Granite City Duke of Wellington India Pale Ale

Brewed by Granite City Food & Brewery
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
St. Louis Park, Minnesota USA

Name: Duke IPA
Date: August 07, 2008
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub, Madison
Appearance: hazy orange, wispy off white head, streaks of lace
Aroma: sweet crystal malt aroma with lots of citrus hops for that perfect sugar laden grapefruit
Flavor: sweet malt flavor, lots of balancing floral and earthy hops with a dose of citrus, well bittered with a lasting bitter finish

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.1/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

Name: Duke IPA
Date: February 24, 2009
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub, Wicita
Appearance: hazy copper, fine white head, scattered lace
Aroma: light floral and citrus hop aroma backed by dry crystal malt
Flavor: dry crystal malt flavor, nice blend of citrus and earthy hops, bitterness keeps it pretty dry, long bitter finish

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 11/20
Rating: 2.9/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

(Draught) Pours a clear copper body with a moderate off-white head and good lacing. Aroma of grass and light citrus. Flavor of hops, nuts, and earthiness with a dry finish.

On tap at the Mishawaka location: Pours a transparent dark bronze orange with a stringy-lacing white head. Aroma of fresh juicy grapefruity hops with a touch of pale malt. Body starts with average fullness and light sweetness along with a drier, grassy citric hop bite before a drier more bitter finish. Needs a little more malty sweetness.

I might have scored this higher had it been listed as an APA, or perhaps even an EPA. It’s got a clear amber body and has a fairly well sustained modest head. Nice lacing. Its flavor images the nose - a light sweet caramel with a blend of citric and floral bitterness displaying the blend of Cascade and Fuggle hops. Mildly bitter finish. Okay.

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Omaha. Copper color with a small off-white head. Citric hops and bit of caramel malt in the nose. Flavors start with a bit of malt and brown sugar. Middle has some pine and grapefruit. A touch earthy. Finish and linger are earthy and slightly bitter.

Draft at S.D. location. Clear copper color with an average frothy white head that mostly lasted with fair lacing. Moderate sweet citrus aroma. Medium body with a slick texture. Medium bitter sweet flavor with a moderate bitter finish of average duration. This was the standout brew of the beers tasted.

Draught sample at the St Louis Park MN location, RBSG Minneapolis weekend, June 23 2007. Light, clear amber with just a bit of foam and faint lacing....fresh, clean, simple citrusy aroma, just a touch buttery but all right....bitter, light brown-sugary up front, but the light malts don’t support the hops and at the end it’s just dry, bitter, and papery.

Sampled at the Cedar Rapids location. Traces of a thin head with a light amber colored body. The aroma is light citrus and hay. The taste is smooth grapefruit and light oak. This is a decent version of an English style IPA.