The Hook Grapefruit Session IPA

Specialty IPA | Seasonal | United States

By Josh Weikert

Judges Rating: 80
Aroma: 20
Appearance: 5
Flavor: 30
Mouthfeel: 9
Overall Impression: 16

The Hook Grapefruit Session IPA by Starr Hill Brewery (BJCP Category 21B: Specialty IPA) shows promise, but seems to be showing some fragility in its flavor as oxidation takes a bit of a toll.
The beer pours brilliantly clear and surprisingly dark (light amber) for a session IPA, with very little off-white head.  The aroma carries a strong whiff of grapefruit (as we might expect) and a bit of low caramel and spicy hops aroma.  Unfortunately, it also conveys a moderate musty, stale oxidative character.  The flavor is dilute, but still pleasant, with moderate toast and medium bittering, but very little (bordering on none) hops flavor carrying it into a dry finish.  The body is light with moderate carbonation; the brewery describes this as “sessionable body,” and they’re not wrong, but with the flat/absent flavors it just seems watered down.  
There’s a distinct lack of hops character here, and I think it’s a fair assessment to say that a fresher sample would probably have fared better.  This score aside, I’ll still look for it on tap to see if it stands up better, because the bones seem solid!