Gearys Winter Ale

Brewed by D.L. Gearys Brewing Co.
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Portland, Maine USA

Pours a bright golden orange with a very small head. Smells of sweet malt with hoppy aromas but all aromas are very light. Taste is spicy with syrupy malty flavors. Somewhat hoppy but not nearly as bold as I was expecting. Not much finish, just kind of fizzles out. Mouthfeel is sticky with very little aftertaste. Not enough malt for a winter and certainly not enough hops or spice to make up for it. It’s smooth and drinkable but that’s about it. This is the replacement for Geary’s HSA?

(bottle). Light-amber, gold in color when poured, with a thin white bubbly head that quickly diminishes. Doesn’t really smell like an IPA, more like alcohol. Watery on the palate, with a slightly spicy, acrid taste that decreases as it warms up. Aftertaste is slightly bitter, and it leaves a film in the mouth that isn’t very pleasant. Overall, not much of an IPA or a winter ale. Maybe the wrong label got stuck on the wrong bottle of beer.

IPA? Uh, no way in heck. Orange gold. Nose malty, some yeast. Odd spiciness as well. Somewhat fruity, apple tartness mixes with a soft, fruity melon hint. Hoppy. Quite yeasty. Lots of malts at the end that are extremely doughy and bready. It’s kind of interesting, but I don’t have any clue how anyone could call this an IPA.

Bottle: Aroma is a little off and mostly malt. Light caramel with just faint hops. Pours a transparent light amber with a quickly diminishing white head. Light malt up front with caramel and some other funky flavor that is really unpleasant. You can say it finishes hoppy, but it’s not a good hop flavor. As far as IPA’s that I’ve rated, only Redhook is worse.

Until I looked this up I thought it was a pale lager. IPA? You got to be kidding. No aroma or flavor except for a little skunk. Glad I bought one bottle!!

Bottle. Pours a crystal clear copper color. Minimal tannish colored head and minimal lacing. Aroma is muted, maltier notes seem to be dominant with hints of hop. Very subdued for an IPA, tastes more like a pale ale. Caramel malt flavors and a subtle hop finish. Mediocre.

Clear golden with a short-lived white head - not quite a Winter Ale appearance. Aroma is lightly grainy with some citrus fruitiness. Taste has notes of grain, grass, lemon, earthiness, some pepper and floral hops. Moderately sweet with a lightly toasty finish. Mouthfeel is full and round with very lively carbonation. No real lacing or head retention. Overall, drinkable, but I wouldn’t call it a Winter Ale or IPA.

Clear, light copper color with a small white head. Sweet malt aroma with a touch of butterscotch. Light malt flavor with not nearly enough hops to call this an IPA. Buttery aftertaste takes a lot away from this beer.