Fisherman's IPA - Cape Ann Brewing Company

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

2.98/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A-Pours a relatively clear orange with mild head. Nearly no lacing. Slight chill haze.

S-Very soft. More malty than anything else. Softer notes of dried out citrus and yeast.

T-Balanced, leaning more towards the malt. The hops are very dull and there is a strange, nutty flavor.

M-Drinks easy enough. Tons of bubbles.

O/D-A snoozer with a serious lack of flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2013 00:52:40 | More by VelvetExtract

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

2.9/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle into a tumbler pint, the beer is a slightly hazed auburn-copper color with a very slight filmy coating in the middle of the surface. Aromas are roasty and dark caramel sweet, with a subtle citrus and fresh hops highlight. Flavors are muddled, with a sugary sweet backbone and some tropical fruit highlights like pineapple and citrus blends. Hops are overpowered in the background, with a slight peppery and tangy bitter presence. The aftertaste is tangy sweet and slightly bitter, with a cloying and slightly drying finish. Meh.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 01:53:24 | More by GarthDanielson

PhantasIPA

Delaware

3.63/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer poured with a decent 1 inch head that kept a good lacing. The head was very thin throughout the brew. The beer is a dark golden color.

The smell is weak; there is not much to it. A hint of hops and a hint of sweetness, but that is all.

The taste is balanced but refreshing. There is a nice mixture of hops (not too bitter), sweetness that comes from brown sugar or toffee, and a medium bodied barley flavor. The taste is not extreme at all, very subtle.

The mouthfeel is nice for an IPA; smooth and not too dry, but still dry enough to be a bitter IPA.

The beer is good but is pretty much down the middle in all categories. Would be a nice beer if you are not used to or just trying IPA's.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 20:03:51 | More by PhantasIPA

kangarooAdam59

Maine

2.99/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Into a pint glass:

A: golden brown colored body that yielded a one finger white head. There was some good decent lacing that speckled itself around the glass in rings, also light sediment at the bottom

S: dominant malts and caramels, hops (Bueller, Bueller, Bueller?), yup not there .... ????

T: exactly the same as the smell.

M: light to medium with a light carbonation that was felt, dry aftertaste and finish

O: is this an English IPA or an American IPA, or an IPA period? Because I almost want to say this is neither and would call it an English Pale ale because the hops are so subdued in this. I liked it for what it was to me, but not necessarily for the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 14:33:28 | More by kangarooAdam59

OleJohnnieAle

Minnesota

3.45/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Kkottonmouthkngz

A: Poured out a very flat beer with little head. Very hazy bronze amber color with minimal thin lacing.

S: A sweet malty almost saison style aroma. Lacking the typical IPA hoppy scent. Almost none to be found, interesting....

T: Taste follows the scent with a sweet toffee saision style beer like taste. Even more confused with a lack of hops in this one. Missing any sort of bite on the back end as it finishes with a vanilla note.

M: Very flat low on carbonation. Medium body nothing lingers too long, not much bitterness.

O: I have a very hard time calling this one an IPA so if you are looking for the traditional IPA, probably not the best choice. Now taking away the IPA name tag, I think it is a decent beer, as it has a sweet taste to it. Not what anywhere near what I expected but I was not completely disappointed. I think if it were named something different I may have liked it more. Not traditional, but still tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 22:19:47 | More by OleJohnnieAle

OutFox

New York

2.98/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A - Clear with a deep amber in color. Small white head.

S - Smells of weak hops with a small citrus. It sort of smells watery.

T - Same as the nose. Its just lacking in hops and body. It has some high notes I mean there are hops there but if your brewing an IPA in the American style or even in America period it has to have a decent hop background and a decent sort of malt body and I didnt feel this had either.

M - Watery and without body.

