AleSmith YuleSmith (Summer) India Pale Ale

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
San Diego, California USA

Rerate from a bottle. Nice balanced aroma, with a solid malt and hop presence. Flavor was just as well balanced and really tasty. Just going to drop my rating by .1 On tap at Stone. Poured a copperish color, pretty good sized head. Flavor was really good, with lots of citrus, grapefruit, and floral. Hops strong but not overpoweringly distracting. Very good.

Pours a murky orange brown with a huge off-white head. Big grassy hop aroma. Flavor of citrus and pepper fill the mouth. Starts with the perfect amount of bitterness and end slightly malty. Dry finish. Alesmith does it again.

Tried from tap at Stone brewery. Wow, the commercial description is dead on, I couldn’t have written it better. A fine bubble 2-finger head. Elegant summer grassy aromas fill the glass. Well balanced bitterness, yet with a heavier weighting towards bitterness, perfect for an IPA. Very very easy to drink. I’ll have another. Great great beer. Rerate: Had the rare opportunity (7/26/07) to try the first batch of Yulesmith summer at http://www.ratebeer.com/events-detail.asp?eventID= with DenverLogan, and Quaff members. 3yr old bottle I believe. 500th batch celebration bottle with blue and white label. Some subdued hops. Oxidation at at a nice very low level. Very mellow and infinitely complex. Light amber color. 9,3,7,3,17: 3.9.

Bottle shared with the Mad_indian, from a trade with Ohiodad. Pours an unclear orange/amber with a large off-white head. Aroma of caramel malts and citrusy hops. The flavor is exceptionally smooth, sweet caramel, citrus, and well blended hoppy bitterness. Beautiful!!!

Bottle sampled with Stegosaurus, courtesy of an ohio dad trade. Hazy orange pour with a floral hoppy citrus aroma. Hoppy bite up front with a malty alcohol finish but blended really good. An incredible IPA !!!!!! Probably one of the best IPA. I have had to date.

I really liked this DIPA from Alesmith. Truly amazing appearance! Deep golden color, and a head that was produced upon pouring that nearly exploded out of my glass, very pillowy, vanilla colored. Great floral aroma of pine, grapefruit, butterscotch and tons o’ hops. Sweet and syrupy caramel is in the initial flavor, fading into spicier, earthy tones that finishes with nice hops bitterness. Lots of citrus nose in this one. Crisp finish, with long-lasting flavor. One of my favorite summertime IPA’s. Great!

650 mL bottle. Deep golden amber with a big fluffy white head. Good hoppy earthy aroma of grapefruit, pine, malt and yeast. Thick creamy palate. Sweet malty caramel taste to back up the huge complex taste of mixed fruit - orange, banana, peach, and pear, with a pine taste and a sweet floral lingering finish. Damn good.

Bottle courtesy of Bu11zeye: Poured a deep brown color ale with a medium foamy head with good retention. Aroma of huge caramel malt with some great west coast hops profile providing some citrus aroma. Taste is a well balance mix between some huge caramel malt notes and some great west coast hops which provide some citrus flavour and an above average bitterness though it does not shadows the malt profile. Very well done for the style and something I wouldn’t mind having regular access to.