Olde Hickory Export IPA

Brewed by Olde Hickory Brewery
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Hickory, North Carolina USA

Date: February 07, 2009
Mode: Draft
Source: Taproom
Appearance: clear dark amber, big creamy beige head, heavy lace
Aroma: light sweet malt aroma with soft floral hops
Flavor: big bitter hop flavor, rich caramel malt for balance stays pretty dry, nice toasted character, long bitter finish
Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3/5.0
Drinkability: 6/10
Score: *4

On tap. Pours a hazy red with a commendable head formation. The aroma is very woody, certainly British leaning. I get token hints at apples and bread. This is bitter enough, but pretty mild for an IPA. Suggestions of pennies and bread are here. I like the dry finish and adequate hop character. It isn’t bad.

Draught at Union Jack’s. Pours reddish copper with tight beige head. The aroma is spicy and earthy hops, light toffee, some interesting floral notes, and a hint of melon. The flavor is mild cotton candy sweetness and obvious crystal malts. Hops are kind of in the background, but there is some disembodied bitterness throughout the mouth. The finish is melon, cherry, wood, and faint bitterness. The aftertaste is earthy. It’s an allright IPA of the English persuasion.

On tap at Union Jack’s. Creamy thin tan head, dark reddish copper color. Aroma is malty, sweet caramel and butterscotch with a light pine hop aroma. Taste is very sweet, caramels, then light, drying grassy hop bitter finish.

Coper or bronze, and just a wee bit cloudy. Faint but nice aroma of pine, sprue and and caramel. Clean and crisp, with a nice fruity, grapey note at first, then dry, bitter hop finish. Tends to lean toward a more understated English style of IPA. Tap at Union Jack’s Knoxville.