O - Ive had the Pumpkin Stout and the Kolsch style from the brewery and was impressed with both. This just didnt do it for me.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 23:56:16 | More by OutFox

Hopfenpeter

Maryland

3.73/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer poured a clear aged copper color with a tan head about one finger thick. It dissipates fast , but leaves some lacing.
The smell announces sweet malt, honey, caramel and some hops.
Tasting the beer, up front there is a unexpected fruitiness. I detected grapefruit notes, quickly sweetened by some caramel and honey flavors and malt. In the finish, some hops balance the sweet feel with some subtle bitterness.
Nice beer, maybe not your typical IPA, but well done.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2011 03:39:46 | More by Hopfenpeter

Yagman3000

New York

4/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served into a medium glass stein from a bottle.

Appearance is nice. Pours a golden orange with a thickish head.

The smell is nice. Hoppy but with a slight pleasant earthy must... a bit Belgian in nature.

Taste is good. Hoppy, bitter, and earthy. Once again, an IPA with little to not citrus or fruit notes. Its farmhouse appeal is enough to balance out its bitterness and gives it a complexity.

Mouthfeel is pleasant. A bit short-lived and non-dynamic. A bit thick in the right manner.

Overall a decent IPA but not one that I would run out to get in a hurry. Just happy to continue to round out my resume.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2011 22:37:18 | More by Yagman3000

Guden

Maryland

4.22/5  rDev +23%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Clear copper with lots of carbonation bubbles coming through. 1/2 inch very off white head of tiny bubbles fades quickly into a thin film leaving no lacing.

S- Light fruitiness of berries, apples and bit of citrus. Some pine and sweet malt also comes through.

T- Sweet and fruity with English yeast character and a bit of bready malt. Only a moderate hop character with some citrus, pine and tropical fruits. Hop bitterness in the back comes through just enough to round out the palate.

M- A bit high in body but with sprightly and refreshing carbonation throughout nicely filling the mouth.

D- Very enjoyable and refreshing without being over the top bitter or hop forward. Might not be a typical IPA but works well with what it is and gives a good overall impression that will bring me back for more. I think I'll have one now in fact.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2011 00:37:19 | More by Guden

DrJay

Massachusetts

2.3/5  rDev -32.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Clear orange/amber with a thin off-white cap that settled to a collar quickly. Decent staying power after that, with spotty lacing coating the glass at least 2/3 of the way down. Lots of malt in the aroma (caramel, toast, biscuit) and not much in the way of hops, though it had an earthy and fruity character that was vaguely English. More of the same in the flavour, along with moderate bitterness that lingered on the palate. Still, it was fairly sweet, kind of like wort that isn't completely fermented. Medium to light bodied with lowish carbonation, dry and astringent. This one just didn't work for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2011 23:13:18 | More by DrJay

CDiddy420

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Frosted Sam Adams Restal Boston Lager Designer GLass ( Thee best glass)

A. A rich amber color almost orange with a thick creamy white head. Laces nicely througout.

S. Bread!!! This is not the typical IPA Hop Fest.. and the Tap IPA is breaddier then the bottle. Cape Ann could certainly use More Hops in this IPA.

M. Heavier then most ipas as its bready, my tounge keeps seeking the hops at the roof of my mouth but cant find them!!

D. Great drinkability, love this local IPA. just needs more Hops!!

Went back to the Brewery today, filled my Growler with the IPA they filter through Hops..its Amazing..give it a try..I give it a Solid A.
Cheers!!!

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2011 20:16:33 | More by CDiddy420

tchenery

Virginia

2.78/5  rDev -19%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A head that stays around and bright white too! I was beginning to think these didn't exist on filtered/pasteurized craft beer anymore. The color is very rich for style. It almost looks like an English IPA instead of an American.

It smells malty. I'm picking up more "raisin type malts than anything else, especially hops which are non-existent. I picked this up in a mix 6 pack from a store with limited selection and it might be old, but there's no date on the label or bottle.

Tastes very malty, almost sweet, with little bite or hop bitterness. I'm confused.

