Red Car South Bay IPA

Brewed by Red Car Brewery & Restaurant
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Torrance, California USA

Draught. Pours cloudy amber with an average, frothy, white head, somewhat lasting with fair lacing. Aroma is average malt (cookie, grain), heavy hop (pine, spruce, citrus), average yeast (dough, leaves) with notes of pear, peach, and pineapple. Medium bodied, thick texture, average carbonation, and a bitter finish. Long duration, light sweetness, moderate acidity, and heavy bitterness. Chewy malt flavor with leafy hop and hop oil notes.

First of all, I shall assume this beer also goes by the name, "Red Car IPA", which it was listed as on 6/30/09 at the brewpub. Served in the same chilled and ungainly goblet as the porter. I actually let this brew sit for 5-10 minutes before touching it, fearing my lips might get frozen to the rim of the glass. Appears hazy orange with a medium sized head. Aroma is faint for an IPA, but from what I could detect, it had nice juicy apricot, grapefruit and peach fruit. Flavor was rounded, fruity, but a little muted. Frustratingly, I couldn’t really tell if this was the fault of an overchilled glass (detracting ability to taste flavors) or just the beer itself. From what I could tell, this is a decent, strong, IPA with a full body.

My favorite Red Car brew, some nice grapefruit, Piney hops, but not overdone, plenty of malt character as well, easy drinking considering the Alc.%, didn’t know it until now, very nice drinker! on Tap at brewery.

From a growler purchased today at the brewery. Appearance is amber and very hazy. Small off white head around top of glass. Aroma has a little pine, spicy hoparoam with a little grapefruit in there. Not overpowering but a good hop aroma. Flavor is of pine hops, firmly bitterd, and a good malt profile that comes through. A little sweet, and some toasty flavors coming through on the finish. This beer is full bodied but very drinkable. Very balanced for an IPA. Not too over the top.

Draught at the pub. 03/08. Copper amber foamy lacing off white head. Resinous dry fruity aroma, taste a bit off seems unbalanced with a front of dry malt and the hops are just dry astringently bitter. Drinkable, but blah.

Draft, consumed at brewery on 01/07/08. Brassy hued pour with nice frothy head that lasted a while. Aromas is hoppy resin/grapefruit. Grapefruit hop flavor hits first, then some carbonation astringency. A sweet malt flavor slides in near the end and some lingering bitterness finishes things up. Well made.

Tap @ Brewpub: Dark bronze, nice head and thin lacing. Nose of grass, pine and grapefruit, sweet pale malt with a fair amount of caramel. The flavor is balanced, nice hoppiness. Finishes piney with a nice hop finish. Strong alcohol and a nice hop usage. I can drink this.

First impression - kinda cloudy for an IPA (probably chill haze). Bouquet was faint, bitter but without good mouthfeel