Iron Hill American IPA

Brewed by Iron Hill Newark
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Newark, Delaware USA

On tap at the Phoenixville location. On cask. Poured a medium and hazy amber color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of citrus (oranges), pine and caramel. Some ’green leafiness’ as well. Tastes of oranges, caramel, and light pine. Nice and balanced. Nice.

My Bottom Line:
The slick union of caramel malts and leafy, citrusy hoppiness in this American-style IPA promotes balance within intensity, something we don’t see often enough, imho.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A slice of foam decorates the clear orangey amber.
-This IPA is evenly hopped throughout creating interest from aroma to finish.
-This finishing hop bitterness is resinous and leafy, firm and moderately lengthy.
-This is a very good example of the style, yet it will be hard to remember as it did not carry any distinguishing personality.

On tap at the Wilmington brewpub.

Cask at P-ville. Hazy deep golden straw color with frothy white head. Aroma is tropical fruit, hops, citrus, caramel malt. Tastes hoppy with a well balanced and multi-layered fruit/citrus presence, plus a solid malt base. The assertive hops never overtake the malt or the fruit here, and the fact that it is on cask here translates to a superior smoothness and complexity. Outstanding.

[Cask] Poured a hazy amber color with a small, off white head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of floral hops, pine, citrus fruits, light toffee and toast. Taste of citrus fruits, light caramel, pine, more resin, and a bitter grapefruit finish. Nicer than the regular English IPA.

On tap at Pville location. Pours a mostly translucent golden amber with a creamy/bubbly lightly lacing off white head. Aroma of fresh American hop pellets, mixed citrus, a touch of pine and caramel. Flavor of up front American hop resin, pine, mixed citrus and some toasted/caramel malt. Hop bitterness on the low end for the style...but still a dry well done IPA.

Draught at Phoenixville (seconds after tapping): Aroma of grapefruit, pine, and light grass. Poured pale yellow in color with a small white head that lasted around the edges. Clear. Sparkling. Good lacing. Flavor is lightly sweet and light to medium bitter. Tastes of grapefruit, pine, light pale malts, and hops. Medium body. Chalky, dry texture. Average carbonation. Dry, hop, grapefruit, and pine finish. Similar to Legacy Hoptimus Prime.

Poured a hazy pale to amber color at the Newark location, decent IPA-typical head. The aroma was light resinous notes, some citrus, firm spicey and grassy hops. The flavor followed suite, moderately bodied, but the hops and bitterness were the story here. An uneventful, but decent IPA.

Draught at the new Maple Shade location. Poured a pale golden. Bone-dry, heavily -hopped nose and body with a nice resiny grit. Definitely dry-hopped. Citrus and toast, leafy greens, smooth and complex. A little alcohol showing, a little soapy, medium body, very nice, might session with this if it were a bit weaker.