Iron Hill India Pale Ale

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

Draft at Newark. Copper/orange pour, dry appearance. Creamy off-white head is well retained, eventually leaving thick circular lacing. Aroma is moderately hoppy, earthy and citric. Notes of grapefruit and orange, flowers and moss, carmel malt as well are all soft and impart a feeling of general balance in the nose, incredibly appetizing. Flavor is much the same. The hoppiness is fresh and citric, with grassy and mossy touches rather than a harsh acidic bite. Lightly toasted malt provides a sturdy backbone and keeps the flavor moderately balanced. Finishes biting and somewhat astringent, leaving behing drying hop resins. I enjoyed the English/American crossover blend here. Solid, if not rudimentary.

This was an extremely poor IPA. Extremely bitter, too much so. However, there is a sort of heavy sweetness to the beer that, combined with the unbalanced hop presence, makes it thoroughly unenjoyable. The hops have an unbalanced flavour, a little bit of the caraway presence and a sort of planty taste. If you subtract away the hops, the remaining flavour is unpleasant, reminiscent of malt liquor. This one is to be avoided. I continue to be unimpressed with Iron Hill’s offerings.

Draft at North Wales. Named "Hopzilla" on board. Clear amber body with thin crown. Head faded quickly. Very hoppy aroma - cascades, light grass. Flavor had a light citrus taste, mildly carbonated, slightly sweet. Mild taste, seemed too light for the style. Tangy aftertaste - light bitterness. Smooth and drinkable. Dry aftertaste with a light metalic taste.

North Wales location. On draft. Pours cloudy light amber with a average size creamy white head. Aroma of pine and floral hops, as well as caramel. The flavor is bitter and pine upfront, and finishes with a caramel maltiness. Good brew.

On tap at the North Wales location on cask. Pours a lightly hazy golden orange with a medium bubbly off white head that left some lacing. Aroma of citrus, floral and some caramel malt. Flavors of the same orage and light pine. Caramel malt and a lingering hop bitterness. Paired nicely with the spicy steak fajita wrap I had for dinner.

Amber, creamy white head. Good hoppy nose of pine, citrus, florals, and touches of caramel. Well bittered flavors throughout of earthy citrus. One sided hops all the way. Medium bodied, light carbonation, bitter finish. Solid IPA...

Poured an amber orange color with an initial head that was average, but which turned quickly to NOTHING. Hoppy aroma, not much else was detectable. Hops (more floral than piney) were present in the flavor, beginning through to the end. Malty background (light), with some bready / musty touches to the finish. Just another average IPA in my book. Re-rate, 1/08, draft at Newark location: Some saaz hops, some citrus, strong bitter noble hops with some toffee in there. Strong traditional IPA appearance. An ok IPA, nothing to write home about though.

Newark- Poured a clean orange body with a small white head. Nice orange/grapefruit nose. The flavor is a lot of sweet fruit, clementines, grapefruit, some berries and a solid malt backbone. Not over the top, but a very good IPA.