Merry Taj IPA
The Lost Abbey in San Marcos, California, United States 🇺🇸
IPA - Imperial / Double Winter|
Score
7.10
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Already in the Holiday Spirit, The Lost Abbey will be releasing its latest addition to its seasonal lineup, Merry Taj IPA. With a release date preceding Thanksgiving each year, Merry Taj IPA will be an extra-hoppy Holiday IPA, a first on The Lost Abbey roster.
With an already established Holiday beer like Gift of the Magi (Strong Bier de Garde w/ Brett), The Lost Abbey wanted to give its brewers (who already make exceptional hoppy beers) a chance to do something with this year’s new hops. Merry Taj IPA was able to take advantage of some of the freshest hops available, harvested in September, and will feature five different varieties (Chinook, Centennial, Amarillo, Cascade, Simcoe) used throughout the brewing process.Merry Taj IPA begins with an aroma of crisp floral notes of citrus rind and tropical fruit. Initial flavors of clean sweet caramel malt will give way to a spicy bitterness on the finish thanks to the addition of the Simcoe hops. Merry Taj IPA will not be bottled, only kegged, to get the beer out to consumers as quickly as possible.The name “Merry Taj IPA” pays homage to the holiday celebrations going on from sea to sea, encapsulating the hope of a new year as we inch closer and closer to 2014. It’s also a play on a term from the wine world, Meritage, which loosely translated means: A damn fine blend (of hops in this case).
With an already established Holiday beer like Gift of the Magi (Strong Bier de Garde w/ Brett), The Lost Abbey wanted to give its brewers (who already make exceptional hoppy beers) a chance to do something with this year’s new hops. Merry Taj IPA was able to take advantage of some of the freshest hops available, harvested in September, and will feature five different varieties (Chinook, Centennial, Amarillo, Cascade, Simcoe) used throughout the brewing process.Merry Taj IPA begins with an aroma of crisp floral notes of citrus rind and tropical fruit. Initial flavors of clean sweet caramel malt will give way to a spicy bitterness on the finish thanks to the addition of the Simcoe hops. Merry Taj IPA will not be bottled, only kegged, to get the beer out to consumers as quickly as possible.The name “Merry Taj IPA” pays homage to the holiday celebrations going on from sea to sea, encapsulating the hope of a new year as we inch closer and closer to 2014. It’s also a play on a term from the wine world, Meritage, which loosely translated means: A damn fine blend (of hops in this case).
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7.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
DArk golden with an off white head - Malt and good hop aroma - Malt body to support a good bitter citrus and pine flavours - The hop flavours goes into the finish with a bitter dry finish - This was good
Tried
on 06 Oct 2016
at 09:39
7.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Samples from the tap at Chuck’s Hop Shop. Pours a clear amber with a slight copper hue and a tan head that dissipates to the edges. Aroma has a lot of bitter grapefruit with a touch of resin and sweet grains. Flavor has more of an earthy citrus note with some resin and a bit of grapefruit.
Tried
from Draft
on 28 May 2016
at 23:00
7.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
On tap at Haymarket. Copper with a small head. Aroma and taste of hops, pineapple, some perfume and hints of malt. Also some caramel. The finish was bitter.
Tried
from Draft
on 17 Feb 2016
at 05:36
7/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Tap at Steins in mountain view. Aroma if pine and citrus. Slight tree sap. Pours a clear amber- copper with light tan head that patterns nicely. Taste is bready malt and citrus. Pine becomes more pronounced as it warmed. Moderate high bittering.
Tried
from Draft
on 04 Dec 2015
at 16:25
3.4/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 5
Flavor 3
Texture 2
Overall 2.5
On the cold weather Pgh tour of winter 2015 spring at bocktown robinson, part 2. Clear pale yellow. Some orange in there. Has a mild hint of that contemporary BO thing. Nice lacing tho. No co2 detectable. Taste is what else? IPA mouth coating pine ar thang. Not impressed. Mouth coating, terribly on style.
Tried
on 25 Feb 2015
at 15:51
6.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
10oz pour at Wingcraft in Atlantic City pours a hazy amber with some lacing white head. Nose has a lot of citrus pith, grapefruit pulp, piney, a little metallic. Flavor is pithy grapefruit and blood orange, pine, soap, some spruce. Bitter finish.
Tried
on 20 Jan 2015
at 18:09
6.9/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Sampled on draft at 3R6P this beer poured a reddish color with a large foamy beige head that lingered and left good lacing. The aroma was tart with leafy fruity hops, citrus, pine and an underlying maltiness. The flavor was tangy and sweet pine, leafy hops and honey. It turned dry on the middle with some pepper coming out. Long piney finish with a boozy presence that grows. Moderately full bodied. Solid.
Tried
from Draft
on 02 Jan 2015
at 14:40
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Dark Amber color. Spicy hoppy nose with some excellent malt character. Mouth is full, Chewy and spicy. Full rich and balanced with nice spicy hoppy finish. Drinks lighter than 8%. Excellent.
Tried
on 21 Dec 2014
at 19:38
4/10
Really dry. Need water.
Tried
on 20 Dec 2014
at 18:53
7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Draft pour at the taphouse. Pours a dark amber color with a nice hoppy aroma. Tasty imperial here, but nothing that completely stands out. Bitter finish. Pretty good.
Tried
from Draft
on 20 Dec 2014
at 00:44