Grumpy Troll Belgian IPA

Brewed by Grumpy Troll Brewery, Restaurant and Pizzeria
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Mount Horeb, Wisconsin USA

22oz bottle. 9.4% ABV. Purchased a couple weeks ago at a liquor store in Mt Horeb, no idea how old the bottle is. Honey, candy, citrus in the nose with a white pepper spiciness. Hazy golden color with a smallish head. Flavors of light fruits (pear), orange peel, black pepper and warming alcohol with a lingering bitterness at the end. I would not have guessed this beer is 9.4%. Very drinkable.

11/16/2007: Grumpy Troll Belgian-Style IPA is cloudy with a golden color and a frothy beige head. It has a malty nose with pear, apple, and caramel in the flavor. It has a slightly spicy hop finish. The Belgian part of this beer is fine, but I would have liked to see just a bit more hoppiness to it...

Sample (draught) at the Grumpy Troll Brewery, Restaurant and Pizzeria in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin. Rating #12 for this beer.

On tap at the brewpub, and called BIPA, pours clear, has a floral hop aroma. It’s smooth, malty thick but not undrinkable, it’s a pretty good IPA. Still not my favorite GT selection, but I’d get it again.

As far as sweet IPAs are concerned this is very very nice. Never the less it’s a bit too sweet. Pours with a nice rocky head with some lace. Aroma is nice a little fruity and yeasty, some good hop character. I like the flavor but it is pretty sweet and pretty fruity. Tons of coconut and pineapple, some bubblegum, some very good citrus like hops. The pineapple seriously gets in the way of the bitterness though and leaves a little bit to be desired in the flavor department. Never the less the mouthfeel was just slightly sharp and largely full. Alcohol is well hidden.

Clear amber body. Spicy pear aroma and soft pale malt. The flavor really opens up into clean fruity esters. This is the main component over a caramelly base and a balancing hop bitterness. More of a Belgian hoppy amber but still very good.

On tap, visit over the holidays. I remember thinking while I was drinking/rating that this wasn’t the most memorable beer of the sampler and the few others I enjoyed, but it was clearly well crafted and enjoyable. The first impressions struck me as more ale-like then Belgian, with a grassy, hoppy, citrusy nose and first taste. Finish gets funkier with a bit of spice and orange zest. As a whole I perceived it more pale ale/ipaish than Belgian, but certainly it was enjoyable. I wouldn’t have guessed 9 ABV, felt more like 7. A solid beer.

Finally, a hopped up Belgian style beer that I liked. The body was medium gold. The character I think must come form the yeast. The aroma has lemon scented cleaner with a little pine, however, it is pleasing. There were also roses and a musky perfume. The taste was grapefruit with some dandelions. There was also a little bit of light bread crust.

Very pungent nose of dry, fruity, sugar-crystalline-coated hops. Pineapple is pungent up front, turning dry and fruity over the middle with a light spicy kick, before mellowing out into a smooth, sweet hop juice. Crisp, tangy and peppery at times, even. Very good.