Alaskan IPA

A soft cold pour produces a tall head that slowly subsides leaving sticky snail tracks and textbook lacing. Aromas of fresh cut citrus rind. Full nectar w/ low carbonation creating an almost oily texture. Wonderfully balanced and hop forward, the malt factors in perfectly never becoming sweet. Theres a tasty candy necklace component that peaks my interest. Fresh and fruity, bright and delicious. The finish is bittered well and lingers w/ fruit. A nice specimen on the mellow side.

A reasonable pour into my 25cl tulip glass yields a three-finger thick, lightly tanned, off-white colored head. The beer is a brilliantly clear, copper color that only gets brighter when held up to the light. Aromatically expressive in its hoppiness, the hop character is quite noticeable as I pour and visually inspect the beer. Grapefruit, big lychee and tangelo are noticeable aromatics up front with follow on, slightly reduced in intensity, aromas of pine sap and herbal hop notes. The finish also has a nice, toasty grain character to it reminiscent of biscuit malt and crushed saltine crackers, though the hops do a good job of drowning out any malt influence. As the beer warms a bit some fruitier notes of apricot and light tropical fruit become a bit more noticeable.

Lightly sweet malt and a malt fullness is quickly overtaken by a dominant, though not scathing, green, herbal hop component. The flavor has a more even balance between citrus and herbal / pine hop influences, though the citrus just edges out the others. Flavors of grapefruit, bitter orange zest, candied orange peel, apricot and lychee are more noticeable up front, while a sharp, herbal, mix of menthol-pine and hop bitterness seem to be quite a bit more noticeable towards the finish; each of these notes is noticeable throughout the flavor profile at some level though. Fizzy carbonation and a light-medium heft keep this quite drinkable and perfectly inline with the quaffability of an IPA.

This is a nice hop-focused IPA, I almost wish for a bit more malt character, but there is just enough to support the hops and any more would likely intrude and the eminent drinkability that this, dry beer achieves.

Purchased: <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp?PlaceID=698>Plaza Liquors, Tucson AZ

light orange with a thick white head that leaves webbing on the glass.aroma is orange hops and some oxidation.flavor is heavily oxidized with some malts and orange hops.

12 oz bottle. Pours a dark yellow gold body with a slight yeast haze. Fizzy off-white head that faded to a thin film fairly quickly. Fairly muted nose, just some light citrusy and piney hops with a little bit of orange rind and bready malt. The flavor is minimally bitter and not especially hoppy, I would have guessed that this fell into the APA category were it not for the name and the slightly elevated ABV. Slightly sweet and very bready and yeasty malt backbone. Mouthfeel is slightly sticky on the finish with moderate soft fizzy carbonation. Overall, this just did not live up to my expectations for the usual quality of Alaskan’s offerings.

An OK IPA. Orange pour with a small head. Aroma of malt and piney hops. Taste is mostly malt with a end hoppy bitterness. Not a bad everyday drinker.

Sample in the Alaskan tap room. This beer is a decidedly clear yellow color with a medium and foamy ivory head that burns away slowly. Patchy lacing on the glass. Fresh resiny hops aroma with some malt present as well. Light-bodied and clean with hops, fruit and malt flavors all in fairly equal representation. The finish is midlly bitter with a short hops aftertaste. Overall an interesting take on an IPA, but average all around.

Pours a transparent bright bronze with a thin white head and a little lacing. Aroma is sweet grainy malts and some lemon citrus hops. Flavor is sweet and malty with some earthy pine bittering hops, probably not enough for an IPA. Light bitter finish.

Pours a nice golden color with frothy white head. Great lasting head with stuck solid lacing. Aroma is spicy hops. Flavor is actually well balanced. Some malt charecter with some hops coming through as well. Clean finish with some lingering hops. Not bad, very similar to Bridgeport.