 12 oz bottle from a Widmers mix 12 I got recently.

A - clear amber ale with no haze. couple fingers of nice slightly tan head that leaves a ton of pretty lace.

S - citrus hop aroma, with some pineapple. nothing special but not bad.

T - lacking in the flavor department. some malts up front, with a bit of hop bitterness at the end. not particularly full flavored. this could be improved on, a lot.

M - remarkably light for a 7.0% IPA. really enjoy how refreshing this beer is, even with the hop bitterness. a perfect example of a really drinkable IPA. nicely carbonated. really, really loved this mouthfeel- not something i normally notice this much about a beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2011 02:10:00 | More by tehzachatak

tdm168

North Carolina

3.65/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Village Draft House

This beer pours a nice light amber color, but arrived at the table with no head. The is predominantly grapefruit with faint notes of light malt. The taste is similar; grapefruit-like citrusy hops and very pleasing floral hops up front with faint malt notes and a honey-like sweetness noticeable in the finish. The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied and moderately carbonated.

This is a very sessionable IPA. The hops used lend floral and grapefruit notes, but little if any bitterness. This would make a great training wheels beer for those looking to get into the style.

Serving type: on-tap

10-16-2011 11:35:36 | More by tdm168

Zorro

California

3.88/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Clear bronze colored ale with a tall tan colored head.

Smells strongly of both hops and malt. Toffee candy smothered by a pile of hops. Hop scents of pine cone, grapefruit and orange candy slices. Lesser scents of Spearmint and tea, reminds me of Snapple.

Starts out dry and very hoppy with a melon aftertaste. Strong grapefruit flavor with wood and tea. Settles down to dry with lots of black tea flavor.

Mouthfeel is good.

Tasty yet on the verge of harsh. Good yet not great.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2011 02:58:06 | More by Zorro

jdense

Oregon

3.58/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Six pack obtained at Slaveway in The Big, poured into shaker pint glass, 10.12.11.

One finger slightly off-white head small bubbles, medium dissipation with significant lacing. Nose is pretty complex almost muddled, some caramel balanced by tropical/grapefruit hop profile. Taste is hop forward, more grapefruit than mango, decent malt backbone. Mouthfeel is medium, decent effervescence. Hard to identify the hop profile, might benefit in future if blended with something a bit more spicy/piney, but not a bad single hop IPA.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 01:55:36 | More by jdense

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

3.7/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a crystal clear reddish amber with thick off-white head. Plenty of lacing.

S - Pine, some steely caramel, muted citrus.

T - Wow! Way better than the nose. Pine, mint, bitter grapefruit rind, toasty biscuty caramel malt base, strawberry/citrus sweetness. Sweet herbal mint end the dry finish.

M - Medium body, great carbonation.

Very balanced with enough of a hop punch to satisfy. Aroma needs works but this is a great tasting IPA.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2011 00:04:16 | More by StaveHooks

DaveHS

California

3.48/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-Pours clear amber with ruby highlights and a thin, foamy khaki head. Leaves rings of lacing down the glass.

S-Sweet, tropical fruit hop aroma, Walker's shortbread cookies, pineapple juice. A distinct lack of bitter hop aroma.

T/M-Drier than I expected, given the nose. Still, this is all about the aromatic/fruity hops. Mango and pineapple sweetness is undercut by moderately dry, grassy hops on the back end. Very drinkable, though a bit sweeter than I prefer my IPAs. Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

O-Another decent IPA from Widmer. Worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2011 02:20:36 | More by DaveHS

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.88/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured a clear reddish copper color with good carbonation and a nice white cap.

S: Floral and perfume notes, with some citrus

T: Starts with a pronounced bitterness. Citrus, floral. Finishes spicy and dry. Left a sweet, bitter aftertaste.

M: Medium body with moderate carbonation.

O: This is good, tasty and easy to drink

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2011 21:51:24 | More by barleywinefiend