Wildcat India Pale Ale - Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Company & Taproom

mdaschaf

Washington

4.11/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from notes.

A: Served in a mason style jar this beer was a slightly hazy orange color with a small white head on top. The head was rather foamy with nice retention which left sheets of lacing down the sides.

S: A very pleasant aroma. Lots of citrus fruit, especially orange and orange peel, with a little bit of grapefruit and pine.

T: A hoppy IPA with more citrus fruit, grapefruit and some pineapple with orange becoming the dominant flavor as it warmed. Faint malt sweetness on the finish.

M: Medium bodied with medium carbonation.

O: A pleasant surprise. Liked this IPA quite a bit. Would certainly order it again.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2013 00:48:10 | More by mdaschaf

lukester

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I've drank this beer numerous times over the years.. I've always like it but have to disagree that it is world class or even exceptional especially compared to Inversion IPA the same class but a far better IPA IMHO. I bought a pony of this and enjoyed it last year.

Appearance: Pours out golden, probably not filtered.. decent head
Smell: nice dry hopped aroma
tasted: decent hop and malt balance
mouth feel: decent, nothing special but average for the variety.

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2012 06:08:35 | More by lukester

distantmantra

Washington

4.43/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Locol in Seattle, WA. July 30th, 2011

A: The beer poured a a deep orange color with thick head of creamy foam. Moderate lacing hung around on the sides of the glass throughout.

S: Wildcat has a strong aroma of pine and hops. Orange peel and grapefruit were very much in the foreground. Just a touch of malt was noticeable.

T: Very hop-forward with grapefruit notes and pine in the background. The malt is faint, but exists as merely an aftertaste.

M: Medium carbonation with a small stream of bubbles and a nice creamy mouth feel.

O: Wow, what a difference a fresh keg makes. This was an incredibly tasty hop-forward IPA. The aroma and flavors present in my glass were sadly absent in the not so fresh bomber I reviewed a few days ago.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2011 01:30:26 | More by distantmantra

Hoppynanobeer

Washington

4.97/5  rDev +22.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

The aroma of this beer is what suprised me the most. It starts off spicy and citrus, very bright, and finnishes with a herbal, dank hop aroma that blends very well as the malt notes hit your tongue. The particular pint I had last was a little shy on carbonation, but I think that may have been a result of handling rather than brewery specs since I have had this beer before and the carbonation was spot on. The hops overall were very well balenced by the hops and I found this to be one of the more drinkable IPA's I have had.

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2011 19:25:08 | More by Hoppynanobeer

grumpyowl

California

4.4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served on-tap in Seattle, WA.

A: Hazy dark amber. Thick one finger thick head. Lots of lacing throughout.

S: Piney, flowery sweet.

F: Some pine, then flower - roses. Caramel malts. Nicely balanced. The bitterness comes in the long finish, but not insane, just right for me.

M: Medium light body. Low to medium carbonation. Not too dry, rather on the sweet side.

D: Very drinkable. At the low abv and light body, this is my type of beer

O: Very enjoyable. Very well balanced, yet definitely for hop lovers. Just not over the top. Just right for me. Very well done!

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2011 02:52:10 | More by grumpyowl

dragonWhale

New York

4.35/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

One of those beers I'm really gonna miss when I peace but don't have often enough. On tap at the one bar in town in Greenwater. Thanks for caring.

As always, a foggy orange reminiscent of what the sun probably looks like in LA. Big juicy citrus fruit aromas, orange and grapefruit with a little floral and spice thrown in for good measure. A little bit of malt presence. Flavorwise, it's balanced so nicely, a healthy bitterness offsetting the malt with a long and mean citrus finish. I can't quite determine the hops used here but they wallop. I'm willing to bet Centennial and Columbus to finish but I have been wrong before. A damn fine brew. 3 pints and all of them easy. I musta been thirsty..

Serving type: on-tap

01-10-2011 08:53:53 | More by dragonWhale

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.38/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A: Poured a light copper color and cloudy appearance with good carbonation and a nice white head.

S: Nose is citrus and floral.

