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Rick Franckhauser's picture

Hot Streak IPA

April, 2016
Judges Rating: 
89
Aroma: 
23 / 24
Appearance: 
6 / 6
Flavor: 
35 / 40
Mouthfeel: 
8 / 10
Overall Impression: 
17 / 20

This is what you want to experience when open an American IPA.  Supper fresh grapefruit, lemons and an underlying hint of pine aromatics. Some sweet malt makes its way through as the beer warmed up a little. Bright gold with a creamy, slightly off white foam beautifully laces the glass.  The grapefruit dominates the flavor but  some spicy hop elements appear as well. Decidedly bitter and pithy with a little toasty malt peaking through. Medium light body with high carbonation combines with the firm bitterness to provide a lingering tingle on the tongue – not astringent but rather aggressive. The bitterness overtakes all other aspects of the beer. While  the aroma is extremely inviting,  I would have liked a touch more malt to counter and provide a more palatable balance to the aggressive hops. I don’t necessarily think of this as a fault as much as a personal style preference. If you want a decidedly bitter IPA, this one is for you.