Skagit River Scullers IPA

Brewed by Skagit River Brewing Co.
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Mount Vernon, Washington USA

Bottle: Clear copper with a frothy, tan head. It displays a grassy hop and alcohol aroma. It shos off a thick, bitter taste which leaves a great aftertaste to chew on as well. The feel is full - thick and creamy. Not phenomenal, but pretty good.

its not how bitter you make it, but how you make it bitter. harsh, dried grapefruit rind. aroma a less aggressive mix of sugar, hops & resin. slightly cloudy medium amber. moderate head. has a good weight to it. bitter through the finish. my tongue surrenders.

WA Cask Beer Fest ’06. Pours orange with a white head. Citrus aroma and some grassy tones. Pine finish for sure.

22 oz bomber courtesy of Degarth. Pours slightly hazy copper in color with a quarter inch off white head that stayed around to the finish. Nice lacing. First impression is that this smells like a Pale Ale with sweetness from the malts and a light pine hoppiness. The flavor however is all IPA with up front pine hoppiness that isn’t too bitter. Seems to be some late addition hops to create a bit of hop flavor along with the stronger hop bitterness. The bitterness does build by the midway point along with some sweet pale malts near the finish.

Bomber, shared with Solan. Courtesy of Joe at Julio’s Liquors, thanks a million man. Hazy orange pour, two-fingered off white head with creamy texture. This beer seemed to have all the balance, in the fore, of Green Flash’s IPA, without the actual taste and body living up to the hype created by the pour and the aroma. Aroma was big, chewy malts and punchy hop bitterness. Citric and fruity smells dominated the air surrounding the opening in my glass. Medium to light bodied, palate was a train wreck of flavors that had nowhere to hide. Flavor was malt at first, then all hoppy bitterness lasting well into the finish. Alcohol was deftly hidden, but I think it seemed that way because I couldn’t move past the penetration of the caustic hop oils. Close, but in the end a huge miss.

On tap at Peaks. This was a lot better than I expected. Not a lot of head. First sip greets you with a noseful of hoppiness that mellows out with a tasty carmel flavor with each passing gulp. Surprisingly mouthy. This one is long on the leaf and short on the stem. Thank goodness for growlers so I can keep going on on this one.

Poured a hazy orange-copper color with a small off-white head. A balanced mix of citrusy and floral hops with sweet caramel malt. Malty start to the flavor with a citrus middle and finish. Very long semi-dry big bitter finish. Medium bodied.

Amber. Frothy tan cap. Sharp, venomous, floral, citrus notes. Nice malt support in the flavor. Medium body, balanced. Easy drinking for what it is. Solid.