T: Taste is goood and well hopped, well balanced, but not over done. A bit of metallic taste, some strane hop bitterness

M: A nice bitterness at the end but something is not quite right here

D: Pass

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2010 00:09:36 | More by barleywinefiend

berley31

New Brunswick (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Poured with a medium-sized, thick white head. Body is a very nice dark golden color, and quite clear.

S: Citrus is quite apparent, with a medium-to-high hop aroma winning the battle.

T: This is a bitter beer... not overpowering, but the hops come through quite strongly. Extremely dry finish with a long duration.

M: Medium-bodied and creamy, with a soft-to-average carbonation. Very nice on the palate.

D: A very solid IPA... maybe too bitter to be drinking this all night, unless you want your taste buds scraped off. But a helluva strong showing that's definitely worth picking up.

Serving type: on-tap

10-29-2009 19:21:08 | More by berley31

CHILLINDYLAN

Washington

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Slightly hazy golden yellow. Off-white foamy oily head. Sticky slug slimey laces.

Hoppy floral and citrus aromas. Light biscuit malt backing.

Sharp citrus hoppiness. Pleasant floral and resinous notes. Balanced by a caramel biscuit malt character. Lingering bitterness and resinous aftertaste.

Sticky, med body, slightly astringent.

Good Hoppy NW IPA. Very Drinkable and Delicious.

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2009 23:44:30 | More by CHILLINDYLAN

ILikeGoodCider

California

4.1/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on 08.10.09 on-tap at Sharp's Roaster & Ale House while on business. Served in a 14oz pint glass.

A: A rich, golden color, w/a finger of creamy white head that leaves a lot of lacing on the glass.

S: Balanced btwn mild-sweet pale malt and grassy hops, w/notes of grapefruit, light biscuit, and a touch of booze.

T & M: Palate is well-balanced up front, with the sweetness of the malt tempering the fairly aggressive hop profile. The hops take over mid-palate, with the finish leaving a lingering hoppy bitterness. Body is smooth and a touch creamy, without any stickiness.

D: Very drinkable IPA - I wish it were available in SoCal.

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2009 04:39:28 | More by ILikeGoodCider

ritzkiss

Ontario (Canada)

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

Poured on tap at the brewery's tap room. Arrives a cloudy burnt orange. Foamy head that leaves a nice patchwork lacing.

Smells of light floral hops, hints of sweet caramel - light.

Taste leads with fruity pineapple, then a blast of grapefruit, and tons of bittering hops in the finish. Wow. Smell did not warn of the hops attack. Yet, this is pretty much dead on. If I were to make an IPA it might be like this. Lively, fruity hops on the entry, strong drying bitterness in the finish. Faint hints of a light caramel malt body.

Super drinkable at 6.6%, I would move to Snoqualmie for this beer. Though I can see how, if the lively entry faded over time, this beer would be lacking. Bought a bottle to see how it does there. Great fresh!!

Edit: In the bottle it's not nearly as bright or layered. Still not a bad IPA but not the same - you have to get this one fresh!

Serving type: on-tap

06-05-2009 01:04:12 | More by ritzkiss

RedDiamond

Oregon

4.6/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

The brewery claims that Wildcat is “the perfect hop delivery vehicle.” I’m not quick to describe anything as “perfect”, but I’ve long been a big fan of this beer and I’m pleased to report that the draught service at the Snoqualmie Taproom is even better than their standout bottled version. The hops are succulent and resinous as if hand squeezed. After your first sip, it almost seems as though you’re wiping lupulin juice from your chin. And all that hop flavor comes from a single variety – Yakima-grown Columbus.

The delivery system includes a sizable measure of malts with legs and a body of sunrise orange with dancing lace. One of the best quaffers in the state.

Serving type: on-tap

08-01-2007 02:02:51 | More by RedDiamond

xoqx

Washington

3.9/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer highlights the great Pacific Northwest style of ale that’s heavily hopped and slightly citric in hop character. It has a cloudy dark straw color with not much head retention of the off-white head and heavy droopy lacing. There is an assault of wonderful hop smells in the nose and it’s followed in the taste with grapefruity and piney hops. A touch of malt is detectable in the back, but hops dominate here. It has a bit of a sharp feel and is medium bodied. A strong IPA.

