Climax India Pale Ale

Brewed by Climax Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Roselle Park, New Jersey USA

Date: 11/08/1997
Mode: Firkin
Source: Brewfest, Real Ale Festival

Appearance: amber, whispy head,
Aroma: fresh hop aroma,
Flavor: sweet malt flavor with just enough hops to be hoppy and balanced but not to overwhelm the malt

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 5/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.6/5.0
Score: *4
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Kind of sweet; chewy flavours but lacking in hop for my taste, especially on the nose.

On tap at the 2004 Kennett Square BF. Poured a medium amber color with an averaged size head. Aromas and tastes of citrus orange. A little grassy and floral. Light bitter finish. Not a bad IPA.

Draft at Barcade. Diminishing white head covers the hazy amber body. Typical climax well put front-row maltiness pairs along gently with the pungent sprucey, herbal and slightly citrusy hops. Excellent all around balance, well displayed elements. Soft light body, airy, salty and particularly dry all while keeping the acidity at the lowest level. Good stuff.

on tap-pours an offwhite head that laces with amber/orange color. Aroma is hops then malty. Taste follows with the hops being less dominant than most IPA’s, a little bite.

Pours amber with a white head. Smells of resin, some sweet malty hints, Tastes astringently bitter with some sweet citrussy elements.

The Lure:
Heavy on the butterscotch and caramel, the sweet and fat maltiness gets on your nerves quickly. Peach syrup participates in the trouncing of the hops. These drafts appear to be variable.

The Festivities:
Citrusy hops are bright through the caramel, which actually works well here, never getting cloying. A round mouthfeel is also created by the ample malt, leading to appreciable hop bitterness. A malty change of pace for the style.

Transcendence:
Getting the wrong order.

Tap at Barcade. Deep orange-amber beer. Aroma is quite malty compared with many other IPAs I’ve had recently. Earty hop nose over sweet caramelly malt notes. A touch of orange peel and tobacco/leafy hops. The flavour is similar, leafy and earthy hops but the flavour is mostly of sweet caramel and toast. Moderate bitterness but the lack of punchy hops and the sweet malts don’t really appeal to me. It isn’t poorly made, it just isn’t what I was looking for.