Moon River Swamp Fox IPA

Brewed by Moon River Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Savannah, Georgia USA

Slightly hazy light amber. The hop nose mixes marijuana and grapefruit. Creamy body is very bitter. Lots of woody, citrusy hop. Delicious. I wasn’t as impressed with the Triple-Hopped version that came out of the cask. That had an even creamier body that really just brought out too much sweetness; the nose also did not explode out of the glass as much. 7-3-6-3-13 = 3.2

draft sample at The 2009 Great Decatur Beer Festival on 10/17/09... deep golden color with a white head... big citrus hop nose... medium body... overall a really nice hop forward IPA... the hops really dominate the beer while the malts are lingering in the background... solid bitter IPA.

Draft pint at the brewpub; Dark golden with a subtle activity level. Well presented citric hop aroma ... can’t wait to dive in. It delivers ... citrus hop and a nice lingering floral bitterness. Nice IPA on the lighter side of the spectrum. (#2826, 4/25/2007)

Brilliant orange-amber body, no head. Aroma is all hops. Flavor has a good sweet base accentuated by a punch of citrus and piney hops. The dry bitterness lingers into the finish where a moderate alcohol warmth sets in. Tasty IPA.

A superb IPA! Thick head, deep copper coler, nice brussels lace, and (best of all) a wicked, in-your-face, bite o’ hops dryness. Back all this up with a firm 6.8% abv punch, and you’ve got a solid IPA here. Swamp Fox reminds me a lot of another great GA-bred IPA: Sweetwater IPA. Unfortunately, SF is only available on draft. If you’re ever in Savannah TRY THIS BEER!

This beer rocks! Crystal clear, deep golden ale with a small, creamy, white head. Decent retention and good lacing. The nose is of white pepper, pine sap, grapefruit and cotton candy. Well-balanced, sweet and malty flavor up front. Bitter, tart and citrusy on the backside. Medium-bodied with a creamy mouthfeel and lively carbonation. Short, tart, lightly bitter, astringent finish. World class brew!

On tap at the 2005 GCBC: Pours a clear deep golden color with a wispy-lacing white head. Aroma has lots of pine and lemony citrus hops with mild light caramel malt. Body starts lightly sweet and pale malty with a very nice, fresh hoppy balance. Finishes crisp, dry and bittersweet. A very nice IPA.

My Bottom Line:
A complex and fresh perfume of citrusy, wooden, and floral hoppiness carries through into the flavor profile in which smacking resins are balanced by honeyed grain. A clean, quenching, flavorful American IPA which deserves more props.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-Sumptuous foam rests atop the honeyed blond.
-Toasted maltiness is felt alongside its honeyed sweetness.
-Nose is very alluring and intense, yet when tasted these hops never get overbearing (which is great!).
-I have a feeling that some Moon River beers are quite underrated because they do not branch out into extremes, or outside stylistic guidelines for that matter. This was textbook American IPA goodness, and that should always be celebrated in my book.
-I was told this place’s beers have really picked up in the past two years, so maybe it’s time for a revisit, Ratebeerians? ;)

On tap at the brewpub.