Shipyard IPA

Brew: Shipyard IPA

Location: Portland, ME

First Impressions: The bottle looks interesting so I picked one of these up at the store and gave it a try without ever hearing about it. Therefore, I had no expectations or baised opinions on how this brew would turn out.

Aroma: A lighter IPA scent is given off which is not as hoppy as I hope. The brew smells sweet and citrusy with a fairly faint smell. 

Overall Taste: One might ask why a beer reviewer would take the time to smell a beer before he tastes it. Well ladies and gentlemen, a beer reviewer does this simply because a beer tastes exactly how it smells. For example, do you ever see anyone smell a glass of Milwaukee’s Best? My point exactly, smells like shit, tastes like shit.

Now back to the Shipyard IPA….It turned out to be sweeter than most IPA’s. In fact, I would go as far to almost consider this brew a Pale Ale. The brew started out with a fair amount of hoppiness, which quickly subsided and turned into a sweet, citrus finish. Overall, it was not what I expected from an IPA.

You might also like: Breckenridge’s Avalanche, Goose Island’s Honker’s Ale

Price: 9.99 – 6 pack

ABV: 5.8%

Grade: C

Sierra Nevada Torpedo

Brew: Sierra Nevada Torpedo

Location: Chico, CA

First Impressions: I’m a big fan of Sierra Nevada so my expectations for this brew are high. The bottle seems to fit well in my hand, but then again, most beer bottles do. Alright, enough bullshit, let’s crack this bad boy open and cut to the chase.

Aroma: Nice citrus aroma. Lots of pine and sticky flavors complement the bitterness. Very powerful scent which can be noticed from a few feet away. This should be a warning sign that this brew will be strong.

Overall Taste: Even though this brew is an IPA, it has a “knock-your-socks-off” kick. The first few seconds after drinking this brew are filled with a delectable after taste. Overall, this IPA tastes like wood, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

One negative thing about the Sierra Nevada Torpedo is that it had low drinkability. Yep, that’s right folks, don’t plan on getting drunk off a six pack of these, you’ll be lucky to finish two.

You might also like: Magic Hat’s Lucky Kat or Saranac’s IPA

Price: 7.99 – 6 pack

ABV: 7.2%

Grade: B

Bell’s Two Hearted Ale

Brew: Bell’s Two Hearted Ale

Location: Kalamazoo, MI

First Impressions: I was bewildered by the fact that there was a fish on the bottle. It kinda made me feel like going camping/fishing. The glass showed an golden-orange color with good carbonation.

Aroma: A sweet citrus smell filled the air. The scent was strong and delicious. If no one buys this brew from Bell’s they might as well make it into a frickin’ air freshener.

Overall Taste: I found this brew to be a lot like a one night stand. The beginning was easy to get into, the middle was exhilarating, and the end showed up way to quickly. Okay, maybe that’s not the best alliteration but you get the point. I give this brew two thumbs up.

The best part about this particular one is that the hops hit you right away and slowly fade away into a lasting finish. It’s smooth enough to where you can drink it quickly but you won’t want to with how good it tastes. I would have this brew anywhere, anytime.

You might also like: Lucky Kat by Magic Hat or The IPA by Flying Dog

Price: 9.99 – 6 pack

ABV: 7.1%

Grade: A-

Goose Island IPA

Brew: Goose Island IPA

Location: Chicago, IL

First Impressions: The bottle had an excellent design. Upon opening the bottle I poured a medium yellow brew with good carbonation and lacing.

Aroma: I smelled the typical IPA scent: hoppy and citrusy. There was also some pine but it was less noticeable.

Overall Taste: This is not your regular IPA. It is much less hoppy and more sweet than you would expect and I would go as far as to remove the “I” from this IPA and only call it a Pale Ale. I wouldn’t be surprised if Goose Island threw some sugar in there to try and spice up the flavor after they noticed their beer was for the most part uneventful.

Now that I have destroyed the brew, I have to rebuild some of it’s dignity by mentioning the good things. The taste stayed in your mouth for at least 10 minutes after drinking it. Quite Impressive. Also, the brew came through as crisp and slightly strong. In the end, if you’re looking for an IPA that you can down a 6 pack of in one night this is your brew.

You might also like: Stoudt’s American Pale Ale

Price: $7.99 – six pack

ABV: 5.9 %

Grade: B