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Vittles:
American IPA
7.25% abv
45 IBU
Score:
Appearance: 7/10
Aroma: 19/25
Taste: 33/40
Mouthfeel: 7/10
Style: 4/5
Drinkability: 7/10
Overall: 77/100
Impression:
There wasn't much of a head, but I wasn't at home, and the glass I poured into probably had head-killing soap residue on it. I wasn't overly impressed by the aroma -- citrusy-grapefruit hops with a bready-caramel background. It seemed on the weak side for an American IPA. The flavors were a bit more pronounced than the nose was, but not by a whole lot. The grapefruit flavors were joined by some resinous pine with a little stickiness, and a sweeter caramel came out on the tongue than I expected. As the beer warmed, I tasted something akin to brown sugar, too. The finish is mostly clean with a hint of spiciness, and the aftertaste lingers, but not as long as I'd expect for the style. Overall, it was a decent IPA, but I got the feeling that the hop characteristics had already faded appreciably, even though I had it several months before the best by date (Nov. 2013). On a side note, I'm not really one to talk about the importance of "fresh" hops -- this is the first IPA where I've really felt the aromas and flavors imparted by the hops were significantly weaker than I expected them to be.
Cheers!
