Bison IPA Single Hop Series - Summit

Brewed by Bison Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Berkeley, California USA

Name: IPA - Summit
Date: 08/17/2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party

hazy amber, fine white head, drippy lace, sweet crystal malt and earthy hop aroma, lots of earthy and floral hop flavor balanced by crystal malts, nice citrus comes in a second wave,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 13/20
Rating: 3.4/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **+/4

(22oz bottle) Large, rocky off-white head atop hazy amber body. Aroma is medium sweet, grapefruit, toffee/caramel, light mint, orange. Taste is medium sweet, grapefruit, some lemon, caramel/bread. Medium body, light resin.

22oz bottle Poured a medium and slightly hazy orange color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of juicy oranges, tangerines, and lightly earthy. Tastes of the same with a splash of caramel. Starts of medium sweet and ends on with a medium bitterness.

(Bottle) Pours a lightly cloudy copper body with a small white head. Aroma of apricot, tangerine, caramel, and onion. Flavor of hops and malt with earthiness characteristics and a smooth, somewhat dry, light bitterness in the finish.

Pours a slightly hazy orange amber with a wispy-lacing white head. Aroma of fresh grapefruity hops and some earthy grainy pale malt. Body starts with some effervescent lightly toasted, earthy grainy malt and some fresh, grapefruity bittering hops toward a drier bittersweet finish. An ok IPA, but could use a little more balance.

Pours amber with a thin white head. Smells of pronounced grapefruit and melon. Tastes of sweet tangeriones and grapefruit with a hint of malt presence on the finish. Too much astringent bitterness on the finish to make this one enjoyable.

The body is a deep brass in color and it has one of those ridiculously tall rocky heads that makes appreciation of the ale difficult, hence a lower score for appearance. Nice aroma, toffee & caramel under a layer of tangerines, tart oranges, and orange peels with a touch of wildflowers. It has a slightly oily mouthfeel. The flavor is evenly balanced between the malty sweetness and hoppy bitterness, although the latter emerges more strongly in the finish. Except for the difficulties with the head, this would be a fine session ale.

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The body is a hazy medium orange with a large slightly off white head. The aroma has about as much grapefruit as I have smelled in a beer. Not just hints, but this is very strong and fresh smelling. There is also a hint of caramel behind that, but not much. The taste is again mostly fresh grapefruit with a hint of iced tea. There is a hint of parsnips or some tuber with spice. There isn’t much else going on, but this definitely is a showcase for the hops. An interesting and good IPA, but a little too ine dimensional.