Draught samples at ABF on 6/16/07
Probably not the same exact beer as listed here, and I’m betting this was brewed on the pilot system in Boston, but the abv being the same is enough cause for me not to enter yet another one-off in to our database.
Dark, copper-mahogany, almost like their new albion ale. What’s up with these dark copper IPAs? I think I like every subsequent one I have less and less. Beige head laces lightly, showing moderate retention. Clarity is medium-high.
Smells like dirty, catty, vegetal hops, DMS(light) and some soap, with meaty yeast and bready caramel. Very sugary in the nose. Can’t imagine this is what they intended. Weird hop aromas. The cascades I get, and are your basic citrus notes, though more bitterness than aroma. But the spalter and northern brewer hops dont work and the hallertauer I cant even find. Just earthy and weird. Either make a PNW IPA or not, don’t half-ass it.
Flavor still shows of crystal 60 malt, sort of iced tea-like and sugary, with a weird chewiness from the wheat and more vegetal and dirty notes. All in all, I dont think I finished my sample and was less than impressed. One of the worst samples I had at the fest, which is strange, as the Jamaica Plain pilot brewery usually kicks out some really nice stuff. Underattenuated body, medium carbonation, no alcohol noted.