Fish Tale Organic India Pale Ale

Brewed by Fish Brewing Company/Leavenworth Beers
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Olympia, Washington USA

Had in Whittier, AK. Pretty headless for an IPA and generally faint in aroma and flavoring. First organic IPA i’ve had i guess, but particularly earth shattering in its boldness. Smooth enough to be drank in high quantities, so that’s a plus I guess.

(355ml bottle, bottled in June) Crystal clear amber body with small beige head. Aroma is medium sweet, floral, some caramel, light grapefruit. Taste is moderately sweet, floral, caramel, finishing with an unexpectedly bitter grapefruit. Light-medium body.

Bottle. Clear copper with a medium off-white head. Light aroma of caramel and floral hops. Flavor has notes of grapefruit, citrus then some toastiness and caramel. Pretty sweet, bitter hop finish. Full, round and surprisingly creamy on the palate with moderate carbonation. A little lacing left on the glass, not much head retention. Very drinkable. Although it’s not in the top tier of IPAs, it’s a nice drinkin’ beer.

Bottled. Pours a dark golden color. Hoppy aroma, somewhat piney. A little bit of grapefruit in there as well. Flavor is fairly soapy and has alot of plastic qualities. Something may be wrong with this bottle.

This beer pours a clear orangey yellow color with a thin white head which dissipates fairly quickly and very very little to no lacing. The aroma is citrusy and hoppy, very fresh with a hint of flowers and clorox... a strange mesh of aromas, but not bad for a change of pace. The flavor is medium bodied and very bitter in the finish. Carbonation level is medium to high. Mid sip is sweet and citrusy with flowers followed by an obscenely piney and somewhat caramel pine-cone finish. Cottonmouth and dry, though I’ve had drier. Nice beer overall, but the finish is heavily acetic, carbonated and astringent to the back of the tongue and throat.

I was expecting big things for this brew due to my good experiences with both the FT Anniversary Ale (10 squared) and the FT Old Woody. But, upon first sip, I was gravely disappointed. Doesn’t smell like much. Hazy, dark gold color with lots of visible carbonation and an off-white head. Average sized head but attractive. Soft, pillowy head. Excellent lace. Very thin layer of head remains. Initial flavor is like the inside of a hose. There is really something unpleasant about the flavor. At times it tastes better, but there usually is an undercurrent of unpleasantness. Strong piney bitterness. A little too dry. Could be slightly sweeter. I expected much more.

Something not quite right with this one for me, a metallilc bite that made me wonder if I got a bad bottle. Since no other reviews mention this I’ll try to re-rate at another opportunity.

Pale clouded golden, well carbonated, moderate head formation. Citrussy orange, earthy aroma. Very dryish palate, heavily bittering hoppy grapefruit citrus, bites strongly in the finish. Underlying tangerine is subtle and lingers slightly in the aftertaste.