Serving type: on-tap

10-11-2006 23:46:11 | More by xoqx

tozerm

Washington

4.43/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is a fantastic example of a Northwest India Pale Ale. The brewers at Snoqualmie Falls have done an excellent job balancing the hoppiness (I believe it's about 75 IBU's) with enough malt. The malt backbone mellows out the hops and makes this beer much more sessionable in my opinion. I am not a hophead and especially don't like fresh hopped beer but this India Pale Ale is quite exceptional. I've had it draft and bombers on several occasions; I've got to say that which is better depends on how fresh the beer is (obviously). BTW, their new taproom is open!

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2006 07:56:27 | More by tozerm

zacharius

Washington

4.08/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours a hazy orange color with a sizable off white head that stayed around for the entire glass. Aroma is grapefruitty hops with a hint of fruitty esters. Taste is of citrusy hops with a biscuit malty taste underneath. Hint of fruit from yeast esters than an endless hop aftertaste. Medium bodied and satsifying a very drinkable brew for the style.

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2005 17:16:19 | More by zacharius

garthwaite

Virginia

4.45/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First a huge thank you to the gigantically generous Seattle BA's - skyhand & RoyalT for hooking me up with this deliciously fresh IPA. This brew pours a deep copperish gold with a perfect sticky white head that swirls & reduces as I drink. Enticing aroma of big pine merged with crisp citrus grapefruit. Up front there is some big time bitterness, which I really love. Baseline is a bit bready with some smooth caramel. Delicious flavors of oily, piney hop resins and grapefruit & lemon citrus delight the senses. Bitterness still going strong well after I swallow each gulp. Oh how I love columbus hops. Finish is spicy, bitter, and dry. Just a kick-ass IPA that I truly wish was available around here.

Serving type: on-tap

08-13-2004 20:20:45 | More by garthwaite

DenverLogan

Colorado

3.33/5  rDev -18%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

From 22 oz bomber...ordered through the mail. Different and more fancy label for 2013. Poured in St Bernardus chalice.
Pours a clear gold with significant head.
Aroma of oats, white bread.
Significant carbonation and creamy mouthfeel.
Flavors of grassy hops, persimmon, slight black pepper, cream of tartar, pine sap, white grapefruit rind. Rich and refreshing, somewhat challenging in bitterness...the bottle says "Perfectly Balanced...." which of course is in the mind (and mouth) of the beholder and I'd say a bit of a stretch. I'll give it 5 minutes to open up...
OK...8 minutes later there's still a little head...smooth aroma of grassy hops, slight malt, full bodied hop flavors...a bit more cream of tartar tongue piercing bitterness than I prefer. "Aromatic, Carapils, and Crystal hops and 75 IBUs of alph acid bitterness" is what If I knew these hops better I might say there's the bottom line of the bitter flavor profile.
The bottom 1/3 of bottle has some cloudiness. Flavors of bitter grapefruit rind, rough peppers, and for me a mouth puckering bitterness and the question, do I like this?
Just asked my second opinion master and she said...wow...cream of tartar, bitter, "I don't like it."
This could be an issue of shipping, or just that this particular Pacific Northwest IPA has a profile of a monster, but not a "ooh, this is nicely balanced and flavorful IPA." I'd certainly like to visit the brewery and taste what they have fresh...might make a big difference, or not.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 05:06:40 | More by DenverLogan

harrymel

Washington

2.65/5  rDev -34.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Been looking to try this in a bottle that appears not to be too old (based on the giant cakes in most bottles in my area).

Bottled: unk
Pours hazy copper with solid sheet of small light cream foam. Smells like resin, hint of pine, grass, body odor, a really assertive PNW style nose here - punched in the face, to wake you from the rain. There is a strong biscuit (buttermilk) in the aroma as well. Taste is primarily malts with sweet and crackery flavors and a touch of cardboard oxidation alongside a healthy bitterness sans layered flavorful character. Some dry pithy and resiny flavors, but all and all a lower end flavor profile. Medium body with moderate carb and a slightly dry finish. This is not impressive at all, but I have seen others rave about it, maybe I'm simply getting old stuff.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 04:58:46 | More by harrymel

draheim

Washington

4.08/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz into a tulip. Pours a hazy copper with a thick, dense, fluffy off-white head that leaves nice sticky lacing on the glass. Moderate carbonation. Good-looking beer.

