Elysian Avatar Jasmine IPA

Brewed by Elysian Brewing Co.
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Seattle, Washington USA

On draft at Elysian in Seattle 7/11/07. Golden pour witha big frothy white head. The most impressive thing about this beer is the unmistakeable big floral aroma from the jasmine, accompanied by some citrus and honey. Medium, smooth body with a slightly resinous tang as well. The jasmine is evident in the flavor as well, and overall it is a bit sweeter than most IPAs, with only a mildly dry finish. Unusual, but enjoyable in its own way, but wouldn’t do everyday for me.

22oz. Bottle (THANKS glkaiser): Medium sweet aroma. Smells a little floral, with scents of hops, lemon, jasmine, and a hint of spice. Poured an orange color with a medium-sized, off-white/yellow tinted, creamy, head that lasted throughout. Very good lacing. Very cloudy and opaque. Many floating particles. Flavor is lightly sweet though not really bitter. Tastes heavily of jasmine with a faint caramel malt backbone. Almost tastes like I am drinking jasmine incense. Medium body. Dry, chalky texture. Soft carbonation. Dry jasmine finish. How is this an IPA?

From a 22oz Bottle. Pours a somewhat hazy, naval orange tinged golden color with a finger of soapy white head. The Jasmine flowers come through strongly in the nose, bringing an herbal tea-like dimension to the bouquet. Mild orange zest hops accompany softly. Medium-light bodied, mildly carbonated mouthfeel. Light caramel malt flavors with some orange zest and more tea. As the tea fades, some grassy hops become more apparent, lingering gently into the finish with a hint of earthy biscuit malt.

Orange in color, it emits a funky, grassy, metallic hop smell. Taste is neither good, nor consistent with an IPA. I will give it the benefit of the doubt and assume it tastes like jasmine. $4/22oz

Tastes like an otherwise OK IPA, except that someone apparently spilled some perfume into it. A little bit of baby diapers in the finish. I couldn’t even finish the sampler.

(Bottle) Pours a clear golden body with a medium white head. Aroma of a flower garden and some orange. Flavor of floral hops and caramel malt with a soft, creamy mouthfeel. I find these beers brewed with flowers kind of intriguing.

Aroma of floral (hop?) and malt. Ripe apricot color with a white head that doesn’t immediately film and leaves lace trace. Thin to medium body. Strong hint of jasmine flavor (kind of like the tea). A real kick in the mouth. Light fruity sweetness balanced by lots of bitter. Seems like more that 40 IBUs. The finish is nicely balanced sweet and bitter. Incredibly enjoyable.

Pours crystal clear copper with a sturdy medium-sized bone-white head. Aromas are perfumy (see: flowers) with some underlying lemon citrus and caramel malt. The jasmine perfume component is part sweet honeysuckle and part old-lady at church on Sunday. This IPA is crisp and rather light on the palate. It sports a very balanced malt/hop flavor which is not very bitter, but dry with some lingering alcohol in the finish. The perfuminess is unmistakeable, but it’s done tastefully and delicately. Really well done.