New Albanian Elector Ale

Brewed by New Albanian Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
New Albany, Indiana USA

Date: 04/26/2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub

clear amber, scant beige head, light sweet caramel malt aroma with light floral hops, thin body, hot caramel malt flavor, mostly dry with some earthy hops balancing the alcohol, long bitter finish, the bitterness and the thin body is not a good combo, needs either more body or less betterness,

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 4/10; Overall: 10/20
Rating: 2.6/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: *4

Clear dark copper body, beige head. Aroma is medium sweet, grapefruit. Taste is medium sweet, grapefruit, light caramel. Soft light-medium body, low carbonation. No clubbing over the head with the bitterness, just straightforward enjoyable. Very drinkable.

(Draught) Pours an amber-cooper color with a medium-sized white head. Has a floral and hoppy aroma. Grapefruit and hops flavors with a nice smooth finish.

Growler acquired in trade with Sephiroth (thanks!). Poured a medium amber color with a smaller sized off white head. Aromas of citrus, green leaf hopiness, fruity and some caramel. I got some ice tea in there as well. Tastes were fruity with caramel, and some citrus. Light on the hopdog bitterness scale. Thinner body.

Draft at brewpub. Poured dark brown with an average fizzy white head that mostly diminished with fair lacing. Moderate toasted bread malt aroma. Medium body with a slick texture. Medium balanced sweet flavor with a medium sweet finish of moderate duration.

Sample at the brewpub. Dark maple...big malty nose...very sweet on the tongue with hints of lactic sourness...mapley and a bit woody...rather too sweet and with just a touch of piney hops towards the end; certainly closer to a restrained English IPA than an over-the-top American one, which I appreciate...but certainly not the best this fine brewer has to offer.

Draft at Fest: Deep amber with a small frothy head and some lace. The aroma has notes of caramel, plum, grapefruit, (light pine, grassy, and spicy) hops, and earthy yeast esters. The taste starts with a bitter piney and tart grapefruit nature. Chalky and roasty undertone to provide good balance. The feel is crsip and sharp with a light bite upon the finish. A quality brew with good depth, very quaffable. Almost an ESB style in character except for the pine.

This draft brew from the brewery poured a small sized head of foamy light brown colored fine to medium sized long lasting bubbles that left behind a softly carbonated transparent copper brown colored body and a good lacing. The aroma was mild with a malt hop red note to it and the mouth feel was initially mild with a tingle that strengthened in the finish. The flavor was smooth in character with a red malt flavor.