It has a good full mouthfeel and is very drinkable, but it tastes more like an English Pale Ale than an American IPA.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2010 23:02:34 | More by tchenery

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.43/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a two finger cream head that fades slowly to a thin layer leaving a good lace. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Hazy amber color. Nose is light grapefruit hops. Flavor is grapefruit hops but is balanced with some caramel sweetness. $2.05 for a 12oz bottle from Colonial Spirits, Acton, MA.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2010 22:16:17 | More by jdhilt

WesWes

New York

3.53/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a dark golden/amber color with a thick frothy off-white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is decent. It has a smooth, malty aroma with loads of pale, biscuit, and crystal malts. It has a nice piney hop aroma as well. The taste is decent. It has an aggressive hop character that accompanies a very flavorful malt taste. It has a semi-sweet caramel malt flavor with a dry biscuity finish. It goes down easy and finishes thin and a bit watery. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a pretty good beer. It's nothing I'd go out of my way to find, but if it's around I'd have one.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2010 22:34:06 | More by WesWes

MoreThanWine

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a 1.25" head which dissipates to almost nothing. Appears a rather dark hazy pecan pie brown. Smell and taste are a combination of roasted malt and dark tea, maybe a slight hint of French roast. Some hoppy IPA character but definitely not one of the fresher or cleaner IPAs out there. Anyway, it holds it's own against the sea of IPAs but wouldn't come close to being flagship.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2010 08:37:09 | More by MoreThanWine

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.2/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter on 1/31/10

Courtesy of smutty33

Plum colored; almost ruby with crimson highlights. Burnt orange around the edges. One finger head holds around 1/8th inch after a few minutes. Such is retention. Decent lace at the start; thins some toward the end but is still ok.

Floral hop aromas upfront; somewhat airy & juicy at the same time. A touch of lemon zest & orange rind in there. Plenty notes of caramel & notions of sweet bread.

Tastes of floral hops with an earthy bent. Not much bitterness (just a little toward the finish) but the flavor isn't bad by any means. Faint swaths of citrus hidden throughout. Not quite as malty as I was expecting based on the nose, just some toasty caramel.

Medium body with moderately low carbonation. Pretty much standard fare in that respect. Mild grittiness. Subtle bitterness lingers.

It's an easy drinker for sure, if a bit odd for the style. It's strange as it seems to aspire to a red ale. Not a bad choice if you're looking for a beer to enjoy that doesn't require lots of contemplation.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2010 00:43:23 | More by Ryan011235

ZeroSignal

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a reddish hazy copper with about a fingers worth of light beige head. Good retention and sticky lacing.

S - Herbal and grassy hops with a spicy background. Roasted malt character as well.

T&M - Medium body and a bit chewy, Nice spicy hop notes on the palate and the herb dominant in the nose fall to the background. Thick malty presence with a light sweetness in the finish as well as a carbonated "zing".

D - A nice offering. Nothing too heavy with a reasonable ABV. Decent balance and easy going down.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2010 02:13:21 | More by ZeroSignal

EgadBananas

Louisiana

3.25/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thank you papollo for giving me the chance to try this!

Pours a medium copper color, with an off white frothy head that dissipates with lots of lacing.

Smells of slight piney and citrus hops. Nothing to prevalent, but very much there, and what was there, was nice.

A dash of malts with a heavy bitter taste. A little off balanced and an after taste lingers for a moment, but it's not bad at all.

Medium bodied, and lacking a bit in carbonation with the slightly heavier feel. Otherwise pleasant.

This is a pretty decent IPA, worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2010 22:18:00 | More by EgadBananas

Durge

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed at the Gloucester brewpub with the sun still finding it's way into the bar, this likeable number shows a dark carmel-copper color with a decent off-white head and good lacing. The aroma is skunky pine/citrus. Nothing complicated but a fair blend that works fine. The flavor is solid malty bread and piny grapefruit hops. Again, nothing more need be said, it's good stuff. It's medium light bodied with tasteful carbonation, a very easy drinker. A bit grassy in the hop finish with biscuit brightness. A fair hop offering that is entirely enjoyable though not outstanding.

