Big Sky IPA

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

Pours a dark copper with a one finger head that fades slowly to a soapy cap. The lacing that’s left behind is a bit spotty, but sticks pretty well. Smell; tone of resiny piney hops, with some very nice citrus fruits backing up the pine. There’s also some caramel floating around in there, but this is one is definitely all about the hops. It smells great. Taste; as with the aroma the hops are prevalent. Very piney, with a ton of grapefruit and a little bit of oranges. A very solid caramel maltiness helps to offset the hops just enough, adding a little sweetness to the finish. Mouthfeel is medium to full, and the hops resins just fills the mouth adding a bit of a creamy feeling. The drinkability is really good, as I would have no problem drinking more than one. I wasn’t all that thrilled about Big Sky making it to Nebraska, but after having this IPA, I’m glad they did. A big surprise for me, and a beer that just may become a regular in the beer fridge.

Floral nose, amber color, creamy head. Sweet juniper-like spiciness, caraway seed notes in the end. Like a rye bread. Lingering bitter. Big body to support all the stuff going on on top. Interesting flavor and well balanced.

In the bottle from Beertopia. Pours a dark copper amber with a medium off-white head. Strong grassy pine-like green hop aroma. Malty and citrus in the first flavor , but medium in palate only. Long burning bitterness actually feels acidic in your gullet. Nice mouthfeel of fresh green hops.

12 oz. bottle from DYCSoccer17. Rich amber color, light amounts of clinging head. Aroma reeks of big, raw Simcoe - mostly pine but some orange and tangerine thrown in there too. I also pick up some yeasty notes and some light sulfur compounds. Sharp, acidic hoppiness cuts in on first sip, fading to some citric (orangey) fruitiness and heavy resin. Lightly sour. The beer tends towards the dry side with only a bit of caramel sweetness to offset the intense hoppy flavor. Medium-high bitterness, which, as the commercial description implies, is quite clean, yet also lingering. Very juicy, dry, hop-forward. A little too acidic for me to love it though.

Draft 8 oz at the brewery taproom; Dark rusty amber with a nice poofy ’shmellowy head. Big time piney hop aroma. Nice chewy hop consistency, resin, pinetar, flowers. Excellent malt underpinning. Excellent brew. (#2925, 5/19/2007)

12 ounce bottle. Aroma is rather citrusy and fruity with notes of oranges and some peach in there as well. Some floral hops as well as some lightly pine hops are also detected. Quite pleasant and aromatic. Attractive, transparent solid copper body with a nice, frothy off-yellowish head. Rather bitter, hoppy flavors hit you to start. I detect some hempy flavors, which seem like simcoe to me. Gets a little chewy and burnt in the middle. Finishes with a dry, hoppy, grapefruit flavoring. This is a pretty solid IPA, but is a little too burnt and dry for my liking.

Bottle courtesy of bu11zeye. Pours copper with a nice white head. Smells of resiny hops, some citrus, pine, some sweet biscuity malt. Tastes of citrus and perfumy. Mouthfeel is full bodied with a crisp finish.

This IPA is the single best offering from this solid brewery. Great malt backbone with enough bittering and aroma hops to be catagorized as a true West Coast style IPA. Hops gives you the gamut - strong citrus aromas, "velvetiness" on the tounge, some earthiness. Finishes very clean with a touch of malt sweetness on the finish. Medium bodied, slightly warming brew but not overly boozie at 6.2%. Yeast character pretty neutral. Just a hint of roundeness (vanilla note?). Poured from a bottle to a dense head that stay around for a good bit. My first rating, but that tells you how strongly I feel about this one.