Oaken Barrel Superfly I.P.A.

Brewed by Oaken Barrel Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Greenwood, Indiana USA

Grabbed a growler of this last night while visiting my baby’s parents in Indy. Cracked it open with her stepdad while enjoying the Reds/Indians game today. This brew pours a sparkling medium copper with amber highlights. The tall off-white tight creamy head has good lacing and is average in duration. The blunt no-nonsense nose is spruce, pineapple, resin, dried fruit, citrus, and flowers. The brew starts burnt and spicy with loads of hops. The moderate citrus acidity blends with the alcohol sweetness in the middle to provide good balance. The long floral/resinous finish has very good bitterness. The medium to heavy lively body is smooth & creamy. The finish feels astringent. This is a big brew with excellent balance and stellar complexity. Very refreshing and highly recommended. I look forward to trying more from Oaken Barrel Brewing.

Draft at brewpub. Pours an amber color with a medium sized beige that faded quickly and left amazing glass lacing. Aroma was difficult to gather, but it makes me think of very fresh "green" hops. Flavor has a light hop bittnerness (70 IBUs I think) smooth long lasting dry hop finish, flavor really stick with you. Thin lightly carbonated mouthfeel. Not bad,

Tap at the brewpub. Hazy orangish red appearance. Nose is fresh hops, some pine and citrus...very inviting. Taste is enjoyably smooth for such a hopped up IPA. Good citrus, pine hop flavor. Easy to drink yet very bitter (in a good way) due to the massive amount of hops. I’d almost put this in the DIPA category, if it weren’t for the 7.5ABV. This is one of the best little known secrets in indy.

Thursday night gowler. Pours an orange copper with a 2 finger off white half lasting head, which left some good lacing. Light aroma of tempting spicy and grassy hops. Flavor starts malt sweet then balances with hops that was in the aroma and the 100 IBUs kick in for that bitter dry long finish. Nice big body, lively carb, wet texture, and dry feel to this IPA.

After a while, IPAs can seem to all be the same. I’m glad I came across Superfly, because it changed that perception for me. The brewer uses multiple hop strains with each addition and it shows. The brew has a bursting bouquet in the aroma, as well as a good amount of citrus. The body is dry hopped goodness, that isn’t overly bittering. The slightly sweet malt backbone gives this IPA depth and takes it to that next level. A great example of the style.

Complex IPA, not the cookie-cutter variety. Solidly amber, with citrus/floral/spicy hop aroma- several varieties I suspect. Firm caramel malt base with some sweetness provides a good canvas for the assertive hopping, in both bitterness and flavor. Maltier than most IPAs, a good thing. This is a unique India, one of their best efforts.

This is the beer that I drink most often when at the Oaken Barrel Pub. Nice grassy aroma. Great mouthfeel. Well balanced between the malt and the hops. This brew goes especially well with the ribs they serve.

Draft at brewpub. Poured a deep amber color with a moderate white head that lasted and produced good lacing. Heavy hoppy citrus aroma. Medium body. Moderate well balanced hoppy bitter flavor with a long bitter finish. Best of the brews I tried.