Cambridge Endless Summer IPA

Draught tulip at CBC on 6/28/06, Infinite Summer version. Large off-white head is fairly well-retained, but does recede to a ring, eventually and laces in light rings at the top of the glass. The body is quite hazy, surprisingly so for an IPA, with only a low to medium-low clarity. Very sunset-like in color, with orange, yellow and pink swirling about. Very dry nose boasts plenty of grapefruit rind, very bitter lemons, hop plant-like leafiness and just a touch of very clean, but fresh yeast. Malt is lean, with a drizzle of honey left on the end and grainy, almost sourdough-tinged notes mixing with the hops. Strength of the aroma is medium to medium-high but I think that some of the yeast haze has dulled the aroma somewhat. The flavor is markedly more malty than expected, certainly not bullied by the malt, but has a soft touch of honey and light graham crackers that provide texture (as well as the yeast). Hops are still quite bitter for not being boiled during the bittering stage. But I suppose that still leaves a lot of room to maneuver at the end of the boil, you can tell they tossed in a ton of high AA hops and probably did so for longer than a normal finishing boil. Anyways, it translates to a bitter, dry, grapefruity beer, with oranges and light cherries from the amarillos and some minimal tropical fruit from the simcoe. A bit of pine chewiness is notable and the hops trail off with a bitter, leafy, nearly astringent flavor that is, fortunately, dulled by the malt and yeast. Carbonation is very low and unobtrusive, no alcohol is noted.

Draught at brewery 6/28/06. Pours a copper color with a small off white head. Nose is bright fruity hops with a nice malt backround and sweetness. Hops are floral and lightly fruity. Palate is clean and crisp with a nice bite in the finish. Flavors of the floral and fruity hops with a nice dry touch, hints of some sweet caramel maltiness maintain a decent balance.

on tap at the brewery. full pine and toffee aroma. quite chewy and biscuity with quite sharp bitterness. decent stuff

Starts with a very pleasant hoppy, earth, pine, hints of caramel. Flavor has more of the above, pleasantly bitter with enough of a malt backing and body to carry this beer. Manages to be very refreshing at the same time. A good brew.

cask: Hoppy aroma. Strong bitter flavor. Palate very dry, bitter and hoppy.

[Cask conditioned] Very refreshing summertime IPA. Lots of good hops and nice bitterness.

Nice citric hoppyness, generally dry bready malts, finish is quite bitter, a very enjoyable little beer (Cask-GBBF 03')