Mad River Jamaica Sunset IPA

Brewed by Mad River Brewery
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Blue Lake, California USA

cloudy golden color with a rocky white head and... odd, black yeast chunks floating near the bottom. the nose is mostly sweet and flowery. there are some underlying notes of soap, spice and caramel but prior descriptor is the easiest. the palate is way too sweet for the lack of bitterness to balance out. it is very floral with a small amount of spice near the slightly dry and very mildly bittered finish. the medium body has a bit of grit from whatever is floating in it. 5/3/5/3/12/2.8

12 oz. single bottle from Total Wine here in Jacksonville, Florida. Not sure why they decide to use Jamaica for the name, considering this type of beer is not even close to anything that Red Stripe puts out. Nonetheless, beer pours gold with a light white head. Aroma is a bit hoppy and it has some very sharp sweet notes. Taste is almost all hops and a bit of sweet caramel and the finish is very nice. A hidden gem of an IPA.

A big and delectable aroma greets the nose. It is sweet fruit and honey. Later some must and caramel notes are picked up. Color is caramel with an off white blotchy head. A substantial feel is thicker than most IPAs. The flavor is complex hops and caramel that almost balances. Hops are floral, sweet citrus fruit, and faint pine. Nice! This is a fine IPA and is quite unique. It isn’t that far from being world class.

Pours gold with a rocky white head. Smells caramelly and peppery. Tastes resiny and astringent with a sweet messy finish.

Pretty reddish color, and cloudy. Modest aroma, but nice spicy hop flavor with decent bitter aftertaste.

I’ve been a fan of Mad River’s beers for a few years now. Each beer I’ve enjoyed from them seem to be either pushing the envelope a bit or hitting the style perfectly. This beer was, unfortunately, an exception to their sterling reputation with me. What I got was an orangey, wet paper flavored beer low on hops, and full of unneccesary sweetness for an IPA.

The beer pours out a light orange/gold color with an, at first, 1/2 inch off-white head but dissipated very, very quickly. I noticed tiny specks of floaties in suspension thru the slight haze of the beer. The aroma of the beer smacked of old orange juice and wet paper. Not what I’m looking for in an IPA. With a bit of a hestitation, I went ahead and took a swig. Sweet malts, undefined. A touch of bitterness but again...just undefineable. More like a pale ale, than an IPA. The sweet/bitter combo seems out of whack. Nothing awful about it, just really poor for the style.

Very nice beer. Pours a cloudy orange/amber color with a soapy white head. Aroma of citrus, pine and hops. Smooth with grapefruit, pine and a slightly bitter hop ending. Enjoyable.

12oz bottle from BevMo! Mission Valley. Pours a hazed burnt orange color with a 2 finger off white head. Nose was light on the hops, more on the earthy, sweet malt side. finish was a kind of funky bitterness. Not the best IPA.