Highland Devil’s Britches IPA - Highland Brewing

wedge

North Carolina

3.34/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Crystal clear chestnut with a creamy head that leaves behind some drippy rings. Spicy, herbal aromas; scallions and dank earth...very interesting and unique. Leafy, earthy hop flavor along with some pear and bitter citrus. Medium bodied and fairly light on the carbonation. Odd choice of hops, not my favorite combination ever. An interesting experience, but not something I see myself buying again anytime soon.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 00:12:36 | More by wedge

brentk56

North Carolina

3.64/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a copper color with a very nice head; good lacing, too

Smell: Caramel and pine

Taste: Caramel, up front, with piney tobacco flavors developing in the middle; grows earthy and grainy in the back end

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: In today's market, this is a pretty forgettable IPA, sadly

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2013 19:37:34 | More by brentk56

Tumble

Florida

4/5  rDev +11.1%

06-15-2013 00:55:44 | More by Tumble

beernads

Florida

3/5  rDev -16.7%

06-12-2013 08:19:06 | More by beernads

mweso2000

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%

06-05-2013 19:20:54 | More by mweso2000

woodchip

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -9.7%

05-30-2013 01:02:05 | More by woodchip

Axnjxn

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +11.1%

05-29-2013 21:47:33 | More by Axnjxn

macrosmatic

Florida

3.46/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes. Had on-tap at CCB tasting room. Served in a pint glass.

A: Clear, amber in color, good visible carbonation, one finger of white head.

S: Heavy bready malt, bitter resinous pine and citrus rind hops.

T: Bitter grassy and pine resin hops, decent toasty malt backbone. Good amount of bitterness in the hang.

M: Thin body, moderate carbonation. The alcohol presence is heavy-handed, especially considering the relatively tame ABV.

O: I'm disappointed with this one. Falls short of what I expected from this brewery, most of whose other offerings that I've had I've been fairly impressed with. Too much alcohol presence, too much bitterness without accompanying hop flavors, and the body needed to have more substance.

Serving type: on-tap

05-27-2013 16:52:12 | More by macrosmatic

jaswilson2

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%

05-25-2013 02:20:48 | More by jaswilson2

bcuz7

Florida

3.25/5  rDev -9.7%

05-19-2013 21:51:54 | More by bcuz7

MCDub

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +11.1%

05-10-2013 14:40:00 | More by MCDub

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.59/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

"'Lordy, that's as red as the devil's britches,' exclaimed a local rancher, awed by the vibrant fall canopy ablaze on what is known today as Devil's Britches trail. Highland Brewing commemorates the history of the Great Smoky Mountains and Devil's Britches trail with a rich, red IPA. Ashburne Mild malt produces a toasted and biscuity flavor, and Extra Special malt renders an alluring red hue. Apollo hops provide aggressive bitterness (70 IBU), while dry-hopping with Calypso hops yields complex fruity and floral aromas with hints of pear and apple. This devishly delicious ale is Highland;s twist on the great American IPA." Brewed in the style of a Red IPA. The newest seasonal beer by Highland Brewing Company.

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle to a pint glass. Served north of 49º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a toasted caramel cream head of a creamy froth consistency over a red-tinged copper body with moderate relaxed carbonation and high clarity. Lacing is light and curtained- retention is very good. Very pleasing appearance. 4.25

(Smell) Aroma is relatively clean with a light bready malt base. A mild citrus hop aroma tries to pair, but doesn't quite match the intensity. Potency overall is somewhat muted- none of the aromas really come forward to define this beer. 3.25

(Taste) Toasty caramel biscuit malts with a mellow bready sweetness. Hops are equally softened- some peppery, earthy characters and a touch of spice, but nothing is taking the reins. I don't personally find the bitterness too much. Balance is right on for the flavors involved, but collectively they're very light throughout. The toasted caramel is probably the most unique part of this IPA- I haven't had many IPAs with a toasted grain front like this one presents. The drinkability is incredibly high, as neither the malt nor the hop character trash the palate like heavier-bodied IPAs do. It's a good, session beer but likely won't meet the demands of the adventurous IPA bunch that go for a maltier or hoppier IPA. 3.5

(Mouthfeel) Mouthfeel is very smooth with a slight thickness and a mellow buzzy carbonation. Body is light+ for the style, light/medium overall. Alcohol presence is very low, concealed by the little alpha bitterness that is perceptible to the tongue. The texture is very nice for this style, it helps keep the flavor and texture relatively uncomplicated, but it could be even more relaxed to go with the texture. Ingredients for a very sessionable IPA are all here, it just won't be to everybody's IPA expectations. Based on the recipe, the mouthfeel is good. 4

