Flat Earth Northwest Passage IPA

Brewed by Flat Earth Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
St. Paul, Minnesota USA

Poured from growler into Nonic Imperial Pint. Clear, bright gold with thin head but nice lacing. Aroma of mostly citrus and some pine. Smells very bitter and dry. Very slight sweetness in the beginning, but the hops quickly reign supreme. Citrus, grapefruit, pine and spice noted. Very bitter finish. Low carbonation, medium body, pretty smooth, and exceedingly dry. Very refreshing. More please, unless my tongue melts first from the bitterness.

Sampled the filtered version at the brewery’s growler sale event at the Flat Earth brewery. Poured by the brewmaster himself, clear copper amber brew with a slow dissolving off-white head that has some excellent retention and lacing. Aroma of grapefruit zest, a hint of pine and caramel malt, Taste is medium to full bodied, citrusy and grassy hop flavor with some caramel malt and tangerine. Finish is nearly bone dry at first and then a lingering bitter aftertaste. Multi-personality IPA in a good way. Overall, a terrific IPA with a Cascade hop aroma, Chinook hop flavor and a Simcoe finish. This is one of the few IPAs I have tried that has its distinct hop character detected in separate stages of drinking sensation.

Growler (unfiltered version) picked up from the brewery today. Slightly hazy orange pour, plenty of carbonation. Nice bitter orange citrus and hoppy aroma. Flavor was big pine resiny hops, spicy citrus and mellowed perfectly on the finish. Really really liked this one, I hope this gets bottled in the future.

On tap at St Paul Summer Beer Fest 2009, poured golden with a nice head, nice hoppy aroma that delivers well in the beer with a nice bitter finish. Solid IPA

Pours a hazy, bright orange with a medium white head. Aroma is quite hoppy with some citrus. Strong, bitter taste consisting of floral hops, citrus pine, earthy tones, and malts. I loved it overall though it could use a bit more flavor to offset the hop bitterness of 115 IBUs.

Very strong hop aroma and a complex blend of hop flavor and bitterness. Rich, creamy, hop-head delight.

From a firkin @ the 2nd annual Firkin Fest. A delicious bitter and slightly earthy aroma. Similarly bitter and hoppy with the unfiltered sediment creating a great mouthfeel.

On tap @ Happy Gnome. Bright copper pour produced a 1/2 inch tightly packed white head. Spotty lacing lined the glass after every sip. Assertive, not aggressive hop profile here with orange peel, grapefruit, and pine sap. Caramel malt cut through the citrus but just nothing really stood out. Tasty (yes)...would drink again (definitely)...perfectly balanced (not quite). Still glad I had a chance to try it.