Serving type: on-tap

05-05-2010 20:19:23 | More by Durge

Zekezilla

Maryland

3.9/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tried this on in a "pick 6" 6-pack. Trying to get more familiar with hoppy beers, specifically IPAs. I saw that some of the reviewers gave this lackluster reviews but I have to disagree. I think this is an excellent beer for someone who is just getting into IPAs and/or other hoppy beers. It's smooth and more malty than some other IPAs. I'd seek this out again. Think of it as a good "gateway beer" to other, more intense IPAs. Also, the color is a beautiful, amber color, much more red than other IPAs I've had.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2010 04:02:53 | More by Zekezilla

travduke

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Dark amber with a small white head that quickly dissipates leaving little lacing.

Aroma: Sweet malt, light hops. Nothing really stands out here.

Taste: This is completely different than any IPA I've tasted. Overly sweet malt stands up front to the faint bitter hops.

Feel/Drink: Mouthfeel was thin and drinkablity is low. I just wasn't in to this.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2010 16:17:46 | More by travduke

AleWatcher

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

poured a dark clear copper color. Almost white head resides quickly but leaves giant rings of lacing. A good swirl brings the head back in a hurry.

Aroma is a little faint... But certainly sweet-- from the malts. Has a hop note-- citrusy earthiness.

Taste is also a bit muted. Sweet up front. Nice bittering hops at the back end. The middle is a mix of earth, hard water, and floral citrus hops. Certainly not bad. The taste is delightful, in fact. Is this the best IPA, of course not, but for a small brewery, this is a pretty good local IPA. If this were available, I would certainly drink it, but it is not a hop bomb. Almost more like an English style IPA. It is very nicely balanced.

Carbonation levels are very nice. It is smooth and creamy on the swallow. Surprisingly light body for the color.

Again--- I've had worse. I've had better. This is slightly better than an average run-of-the-mill IPA, if only for how well it's balanced.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2010 04:35:45 | More by AleWatcher

Damian

Massachusetts

3.23/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Drank on-tap at Miracle of Science Bar & Grill, Cambridge, MA
Served in a pint glass

Hazy, reddish-amber in appearance with a small, flimsy, off-white head that quickly dissipated. Spotty drops of lacing clung to the sides of the glass.

The aroma was quite hoppy. Crisp and citrusy. Orange notes came through strong. Slightly earthy. Fruity and semi-sweet.

The taste was rather harsh. Some biscuity malts appeared up front before the bitter, somewhat astringent hops took over. Grapefruit rind dominated. Pine notes came through as well. Slightly fruity in the center. The lingering finish was pithy, sharp and bone dry. Overall, not very pleasant.

The mouthfeel was a bit thin for the style with a fizzy, medium effervescence.

Fisherman's IPA delivers a lot of hop bitterness without with the complexity found in better examples of the style. This beer could definitely use some reworking.

Serving type: on-tap

04-01-2010 02:39:31 | More by Damian

Deuane

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A-Deep, dark brownish copper with a medium off-white head that reduced to barley a wisp of foam and left zero lacing.

S-Deep caramel malt, brown sugar and a backing of sharp, spicy citrus rind. This one is balanced but certainly hop forward.

T-Caramel malt sweetness up front with a hit of spicy, citrus rind hop flavour. A good supporting hop bite but this one is malt first, hops second.

M-Medium bodied and rather thick feeling. Not syrupy but beefy feeling almost like a cross between an IPA and a Winter Warmer. One of the heartier IPA's I have had. Despite this not being "normal" it works nicely. Good lingering hop bite and malt smoothness.

D-An interesting IPA for sure. Nothing bad about it simply not what I look for in an IPA. Too much malt sweetness and a little too heavy for my liking. As stated, call this a hoppy Winter Warmer and I might change my tune!

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2010 17:51:56 | More by Deuane

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev +2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a slightly hazy red orange color with a pillowy white head that sticks around for a bit. Smells of citrus, I pick up tangerines, some mineral aromas and some brown sugar and caramel. Taste is malty, mineraly, with a slight citrus hop bite. Some sweet malt is there with more of that brown sugar coming through. Leaves a lingering hop and mineral bite in the dry finish. Mouthfeel is a bit thin as is the body. The carbonation is a bit on the low side I think. Not a bad brew, but their are certainly better IPA's out there. This one while not flawed is simply unremarkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2009 01:07:09 | More by johnnnniee