Pelican India Pelican Ale

Brewed by Pelican Pub & Brewery
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Pacific City, Oregon USA

From a 22 oz. brown bomber bottle with a blurb on the back, no bottled/freshness date. Made a very good appearance, poured a cloudy reddish copper orange with a fluffy white head that settled into a thin lacing, minimal amount of sticking, good carbonation. Had a tasty nose of caramel malts and citric zesty, spicy and floral hops. A crisp, nicely hop textured and smooth medium bodied mouth feel, easy AIPA drinkability. Delicious tasting, citric zesty and spicy, a pronounced, but rolling hop bitterness on the tongue, not a coarse taste killer, but slightly numbing, a struggling caramel maltiness that stays just below the hops, and a dry hop resinous and caramel malty finish with a citric leafiness lingering in the palate. One of the best AIPA I’ve had the pleasure to sample, easy to see why this is a award winner, if you’re a fan of IPA’s, then this is a must try.

Bottle Pours a hazy light golden orange witha large dense beige head. Lots of clinging lacing. Very sharp up front pine like hop aroma. Flavorsa were not as hoppy as I expected but apropriate for the style. Not much of a malt backbone but a nice flavor overall. Palate was rich and smooth and there was a quite sharp bitterness at the end.

On tap at Henry’s Tavern in Portland. Classic clear amber with a medium off-white head. Really nice cascade aroma. Flavor is straight-on pine, grapefruit and citrus. Pleasant sweetness, lingering bitter grapefruit rind finish. Kind of one dimensional towards the hops but that’s not necessarily a bad thing to me. Could use more malt character though. Medium to slightly thin bodied and subtle carbonation. Lacing hangs on the glass in sheets, good head retention. I’d like to re-rate this one from the bottle next time.

Bottle courtesy of bitbucket (thanks Bob!). Pours a clear dirty orange with a thick, foamy head that leaves nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of bitter and slightly piney hops, wheat cracker malt. Flavor of quite bitter hops and nice crackery malt. Pretty intense but pretty tasty too! Even with the super strong hops, this somehow balances out. Good IPA, nearly double IPA.

On tap as part of the sampler tray at the Brewery. A really fantastic west coast IPA. Awesome chewy cascade flavor and an in-your-face aroma that draws the drinker right into the glass. I’m really enjoying how incredibly fresh these IPAs are during my visit.

22oz bottle. Pours a clear amber with a medium thick frothy off-white head. Perfumy slightly oxidized fruity hop aroma with light caramel. Flavor is chewy piney hops, sweet caramel, fairly full flavored, nothing special here. Medium bodied with a full fluffy carbonation. I’m sure this is probably much better from the pub.

Lots of orange/grapefruit herbal hop character in the aroma. Light malt sweetness, scrubbed away by a very nice citrus hop brillo pad. Well balanced. Very nice.

22 oz bottle. Not quite clear orange with a bit of lacy white head. Orange blossom and butterscotch. Creamy carb, candied orange peel, brown sugar. Mild pith bitterness. Fine stuff. Just on the sweet side but hops still shine.