Cluster's Last Stand
Smuttynose Brewing Company in Hampton, New Hampshire, United States 🇺🇸
Collab with: Stone BrewingIPA Regular
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Score
7.19
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Post- Prohibition Ballantine IPA recipe recreation using period-correct hops varieties. Brewed in collaboration with Stone Brewing Co.
Old, new? It’s all the same, really. Cluster’s Last Stand defies the commonly accepted notion that strong, hoppy beers are recent arrivals on the US beer landscape. Smuttynose has teamed up with Stone Brewing Company to recreate the original, post-Prohibition Ballantine IPA recipe. That’s right; strong, 60 IBU beer was brewed in the 30’s. How do we know? We read it in Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele’s excellent and well-researched book, “IPA, Brewing Techniques, Recipes and the Evolution of India Pale Ale.” The only difference between this beer and more contemporary IPAs are the hop varieties: Cluster, Brewers Gold, Bullion and East Kent Goldings. None of these are trendy and we were a little surprised to find out that all four were readily available. The result is a rich, copper-colored ale with a strong, refined hop profile of spiciness with a hint of grapefruit.
Old, new? It’s all the same, really. Cluster’s Last Stand defies the commonly accepted notion that strong, hoppy beers are recent arrivals on the US beer landscape. Smuttynose has teamed up with Stone Brewing Company to recreate the original, post-Prohibition Ballantine IPA recipe. That’s right; strong, 60 IBU beer was brewed in the 30’s. How do we know? We read it in Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele’s excellent and well-researched book, “IPA, Brewing Techniques, Recipes and the Evolution of India Pale Ale.” The only difference between this beer and more contemporary IPAs are the hop varieties: Cluster, Brewers Gold, Bullion and East Kent Goldings. None of these are trendy and we were a little surprised to find out that all four were readily available. The result is a rich, copper-colored ale with a strong, refined hop profile of spiciness with a hint of grapefruit.
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7.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bomber from Beer Run. Pours a clear amber color with a thin creamy white head. Fair head retention. Aroma of citrus, tropical malts, pale malts and a bit of caramel. The taste is tropical, citrus hops, pale malts, mild caramel. Medium bodied, bright lingering citrus and lingering bitterness. Good balance. Nice balance.
Tried
on 19 Sep 2014
at 22:45
7/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7
Draft @ Three Penny Taproom. Deep hazy gold in color thick frothy head. Nose is floral, pine and citrus notes. Taste starts with pine then the bready malt makes itself known. The pine comes through in the finish with hints of passion fruit. The bitterness is slightly lingering and light resin. Dry texture. Pretty decent.
Tried
from Draft
on 30 Aug 2013
at 16:22
7.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Pours hazy gold into a tulip. Bright white head with excellent retention recedes leaving sheet lacing to coat surface. Tropical fruit and resin aromas. Sweet caramel and tropical fruit upfront turning dry in the earthy fruit skin finish.
Tried
on 01 Aug 2013
at 10:45
7.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
On tap at the Southern New Hampshire Brewers Fest 7/26/2013 Pours a slightly cloudy light golden color with a smallish head that shows minimal retention. Smells of earthy spicy and floral hops with a moderate amount of bready caramel to back it up. The flavor follows the aroma quite well, lots of hops with a twinge of bitterness backed up by a solid malty backbone. Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation and a sweet slick mouthfeel. Very nice IPA I’m glad I got a chance to try it before the keg evaporated.
Tried
from Draft
on 28 Jul 2013
at 11:00