Rock Bottom Chicago Chicagos Finest IPA

Damn good IPA. golden orange, very cloudy, no sediment, fluffy white head, very creamy. Nose is mad grapefruit rinds and some caramel hints. Taste is a beautiful explosion of grapefruit, lime, orange, and toffee. Wel balanced, not overly bitter. Solid. One of the best IPA’s Ive had in a while.

Draught, October 2005: golden orange body with a fluffy ivory head. Aromatic grapefruit rinds, and other bitter citrus notes dominate the nose. Full mouth feel with the bitterness clinging to the sides of the mouth and the orange zest wrapping the tongue. Hints of caramel sweetened grain come in at the finish and though the after taste is dominated by grapefruit and hop resin, some of the malts and grains do come through. Not quite as good as the Goose Island version if you are looking for a Chicago-made IPA, but tasty and drinkable.

Sample at the brewpub. Hazy still medium amber with a bit of lasting creamy head, nearly opaque...gorgeous sweet vanilla-almond notes underpin sharp citrusy (Cascades, again?) nose...highly quaffable body could be a little sharper though the softness makes it an easy gulp...bitterness grows late, acerbic dry grassiness and citrus keep it humming. Quite nice; I generally like my IPAs more pungent and earthy, but this is a good example of the more straightforwardly bitter/citrusy variety.

Chicago location. The beer pours to a nice, glowing gold body with a nice white head. The aroma has Cascade hops, citrus, grapefruit, limes, oranges. The flavor is very smooth. Oranges, grapefruit, limes. Not assaultingly bitter. Well-balanced. Tastes awesome. Smooth refreshing medium bodied beer. This is a good IPA.

Hazy, golden body with a frothy, white head. The nose is quite hoppy and definitely fruity, with some sweet caramel undertones. Grapefruit and oranges are the dominate hop elements, with bits of pine poking through from time to time. The body is fairly full and definitely satisfying, fairly carbonated, without being too prickly or unpleasant. Initially, the tongue is inundated with fruit juice, mostly orange, but definite grapefruit to keep bitter, before sweet caramel and an onslaught of hoppy bitterness. Some grainy cereals appear from time to time as well. The finish is long and bitter, with fresh hop bitterness riding out to the very end. Not a bad interpretation, though not the best.

Clear, opulent yellow gold in color with an icy white sheen for the head. Aroma is subdued. Hop pellets, pine needles, spray starch and some honey, which divulges another layer of nuances. Incredibly balanced with nice malt sweetening. It’s not very aggressive, for better or worse, so have your cake and eat it too. Honey bread, lemon grass and piney hops give it a real forest sense, and all the while, it’s matched equivocally with caramel, toffee and nectar. Good take on the popular style. Nice lingering, bitter-sweet end.