Barley Island Barfly IPA

Brewed by Barley Island Brewing
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Noblesville, Indiana USA

Bottle (12oz). Shared with tupalev, my bottle. Hazy amber, average frothy off-white head. Interesting aroma, initially sweet nutmeat or cocoa -then leafy, UK-style hops. Taste - don’t like it at all - sour dishwater is really all I can think of, vague hops, but not good enough to care much. Average body, sour aftertaste - bleh.

Bottle purchased at Corral in Granite City, IL. This poured with lots of floaters in the medium amber colored body. A light khaki head was on top. The aroma was basic oranges and bread crust. The taste was some grapefruit and a little bread crust. A nice woody finish. A decent IPA.

12oz bottle poured in a shaker. I found this bottle in a small liquor store in Granite City, Illinois. I bought it as part of a pick-n-pack combination. BIB IPA pours murky orange with large pulp and a medium semi-soapy looking head. The combination of the pulp and the murkiness is a bit disconcerting if you’ve never had an unfiltered beer. Even with experience the darker beer color doesn’t look appetizing. The nose is mostly hop-generated citrus with a very faint malt tone. The body is oily and surprisingly thick for an IPA but it works well. The hop bitterness is quite prevalent, pushing most other flavors to the side. A touch of heather or clover peeks through though. This beer isn’t bad but the bitterness is more reminiscent of an imperial IPA than a straight IPA. This is probably a local favorite but falls just a little shy when compared to some of the American great IPAs.

12 oz. bottle, courtesy of DrMatt - thanks for this midwest IPA! Pours hazy medium amber with a small whitish head that leaves spotty lace. Mild aroma primarily of toasty malts and floral hop notes with a hint of orange. Flavor comes across more strongly, toasty malts again, hints of caramel provide a counterpoint to the floral, piney and grapefruit rind hoppiness, finishing with astringent spicy tingle. Medium to full body and prickly carbonation. Quite enjoyable.

Didn’t care for the first one, but the drinkablity was actually quite high. Good quality brew. A little on the malty side.

Poured a nice orange/copper color with nice head and lacing. Aromas were average, really had to sniff hard to get all of them. Tasted pretty well balanced, with a nice malt profile mixed with a decent hop presence. The intensity wasn’t really there, as it lacked the punch I like. It was drinkable.

Poured an orange amber color with a small white head. The aroma and flavor have mostly citrus hops but some earthy ones as well. Caramel malt controls the hops. Light to medium bodied.

Pours cognac-colored with a nice white head. Aroma is of citrus (oranges mostly). Taste is bitter with a nice maltiness in the finish. Not a great IPA by style, but not bad either. Just very simple.