Big Sky IPA

Brewed by Big Sky Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Missoula, Montana USA

Well the bitterness really comes out in this one. Very nice resin citrus aroma, very forward. Taste is well balanced, the hop resin bitterness hits first, made my friend pucker up her face, but this had a good mix of citrus and some pine with a mild sweetness at the end. This was the final sample of a mix 12 from Big Sky and one of the better ones I have ever had, well done.

12 ounce bottle picked up for my brother-in-law and myself to enjoy over Easter. I was pleasantly surprised with this IPA. It poured a light copper color with a one finger width white head with a decent amount of carbonation. The aroma is very typical for an IPA; hoppy with some subtle malts and a hint of pine and citrus. The taste consists of a lot of hops with some citrus hints and a nice bitterness at the end. I must also say that this left great lacing on the side of my glass. Overall, this is exactly what an IPA should be... nothing extremely special though.

Good resiny hop aroma, with caramel, lemon. A little flat on the tongue. clear dark amber w/ khaki head of modest duration. Flavor starts sweet, almost cantaloupe, but soon overrun w/ hops, just a little harsh, with a drying finish.

A solid IPA, very resiny and piney. Good carbonation makes it a bubbly ale.

(bottle). Pours a copper color. Medium size head that is tanish yellow in color. Moderate lacing. Aroma is hoppy and slightly grassy. Heavy and harsh hop taste. Lively carbonation on the finish, with a slight metallic taste.

12 oz. bottle. Pours a thick head which slowly collapses, with some lacing, over a dark (SRM 15) golden body....nose, immediately post pour, of citrus hop more than heavy pine/resin, however as it warmed the typical simcoe nose came through.....tastes initially (an instant only) of sweetish malts then balancing hops come in finishing with heavy grapefruitand a lingering pleasant cleansing sort of bitterness...mouth feel is on the light side of medium, carbonation good. A good clean ale.

Bottle. Huge fruity hop nose (with light resin, too): grapefruit, lychee, mango, with pine and some caramel. Deep walnut pour but relatively clear, with a shivering, quivering creamy-rocky beige head. Taste is brutally dry with medium bitterness, the intense late-addition hops threaten to sweeten the sucker up, but ultimately choose to refrain. The musty/woody/sweaty hops are almost up to the task of matching the dominant PNW floral hops; rather than a hop-malt balance (which is nowhere to be found here), a sort of hop-hop balance between the varieties. Full body and smooth with subtle crispness. Big Sky gets the BIG SCORE!

Pours dark copper with a thin off white head. Smells musty with a hint of pine and cats. mouthfeel is watery. Tastes like pine, hops, and tree bark, Dry bitter finish slightly sweet but highly unbalanced. Don’t think I’ll drink this again.