The first tasting, Laurel IPA. The story behind this beer is an interesting one. It was first brewed at Triple Rock a few years ago and was inspired by a homebrew recipe. Now the homebrewer is a probrewer at Beachwood BBQ and Brewing. The two brewers got together and decided to re-brew the beer at their respective breweries and there is a twist, give the recipe out to homebrewers and have them brew it as well. The event was a few days before Christmas and was stellar. I had a great time, I met a lot of very cool homebrewers and Beachwood put on an amazing event.
Appearance:
A pale straw golden color. It is pretty clear, a slight cloudiness. It pours with a nice white head that fades to a ring around the glass and a couple of white islands floating on the surface.
Aroma:
The first aroma that comes through is a bitter grapefruit, the next thing is a soft tangerine aroma. Then comes the malt, it is very mild. It is almost not even there. It is there, but I can't put my finger on what exactly what it reminds me of. Also, a clean fruity yeast character is present.
Taste:
The malt comes through right up front, it is slightly sweet and fades very fast to the hops. The bold hop flavors come through as big pink grapefruit flavor. There is a slight earthy flavor with the hops as well. The bitterness is very firm. It is there, but is not harsh or soapy. The bitterness lingers like a if you just ate an orange rind. A very good beer.
Mouthfeel:
This beer has a great mouthfeel, it is full bodied and dry. This is exactly how I like my IPAs.
Overall:
This is a great recipe, the malt makes a great foundation and lets the hops play around on top. It is only 6.5% and is very drinkable. This beer is bittered with summit. I was worried the summit might be a bit harsh, but it is just right. The bitterness has this great profile that hits every part of your mouth and lingers the perfect amount. Overall a great beer and plan on using some summit for my other brews.
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