(Overall) Devil's Britches hits the mark for those who want an IPA that doesn't neutralize the taste buds or fill you up after one drink. Highland has a tendency to craft light, drinkable IPAs, and this one isn't all that exciting, but is enjoyable enough to drink a few in a row. Feel free to give it a try. 3.75

Highland Brewing Company's
Devil's Britches India Pale Ale
3.59/5.00

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 01:14:14 | More by Jadjunk

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%

05-04-2013 12:24:33 | More by RedneckBeerz

AMCPhD

Florida

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

04-29-2013 21:34:11 | More by AMCPhD

kell50

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -16.7%

04-28-2013 13:23:00 | More by kell50

KeyWestGator

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%

04-27-2013 15:45:56 | More by KeyWestGator

ltdantheman

Georgia

3.25/5  rDev -9.7%

04-26-2013 14:29:19 | More by ltdantheman

SaCkErZ9

Florida

3.44/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Pours from the 12oz bottle into a pint glass. Emerges the same color as Yuengling, copper reddish blood orange color with a slightly tanned head. Good spot of lacing, head retention is nice as well.

Aroma is quite nice. Definitely hoppy. Kind of an earthy, slightly floral hops aroma that is fresh and tickles the cilia. Plenty of caramel malts to back up the aroma with slight biscuit and cracker.

Solid flavor also. The mouthfeel is way thin, almost watery. Finishes very clean and stark dry, almost like champagne. Good bit of hop bitterness, slight grapefruit peel. Tis one is very easy to drink; too easy if you ask me. There is no chewiness or anything. Needs more body. Decent beer, plenty better out there.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 21:03:07 | More by SaCkErZ9

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.56/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Tasted 10 April 2013.

Pours a medium-deep amber, slightly rusty. Mostly clear, with a column of bubbles rising up. One finger of off-white head, okay retention and lacing.

Smell is a malty medium-hopped herbal IPA with a shade of pine.

Taste is grainy, dominated by a moderate to high liquid, flowing bitterness.

Mouthfeel is the high point. Medium-bodied, persistent, but with a flare of carbonation that livens the whole thing up.

A decent IPA, balanced, and heavier on the acids than the aromatics.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 06:41:41 | More by zeledonia

zac16125

South Carolina

3.64/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Draft into pint glass

A: dark amber, small white head, minimal lacing

S: malty, hints of hop bitterness, grass an off almost moldy aroma (although not as bad as that sounds)

T: pretty tasty, good balance of malts and piney hop bitter, much better than the nose. High bitterness level is nice

M/D: medium body, appropriate carbonation, good drink ability

O: I liked it. Nothing spectacular but I'd drink again. Rating would be high if not for the off aroma

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2013 23:31:21 | More by zac16125

avalon07

South Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a copper color and a clear consistency. There was a small amount of foamy head that quickly dissipated. Pretty good lacing.

S: A very underplayed aroma of hops, pine, and some malt.

T: Tasted of malt, light hops (less than you might expect from an IPA), pine, and a little tinge of citrus. Like the aroma, the flavor was very mild. Almost seemed more like an English IPA than an American version.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a prickly finish. Light- to medium-bodied.

O: A little on the tame side as IPAs go, but still worth a shot. Drinkable, but there are certainly other IPAs I would go for first.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 17:47:01 | More by avalon07

kylehay2004

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%

04-11-2013 22:23:57 | More by kylehay2004

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.76/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Stopped in to Finnegan's Wake here in town, and saw this one on tap. A new one for me. Came out a rusty amber, rather than a pale orange that characterizes many IPAs. Small beige head on top. Excellent lacing as I sip this one.

Fresh floral aroma with mild citrus and faint piney notes. Moderate body, really easy to drink. Carbonation is spot on. Slightly dry on the finish. Nice bitter snap right away that lingers a bit on the palate. Semi-sweet grapefruit, bitter rind, touches of candied malt.

This one isn't gonna melt your face with bitterness, and that's just fine with me. Where there's surely a place for that type, this one brings the bitterness, but in a toned down way that makes this a fine easy-drinking ale. Nice work, Highland.

Serving type: on-tap

04-10-2013 18:53:59 | More by Onenote81

marley2112

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

04-09-2013 02:20:37 | More by marley2112

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +4.2%

04-08-2013 12:02:07 | More by Kegatron