Berkshire Lost Sailor India Pale Ale

Brewed by Berkshire Brewing Co.
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
South Deerfield, Massachusetts USA

This was my first love of IPA in college, and ah how my tastes have changed. This orange-amber brew has poor clarity. Some floral aroma. Beer is more sweet and fruity than I prefer an IPA, but hey, my dad liked it, so maybe he’ll be drinking west coast IPAs too before I know it.

Bottle:   Pale caramel, muddy, moderate frothy white head, decent lacing.   Soft floral/perfumy nose.   Pale hop flavor on the tongue.   Seems more malt base.   This is very much like a sweet floral pale ale.   Body and mouthfeel are moderate.   Soft sweet tea leaf like malt finish.   This isn’t really an IPA at all.   Still enjoyable even if not really to style.

Cask at GBBF. Slightly cloudy dark golden with a small white head. Fruity aroma, with lots of peach, and slightly perfumed floral notes. Dry floral hoppy flavour with a little malt. The hops seem slightly soapy

Pours a hazy golden with a small but long lasting head and some lace. The aroma is citrusy with a light roastiness and some buttery character. The flavor is considerably malty but dry with plenty of biscuty and bready notes, plenty of citrusy hop flavor comes through.

The aroma was rather earthy with a good deal of toast and mild hoppy notes. Poured golden amber with a thin head. The flavor was balanced and mild. Toasted malts, a hint of caramel, and earthy hops in the finish. Soft dry finish. Very mild IPA, but well made and without flaws.

First try: Cloudy golden orange. Very nice lace. Mild bitter hop with nutty roasted malt. Malty bitter flavor; some pale malt. A bit musty. Nice lace. Creamy and nicely-bodied. Bitter but bready malt. Good and thick and dry. *** Second try: Hazy light orange with a big, puffy white head. Ribbons of something floating in the ether. Big swath of lace. Flowery mild hop aroma, slightly bitter. Mild biscuity malt, slightly bitter too. Mild flowery hop, very sweet and pleasant. Dry biscuity malt. Nicely balanced. Sweeter than expected. Reminiscent of an ESB. Milky smooth feel; Mild film leaves a bitter aftertaste (a good thing). Either an American ESB or a British IPA. Really drinkable and nice; a hoppy pale-ish ale with some distinction.

Pouring at the Brass City Brew Fest. Pours a hazy golden orange with a thin white head. Nice clean citrus with a light pine note. Little bit grainy and rather grassy. Finishes up dry with a hay note and some grapefruit.

Bottle. Pours a clear light copper color with a small frothy white head. Nose is lightly dry hop bitters with some light caramel malt and a little hint of melon. Palate is a bit dirty with a nice firm texture and a carbonation fizz underbelly. Flavors or lightly toasted grains with a small hop bitterness in the finish.