AleSmith IPA

	Percentile
	100
	overall

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
San Diego, California USA

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
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Ratings	Average	Score	ABV	Style Pctl	Serve in
982	4.1/5.0	4.1/5.0	7.25%	100	Shaker, Tulip

Commercial Description:
AleSmith IPA used to be known as "Irie Pirate Ale." However, some nasty patent attorneys think the name is too similar to another brand, so we had to "cease and desist." It's a darn shame, but it beats an obnoxious legal battle, in both expenses and Excedrin. Don't worry though, we won't change the beer (which is a MUCH better IPA than that "other" brand). It was conceived as an American-style IPA to satisfy the yearnings of the most die-hard hopheads. Its high alcohol content may catch you unawares if you're not careful, but it's hard to resist once you've tasted it. Appearance: Deep golden to light amber color, and a nice beige head, with good retention when properly served. Flavor: Starts off with strong citrusy, resiny flavors, balanced by a nice malty sweetness, then fades to a dry finish with a lingering hoppiness and a faint hint of plums and black cherries. Aroma: Strong piney-citrusy character, with vanilla in the background. Mouthfeel (body/texture): Smooth, medium-bodied. Feels warm in the mouth from the alcohol.

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clong83 (243), San Diego, California, USA

4.4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.4	9/10	4/5	9/10	5/5	17/20

Apr 5, 2009

Smell is of fresh hops. Smells dry and it is. Nice flavor of citrus and strong malts in the background. Hops dominate here, and they are of the particularly sticky and resiny kind. Spicy and finishes dry, and the hops keep kicking long after the beer is gone. Great beer, and great IPA.

shawnm213 (934), South Bend, Indiana, USA

3.3	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.3	7/10	3/5	7/10	3/5	13/20

Mar 30, 2009 Updated: Sep 22, 2009

bottle from bevmo in la jolla. I love IPAs, i love california beer, and maybe i was a little to pumped up for this one. pine, grapefruit, cirusy hop notes. will rerate.

trapez (804), Hilleroed, Denmark

4.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.2	9/10	3/5	8/10	5/5	17/20

Mar 30, 2009

Bottle. aroma filled with fresh hops, grass and flowers. Cloudy amber colour with medium beige head. Bittler flavour, but not overwhelming allowing the malt to express itself. Also spicy and some fresh fruits. Very well balanced. Moderate carbonation.

Tweety (343), Vancouver, Washington, USA

4.3	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.3	9/10	4/5	9/10	4/5	17/20

Mar 28, 2009

Thanks to WeeheavySD for this bottle. So much bitterness and hoppy fruity goodness. I still don’t think that this is my favorite IPA (I maintain that two-hearted and masala mama are still better), it’s gotta be damn close.

evergreen0199 (259), London, Greater London, England

3.6	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.6	7/10	4/5	7/10	4/5	14/20

Mar 28, 2009

Bottle bought at BevMo on my last trip to California. Orange/amber in colour with a reasonable head. Citrus taste and of course hop presence (hops were not too overpowering though). Very bitter, alcohol is surprisingly well hidden. Pretty good but I have had better American IPA’s than this.

apshah99 (141), Portland, Oregon, USA

4.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.2	8/10	4/5	8/10	5/5	17/20

Mar 26, 2009

Golden pour with thick off-white head. Citrus hop head with a trace of malt. More citrus and well balanced malt in the taste, with a pretty bold bitter finish while still managing to be smooth. Wonderful mouthfeel on the palate, quite creamy. This is an excellent beer. On a given day it is as good as any other IPA.

thefrutigers (100), , Arizona, USA

4.5	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4.5	8/10	5/5	9/10	4/5	19/20

Mar 22, 2009

Bottle 22 oz.: Poured clear amber with a medium head that did not diminish. Smells of citrus and resinous hops but not excessive. Malty sweetness with citrusy grapefruit hops flavored bitterness with a dry finish. I’m torn on this one, because it was EXCELLENT, but I need to go back and try another Stone IPA, because I think this one is better, but I rated the Stone higher. Maybe need to re-rate the Stone. Overall impression.....tasty!

raphael (414), Portland, Oregon, USA

3.7	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.7	8/10	4/5	7/10	3/5	15/20

Mar 22, 2009

Bought this a couple months ago--top rated IPA on ratebeer--and anticipated drinking it. Aroma is strong--floral, fruity (including pineapple,) light malt. Bright yellow orange with 1/2 inch head that holds a bit. a little thin and ordering on flattish in the mouth. an odd flavor upfront, like smoked grapefruit, and a keening edge to the overall flavor, malt cant stand up to it. noticeable warming. dry harsh finish. did i get a bad bottle?

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