Bison IPA Single Hop Series - Summit

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

I like what they are doing with this brew - a fine IPA showcasing a single hop species, albeit not my favorite. Starts with a great malt backbone characterized by mellow molassasy-caramel, heavy essence. Definite grapefruit presence. The Summit hops on centerstage here really do shine thru with a strong bitter, non-lingering bite. Great showing. I would love to try the Columbus Hop version but am not part of a trading network - can anyone hook me up?

From a 22 oz. bomber bottle with no freshness date, blurbs on the right side of label and on the paper neck label, sampled at cellar temperature in a pint glass. Poured a slightly hazy golden hued copper with a large frothy, foamy white head, good retention, settled into a rocky, sudsy lacing. Aromas of tangerines, citric zest, light earth and pine resins, and a soft backing of sweet grainy malts. Good even carbonation and a crisp, dry, softly slick with a little hop roughness, smooth medium bodied mouthfeel. Pleasant tasting, but you do get the rough earthy bitterness one expects from a blending hop, tangerine sweet, hop resiny, spicy, a touch of citric rind, caramelized sugar and toasted grainy malts, the alcohol meshes with hop spiciness to provide a soft warmth in the palate, a little melon fruitiness, and a dry hoppy, grainy finish with the earthiness from the Summit hops lingering in the aftertaste. I enjoyed this, easy drinkability, well worth trying.

Tasted on tap at the Drakes 1st Annual Beer Festival and Washoes Tournament. This IPA pours a orange gold color from the tap. Medium sized white foamy head. Aroma is herbal and floral. A medium bodied India Pale Ale. Malts are fruity and sweet. Hops are herbal and floral. Very nice balance, this one is right between hoppy and malty. Medium bitter IPA. Nice orange and tangerine flavors. Good carbonation. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

This bottle is part of the Single Hop Series so I am assuming its the same I had the Columbus now the Summit. Nice dark burnt orange ,semi-murky beer, nice sized light tan head. Strong sherbert like hop aroma slight citric too. Fruity ,hoppy flavours, sweetish grapefruit, very drying at the end, sticky. Hints of caramel and something else..peppery, chives? Mouthfeel is alright, like the lingering bitterness. Over all a good IPA, I liked this slightly better than the Columbus.

22 oz from Yoke’s Sandpoint $3.49. Amber/brown, with beige head, plenty of foam. (drunk from paper cup in the field). Nice aroma of fresh hops and med. roast caramel malt. Flavor was the same albeit a bit toward the sweet with the malt. Nice, rich, creamy malt. Clean & fresh tasting, well into med bodied. Some spice in the mix, with adequate bitterness to balance it all out. Wouldn’t hesitate to drink this again.

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.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Solutions, Portland, OR<font size=-1>

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.

22 oz. bottle from Liquid Solutions. Pours mostly clear dark amber with an orange caste and gives rise to a large off-whte head that leaves generous lace. Aroma is fruity, earthy and herby with orange and floral notes. Flavor is nice and malty sweet, dried apricot and unripe pear, subtle citrus and bitter herbs in the hops, a little earth as well, pleasant but not brash. Missing some of the acidic citrus and pine that I usually associate with a west coast IPA, but enjoyable nonetheless. Medium body and mild carbonation. My favorite iof the two Bison single hop IPA’s so far (Columbus as the other).