Judge’s Review: 90 Rating – Perfect Match IPA by Fire Maker Brewing Co.

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By Rick Franckhauser

Judges Rating: 90
Aroma: 20
Appearance: 5
Flavor: 37
Mouthfeel: 10
Overall Impression: 18

Perfect Match IPA by Fire Maker Brewing Co. was judged as BJCP category 21A, American IPA.
Grapefruit jumps out of the glass, then the pine resin appears with a hint of sweet malt and a touch of caramel. All of this is reminiscent of an old-school American IPA. The hops are fresh and forward but still allow the malt to be noted. Clean fermentation. The beer is an orange gold with a little haze but nothing close to a NEIPA. Big frothy off-white head that drops out a little too quickly. The pine is more present in the flavor than what was noted in the aroma with the grapefruit coming across a little pithy. The balance is toward hop bitterness but there is substantial malt supporting it, leading to a medium-dry finish. There is a little light caramel malt coming through mid-palate. The malt is also noted in the aftertaste. Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation. A slight hop bite but not astringent. Some mouth-coating stickiness from the hop oils. 
Overall, Perfect Match is a very enjoyable old school mid-west American IPA. Nice citrus- and resin-forward IPA with substantial malt backbone and bitterness. I enjoy a good dry West Coast IPA as much as the next person, but living in the mid-west my first intro to American IPAs was right down this lane and I loved it. For me this is what I want in an American IPA.