Big Sky IPA

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

Ah, Simcoe. I knew that that hop profile was familar. One of my favorite hops. I was going to say that it had a similar hop profile to Dale’s Pale Ale, but without the hefty malt backbone. This makes for a nice APA, but is a little timid for an IPA, at least at current hophead standards. Thanks Sparky27.

12oz Bottle Recieved this in a recent trade with russpowell, thanks again Russ! Big Sky IPA leaves the bottle a surprisingly clear polished copper with a few streams of carbonation crawling up the sides of the glass. A fingers worth of off-white head grew on the pour and took its time fading slowly to a skimming with a respectable ring. Solid drink lines are left behind after each drink. A good looking IPA. Aroma is big in the malt department. As a matter of fact this is a malt driven IPA, I’m more a fan of the hoppier versions but this one smells very inviting. Caramel and a bit of toffee take center stage. There’s faint showing of a tea leaf like hoppiness and some slightly sweetened orange toward the backend. I’m enjoying the nose on this, let’s see how the flavor goes. The tea leaf hoppiness is more pronounced but a squeeze of orange finishes things off nicely. Caramel and a drier biscutiy type maltiness make up the majority of the flavor. While there isn’t a great deal of hoppiness present there is a bit of a buzzsaw in there. A slight bitterness runs right down the middle of the tongue. Again, while malt driven IPAs usually aren’t my favorite, this is one I enjoy. The body has enough heft to place it in the moderate category but there’s a pleasant lightness. The carbonation doesn’t look like much but pushes the beer through at a healthy pace which brings out the hops more then if the carbonation was a little more mild. An easy drinker IPA. Not the hop attack that you will find in others but very enjoyable none-the-less. A solid beer from Big Sky. I could see myself picking this up occasionally if it was distributed in my area. I’m more a fan of the hop bomb IPAs but this certainly has it’s place and is well made. 5/2/08

Courtesy Buckeye Boy. Pours a deep copper with a thick off white head. Malty earthy aroma with a hint of citrus. Malty caramel taste with lots of bitter citrus hops. A nice big bodied IPA with a nice dry bitter finish.

An attempt at blending the hoppy qualities of an IPA with the maltiness of an amber or brown goes horribly awry with this noble but misguided effort from the Big Sky Brewing Company. The appearance when poured was promising -- deep amber and ruby with a medium-thick head. But the nose is terrible ... stale smelling, with overtones of beef jerky and dive bar urinals. (Based on several positive reviews, this could be the age of the bottling, so not gonna write this off quite yet). The flavor and mouth-feel offers some redemption -- a combination of malty, toasty caramel with intense hop flavors, and a much thicker palate than normally found in an IPA. But the aftertaste isn’t great, and the aroma is a deal-breaker. Might try it again fresh when I go back to Montana this summer, but otherwise -- no.

Pours a caramel color with a small bubbly white head. Aroma of hops and grapefruit. aste is much the same hops, grapefruit and a little caramel sweetness. Very drinkable IPA.

Bottle thanks to ditmier. Really enjoyed this one. Pours a orange/red with a huge tan head. The aroma is heavy grapefruit hops. The taste is really quite well balanced and great; a sweet caramel malt body with a great Simcoe hoppyness, grapefruit and some bitterness. Really a perfect everyday beer.

Poured copper-amber with a nice sized off-white head, good amount of lacings. Aroma is floral hops, some sweetness. Tatse is grapefruit hops, sweet malts with the hops winning by a nose. I am taking a liking to these Big Sky brews. Will probably keep going until I run through them all. Not as crisp as the best IPAs but very close. Would like to try this on tap sometime. Nice bitter finish.

Pours a nice bright, copper colour- somewhat cloudy. Citrusy, light and fruity with well integrated hops. Aroma is piney and floral. a notice pleasent grapefruit character prevalent throughout the brew.