Blue Point Hoptical Illusion

Brewed by Blue Point Brewing
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Patchogue, New York USA

On tap at Capital Ale House - Downtown on 05/05/2009. Very clear amber body with a medium frothy off-white head. Sweet floral and citrus hop aroma with some faint suguary caramel in the background. Sweet citrus and piney hop flavor with some caramel, somewhat cloying. Medium body with moderate carbonation. This would have been much better if the lovely hop aroma had followed into the flavor.

12 oz bottle courtesy of an extra from goldtwins. Thanks, Larry! Pours a sun kissed dark gold, a touch of amber, largely clear, with ample white bubbly head that dies to a small amount, laces small. Aromas are evident from pour, preaching some nice citrusy hops and florals and some mellower tropical notes from a distance. Light soap. Nice. Initial is thin in body, a bit too much for me, but pushes light bitterness of citrus, with pale and caramel malts, and tropical on the backend. A touch of pine in the finish and bitterness on the palate. A lighter fare of the IPA group, filtered away it seems. Would be nice to see what this brew does without that. More of an APA type. Not bad, just not special and outclassed as far as the IPA style goes.

bottle, sampled 1/13/08. Pours a hazy pale orange, some visible sediment, a decent amount of active carbonation creates a decent size head. Aromas of citrus bitterness, some resinous smells, and some lightly sweet notes. Flavor is all hops- sharp citrus notes, earthy pine, and slick sharp bitterness. Light toasted pale malts in the background. A bit slick and oily on the finish. Decent IPA, but would be helped by some more depth.

Bottle, served in a Duvel tulip. Clear amber pour topped by a small white head. The smell is mostly caramel, slightly perfumey, with hints of grass and nuts. The flavor is citrus, caramel, grass, slightly metallic. Has an alcohol flavor in the finish. While there are much worse IPAs out there much better ones are easy to get your hands on.

Golden yellow pour, medium carbonation and a pine citrus aroma. Flavor was a little orange, some malt, and some hops and interesting funk on the aftertaste. Ok beer, nothing more.

Not a bad IPA by any means, just nothing interesting. I’ve been told this is a good example of Simcoe hops, but maybe my bottle isn’t so fresh, I’m not getting too much in the way of the hops. An interesting orange color, no lingering head and no traces left. I probably wouldn’t buy it again, but that’s neither her nor there.

Not very aromatic. Slight tingly sensation on the tongue from the hops. The flavors really pop on the backend of the palate. Overall a nicely done IPA.

12oz screwtop. Nothing spectacular here but I really like hoppy IPAs so rating it a bit higher than I probably should. That said, it could be a whole lot hoppier if it wants to live up to it’s name.