Big Sky IPA

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

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.

12 oz bottle courtesy of sparky27. Pours a clear copper color with a small off-white head that soon diminishes to a fine film and leaves some lacing. The aroma is light with faint pine, something musty and barley. The taste is a bit oxidized, with light hops, barley, caramel and a touch of pear like fruitiness. The mouthfeel is light and crisp. The finish is long and slightly biter-sweet. Overall: I suspect that this beer sample is somewhat past its prime, but even so, its still quite good. Must make a note to re-rate it someday.

Bottle thanks to jake65. Nice amber copper orange with a two finger of off white head that leaves some crackly lacing. Big citrus floral and pine herbal aroma. Some malt backing. Taste is big pine resin hops. A good malt body to support it. Nice IPA.

Bottle. Pours clear copper with a huge frothy off-white head. Strong aroma of grapefruit, pine, and funky pineapple. Taste is almost all hops, but there is a slight caramel malt presence. Mouthfeel is pretty good and finish is long and bitter.

On tap at the brewery. This copper ale poured with a thick off-white head and a strong floral aroma. There is a crisp pine and citrus flavor with a long bitter finish.

This beer pours a clear copper color with a medium and rocky thin white head that recedes steadily. Spotty lacing on the glass. The aroma is mildly hoppy with some hints of grapefruit and malt. Medium-bodied with flavors of hops and citrus with a light malt undertone. The finish is short and lightly bitter at first with a bit of sweet malt in the aftertaste. Straightforward and slightly above average overall.