Fort Collins Rocky Mountain IPA

Brewed by Fort Collins Brewery
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Fort Collins, Colorado USA

Talk about going in the wrong direction.... After drinking the NG Weizen beer, I opened one of these, and damn. Not what I was hoping it would be. Hopefully the next beer of the evening will make up for it. Pours out an orange to red color, with a nice white head on it. There is some aroma of hops and malts which isnt bad. Pretty floral smell actually. The taste is where the beer loses it for me. It is drinkable, but that is about as far as I would go. The hop flavor is good but it is overwhelmed by the malt presence. Not really balanced, and when compared to my daily drinker IPA (2 Hearted) there really is no comparison. Drinkable in its own right though, and I wouldnt refuse to drink it, but I am not sure I would seek it out again either.

12oz Bottle Recieved in a recent trade with russpowell, thanks Russ! Rocky Mountain pours a mildly hazed copper with deep golden highlights. A few large carbonation bubbles make their way to the surface here and there. The head grew to a healthy, dense two fingers of off-white on the pour. Fell to a skimming and left small faint lacing. Orange with a caramel drizzling is what I think of right off the bat. There seems to be a little dirtiness in there that I’m not so fond of. The citric hoppiness and caramel maltiness all seem muddled along with the dirt. Just not a very appealing IPA. The flavor, unfortunately, is just as the nose suggested. A dirty caramel and orange citric note combine to create something that’s just not very appetizing. Nothing at all stands out and because of it this is a rather boring, dull IPA. Medium bodied with a bit of stickiness on the swallow. Moderate carbonation keeps the body on the tongue long enough to saturate with flavor but quick enough to keep from turning stale. I’m going to finish this bottle and most likely never come back to Rocky Mountain IPA. There’s far too many out there that are much better. Rocky Mountain IPA is an ok IPA but one I wouldn’t pick up again. Just doesn’t have the hoppiness, or for that matter maltiness I enjoy in the style. 5/2/08

Pours clear copper with a ruby tinge. A half-inch head of white fell quickly, revealing a placid surface with a few stray bubbles. Zero lacework. Aromatics are very much English in character. Toasted malts, earthy hops, and a gypsum crispness. Hints of pine bark, fruit zest, and grass clippings. Fuggles? Exceptionally crisp mouthfeel, with quite a snap. Malt-forward on the pallet, with hops following through. Very much English in style and "traditional" in nature. Minerally crispness with toasted malts, spicy hops, and a firm bitterness. Finishes with a lingering, drying bitterness and a bark-like earthiness

Bottle courtesy of illinismitty. Pours amber with a white head. Smells of perfume, resin, oranges. Tastes lightly bitter with a nice sweet citrussy compliment. Finishes resiny.

Pours a clear amber with an off-white head and substantial lacing. Mild floral aroma. Crisp hoppy taste with a hint of malt. mouthfeel is a little thin. Aftertaste of hops lingers nicely.

Bottle. Poured a cloudy orange with a off-white head that leaves good lacing. Aroma of floral hops backed with decent amounts of malts. The flavor finds nice hop characteristics with a good amount of caramel malts. Medium bitterness throughout and a medium body. (Rating from Sept ’07)

It’s hard not to like an IPA no matter how mild. This one pours a solid frothy head that reduces slowly leaving a downy canopy and sticky lacing. Aromas of fresh hops and mild malts. Full nectar with good carbonation creating a soft nearly creamy texture. Bright hops balanced by a generous malt backbone. The finish is bittered well leaving behind a lip smacking goodness. Overall: Simple and mild for IPA yet very creamy and delicious.

Bottle (12oz). Clear bright burnt copper pour, solid lasting off-white head, delicate lacing. Smells nice - classic citrus/resin sharp hop aroma, moderately roasty malt. Taste - same, a little more herbal hop bitterness, not much alcohol, not a long finish. Light body, mild carbonation, weak astringency, and it seems to fade a little too quickly.