21 June 2008

Beer Review, Avery India Pale Ale

Avery India Pale Ale

Appearance: Pours into my pint glass with a dark orange body and a thin soapscum head that stick around for awhile. Moderate effervescence from the bottom of the glass. Very transparent, no yeast apparent. 4.0/5

Smell: Heavy floral hops, bitter and refreshing. Hints of pine needles. The scent is complex and inviting but not overpowering. Nothing spectacular here, but pretty much note-perfect for the nose of an IPA. 4.0/5

Taste: Strong hops at the front, slightly dry on the back of the tongue. Sweetness follows, notes of citrus (oranges) and a touch of odd maltiness way in the back... caramel? Strange, but something in the flavor is twigging that sense impression. The complexity is interesting but again subtle, and it gets mostly buried by the heavy hop presence in the front. Dryness also becomes more pronounced as the beer warms -- that's the overall impression I'm left with as the beer gets towards the bottom. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Moderate thickness, heavy carbonation, goes down clean. A bit thicker than your average IPA, good but nothing special. 3.5/5

Drinkability: This is a good IPA but not necessarily a great one. I'd take it above a lot of other beers of the style, but it's not a scratch on Sweetwater or Bridgeport, my two faves of that type. 3.5/5

Overall: 3.7/5

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