Cottonwood Endo India Pale Ale

Brewed by Carolina Beer Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Mooresville, North Carolina USA

bottle. Wow, it’s been a long time since I’ve visited this one. The pour is a hazy copper with a small white head. The nose is maltier than I remember, but I’m much more accustomed to a good IPA these days. Some faint citrus is detectable in the nose, but mostly just bready malts. The flavor is pretty much the same. Low hop presence for the style, mostly a sweet caramel flavor. The finish highlights a little bit more grapefruit. This is nothing special at all. It really didn’t even quell that hop craving I’m having right now.

Bottle. Pours a nice reddish brown, dark for an IPA, with a big, beige head. Aroma of lemony hops. The flavor of caramel malt surprised me a little, but there is still a healthy dose of fruity hops. Good, but not exceptional.

Light amber body with very fine particulates and a foamy, persistent off-white head with thick lacing. Toasty malt nose with a hint of maple, sweet stonefruit, and citrus. Flavor is of toasty bread crusts with woody, sylvan hop qualities and substantial bitterness. Mildly oxidized. Comes across like a hoppy amber ale. Thanks SpringsLicker.

I have to admit, I really like this beer. The aroma reminds me of iced tea with some lemon. Light brown in color with lots of floaties and a slight head. Rich malty flavor almost overpowers the hops - some lemon, some earthiness. I dig it.

Amber body with a small, rocky tan head. Good amount of hops and a nice malt profile, but there’s a definite soapiness in there. It’s not too bad, but it does detract some. Still, not a bad IPA.

Bottle courtesy of Suttree: Clear medium amber with a slight strawberry hue to it, medium frothy white head that fades somewhat quickly. The aroma smells nicely of bitter grapefruit and grass....but uh oh, I’m smelling this slightly soapy/buttery scent that makes me worried about diacetyl. I hope for the best and take a sip. Sure enough my nose was right - diacetyl. It’s there, but not so much to the extreme that it’s undrinkable. Maybe their yeast just produces a bit more than average, who knows. There’s also flavors of bitter grapefruit, flowery/grassy hops, biscuit, pale malt, and caramel. Finishes with mild pine hops and light malt sweetness. Light bodied, moderate carbonation, watery in the mouth.

RERATE: Appearance the same, actually, everything the same, but no lurnking nastiness this time. Things appear to be back under control with a bit of biscuit, grapefruit, and pine. Nice, if a bit understated. OLD RATE: Tap at Charlotte airport. Medium amber, OK head, pleasant bitter grapefruit nose. Light body, bitter grapefruit hops was the predominant flavor. But something was just plain off here. I think their yeast is getting away from them, or they might have a sanitation issue. Something unpleasant was lurking in the background. Not what I remember from previous tastings. (7,4,4,2,6)

Draught. Copper color with a moderately strong hoppy aroma and a lasting white head that laced the glass. Moderate carbonation. Prominent hop bitterness which overshadowed the hop and malt flavors. Caramel undertones. Not sweet.