Olde Richmond Batch No. 11

8/17/2008: My wife took the first sip of Olde Richmond Batch No. 11 India Pale Ale and said that "it smells good" and tastes like citrus. A balanced aroma of brown sugar and toffee maltiness and lightly grassy and citrusy hops is a good start for this IPA. It has a shiny clear copper color, a moderate level of carbonation, and a frothy off-white head. There is a good level of sweet orange peel citrus hoppiness, a nice toffee maltiness, and a moderate level of bitterness. I really like the blend and balance of flavor, but the bitterness seems to be on the low side for an IPA. This beer has a nice medium-full body and a pleasing mouthfeel. More and more flavor and some additional bitterness come out as the beer warms. The hop flavor becomes more floral with a touch of orange and the maltiness presents as a lot of pale malt and strong like a Bock instead of being sugary. I think this is a very good, very sessionable IPA.

1 pint 6 fluid ounce bottle brought back from Virginia for me by my lovely wife. Thanks babe! Rating #72 for this beer...

Grassy hop aroma matches the flavor. Soft hop bitterness for an IPA. Golden color with little head.

650 ml. Clear burnt orange with a small but lasting creamy head. Aroma is initially banana nut bread, but is overtaken by light cinnamon, caramel and a hint of cabbage. Flavor starts as spicy banana nut bread, but after three gulps turns to peppery apple and toffee, becoming nicely bittered at the end with peppery wood tones. Big malt backing makes follow-on sips initially flavorful orange-grapefruit with honey, turning to resin and peppery wood. Great long finish of banana nut and peppery oak in perfect harmony. Light-medium body is extremely soft and smooth with a nice dry finish. Excellent balance in this unique and complex take on an IPA.

Bottle from Whole Foods Charlottesville. Orange pour with a medium head. Decent lacing. Sweet floral hop aroma. Earthy, slightly vegetal citrus hop taste with a nice sweet background. Full bodied.

Poured a clear golden with a fizzy white head. Crisp aroma of lemony citrus, a bit of grass and pine, some light biscuit dough. Taste is fairly hoppy and refreshing with lemon, pine, and grass rounding out the hop flavors with some slight biscuity malt and just a touch of butter taste, which thankfully does not interfere as much as it could. Although some IPA’s come across as somewhat heavier than session ales, this one maintains a crisp character with its lemony citrus hops and somewhat light body. While not the best brewed or most complex IPA I’ve enjoyed, it has some decent merit to it with its decent flavors and refreshing nature. Won’t write home about it, but will happily finish the bottle.