Aroma is nice piney and grassy hops + some citrus, but a bit muted. This might be an older bottle, I've had this before and recall a more pungent aroma. Bottle says 100% Columbus hops.

Taste is a nice blend of dry biscuity malt and tropical bitter hops. There's an abrasive bitterness actually, reminiscent of grapefruit, tempered by a slightly fruity apricot aspect of the malt. All in all, a pretty typical Northwestern approach to the American IPA.

Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, dry and crisp. Sharp and clean, refreshing with a lingering aftertaste.

Overall a solid offering. Could be a staple in my fridge if Snoqualmie started canning this, don't think I've seen that yet.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 22:03:23 | More by draheim

sendsilk

Florida

3.58/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Received in a recent trade from Hopluva1, thanks!. The problem with getting IPA's that aren't dated is that this one may have been slightly old, not too old, but the weeklong shipping in the heat of the summer certainly can't help.

Nice dark orange color and a very solid hoppy nose. A very large frothy head on an average pour. The malt comes through a little more than I expect in the flavor. Not a bad beer, but certainly not something better than I could get fresh locally. I would guess if I had this at the brewpub it would be excellent.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 22:15:53 | More by sendsilk

billab914

Virginia

4.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle poured into my Southern Tier tulip. It poured a little hazy and bright orange amber in color. A thick, pillowy white head filled a third of the glass at first and left some nice lacing as I drank it.

The aroma shows a good amount of hoppiness to it. I get some herbal, grassiness along with some citrusy grapefruit like flavors. Some of the malts really come out as well with some sweeter, candied fruits and toasted grains. Pretty flavorful and balanced.

The taste has a little more of the sweeter, crystal malts coming out to give it a bit of a candied fruit like quality. The hoppiness shows more of a juicy citrus up front with a bitter grapefruit and citrus rind flavor in the finish. Some pale, toasted malts come out in the finish as well.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with carbonation being moderate. Overall it was a pretty nice beer, it had a nice balance of hoppy and malty flavors to it. It was pretty easy drinking and flavorful as well.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 20:30:49 | More by billab914

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #57 (October 2011):

Reaching above the benchmark for west coast IPAs and still retaining a good amount of drinkability. Excessively american in a good way, with the hop character grabbing the palate and running with it. Balanced? Sure. Still a bit of a beast and a sure thing for any hophead out there.

LOOK: Heady top, amber hue

SMELL: Ruby red grapefruit, evergreen, grassy, hop oil, bready

TASTE: Bitter, citric rind, hop oil, leafy, blond tobacco, semidry, nutty grain, fruity

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 22:29:47 | More by BeerAdvocate

Nachojon

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Clear, amber colored with no haze. Nice foamy head about one finger that holds on pretty well. Very nice lacing, forms rings.

S- Not very fragrant. Almost smells like a lager.

T- As a single IPA I must say this thing tastes great. Very nicely balanced beer here. Hop forward, pine resin, PNW, and then a nice malt back, some red apple and even a little pepper in the finish.

M- Crisp. Like I said before, very balanced and really drinkable. Good IPA carbonation and just a hint of that IPA tongue burn.

O- Stoked to get this awesome PNW IPA extra. Glad I got to try it, and would drink it again if available.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2012 06:17:01 | More by Nachojon

snaotheus

Washington

4.08/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle poured into a large mug

Pours pretty slightly cloudy amber with a big fluffy attractive head. Smell is mildly hoppy, mildly strawy, floral.

Taste is bitter, not quite so citrusy as some IPAs. Some of that straw comes out, a little bready, slightly yeasty.

Mouthfeel is very nice, thick but not heavy or sticky. I want to call it fluffy. Overall, very nice.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2011 05:16:23 | More by snaotheus

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to 5000 for sending me this bottle. Drank fresh back in March 2011.

The beer pours an orange color with a white head. The aroma is very nice. I get a ton of tropical fruit with a lot of mangoes, papaya and oranges. I also get some nice bready notes from the malt.

The flavor is also fruity. I get some pineapple, papaya and orange notes. The bready malt keeps the bitterness fairly low, even though the beer has a lot of hop flavor.

Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2011 04:46:46 | More by Mora2000