AleSmith IPA

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

22oz bottle. Clear amber with a sticky lasting head that laces. Big fruity aroma with lots of mango, some grapefruit, pine, and a little caramel. Some toasty, caramel maltiness with lots of hops over it. Almost balanced, but the hops are huge and win out with a bitter finish. Very nicely drinkable, but you can still feel the alcohol. Medium, clean palate with soft carbonation. My one hang up is that there is a slight soapy note in the finish that tastes like a weird play between the hops and alcohol. Hardly distracting, but keeps it from being a perfect IPA for me. (8,4,7,4,15=3.8) Rerate: 22oz bottle. I wish they would date these bottles because this can’t be too fresh. Nice peach/grapefruit/pineapple hop aroma, though not incredibly punchy. Maybe I’m just expecting too much though. Fruity and floral with a resiny-bitter finish that isn’t too intense. Some toasty sweetness up front, but dry and bitter in the finish with almost no alcohol. Medium bodied with medium carbonation and a nice feel from the bottle conditioning, minus some chunks. Despite my suspicions that this would be punchier with a fresher bottle, this is quite good. I really need to find it on tap now.

Courtesy SoLan. Pours a mostly clear, very lightly hazy golden honey color. A frothy, off-white head settles to a thin layer with a marshy gathering of bubbles towards the center. Organic splotches of lacing look like cobwebs on the glass. The aroma is very fresh and fruity, with very well balanced blend of sweet malt and bitter hop character. Fresh orange juice and grapefruit hops blend well with caramel and lightly buttery toffee. The flavor follows suit, with incredibly tasty citrus perfectly complimenting the substantial maltiness. A touch of honey adds a unique sweetness. Very well balanced. The body and mouthfeel are on the heavy side of medium and are incredibly smooth. Very tasty and satisfying.

Bomber. Pours golden with white head. Aroma is citrus and hops. Taste is hops,citrus and a little pine. Perfet balance for a IPA.

Gold/copper. Small, foamy white head. Full spectrum hops- pine, citrus, resin, spicy florals- backed some lightly sweet pale malt. Medium body, balanced. Awesome IPA.

Very nice IPA Golden color with small white head. Aroma of light citrus and pine. Taste is of citrus, pine, malt but the flavors are nicely blended and none overpowering.

Bomber. Poured a murky orangeish yellow color with a huge white head – nice lacing. Aroma of pine, hops, and grapefruit on the nose and palate. This was a really smooth IPA. Doesn’t have the “knock you over the head” hops bite but this is really solid drinkable beer.

High quality IPA here, on par with Alpha King...but in a MUCH BIGGER BOTTLE!!! There is definitely more to enjoy!!! Complex characteristics but undoubtedly an IPA with pronounced sticky hops and piney resin. Another "perty" beer (yes, I meant to spell it like that) by AleSmith with depth. Great job.

June 2006 - Had this in parallel with some of the other "greats", and this held up well. Perhaps the richest flavored IPA out there...pushing the limits of Imperial IPA land. Pour was impressive, with nice head and lacing, even in my small glass. The beer was kinda one dimensional, heavy grapefruit...but that "AleSmith flavor", which I’ve noticed in all of their beers (a biscuity flavor from the yeast maybe?), doesn’t fit as well here as in the other styles. A fine brew, but a step below Stone and Two-Hearted, in my book.