Firehouse India Pale Ale

Brewed by Firehouse Brewing Company (SD)
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Rapid City, South Dakota USA

Draft at the brewery. Scores low because I do not think this is an ipa at all.

Sweet and fruity aroma, some apple and brown sugar present, along with hints of cola and black cherry, perhaps a very slight amount of bubblegum and lurking far in the background are some leafy hops. Incredibly deep, dark red color, unusual shade for an IPA, with a very slight head, dissipating completely over a short while. Flavor profile is balanced a bit toward the hops, luckily, acting to keep it somewhat in style, also has some brown sugary malts up front, turning fruity and blended with some notable yeast esters midpoint, mingling with the spicy, lightly piney hop notes and yielding a light-moderate amount of bitterness there at the finish and a barely noticeable amount of alcohol. Some Kool-Aid and cotton candyish notes very late. Really more like a Brown/Amber hybrid with a higher degree of hopping than usual. Smooth carbonation prickly mouthfeel regardless, also lightly syrupy and with a medium body. Somewhat interesting but not quite brewed to style, for those expecting a standard IPA.

Draft at the brewery. Not exactly a standard IPA, copper colored light tan head. Citurs and caramel aroma, mild all around. The flavor is a good bit malty though there is plenty of citrus and bitterness from the hops. Medium bodied with a bite of bitterness that lingers. A tad bit slimy with a lingering finish.

On tap at brewpub. Ugh. Ruddy red color with no head. No hop aroma at all. Slight caramel malts aroma and taste some sweetness. Very mild dry finish. I think they missed a brewing step with the hops or were a little short as this was not good at all.

From Bottle. Great nose, tons of hops, flowers, fruit. Nice bite to the nose. Pours a very nice clystal amber, nice fluffy white head that has good staying power. Attack doesn’t quite live up to the nose, which is too bad because the attack comes off weaker than it is just because the nose is so strong. Nice bitterness to this beer. Finishes very well.

This is a decent IPA that smelled really good with lots of aroma. The attack was ok with plenty of hops, but it was just decent after that. A sold IPA, but nothing special

Has a nice amber color and a fruity hop smell. Taste is nicely hopped and finishes with a nice bitterness. Overall this a good IPA, but I prefer the bitter for a good hop beer.