Brutal IPA

Brewery: Rogue

Type: IPA

Alcohol: 6.5%

Country: USA

Missed this one at the Odense Pale Ale Festival. Saw it today on the board and had to have it. Was a beautiful day, and while I like a nice light pale ale or tropical IPA just like anyone else, sometimes I just like to be in the sushine with a glass full of mouth wrecking bitterness.

Pours a cloudy light-ish orange color, big white head that sticks around a while but settles pretty quickly into a lace inducing film on top. Aroma is almost all hops, a lot of lemony citrus with a sweetness hiding far behind it. I was surprised by the taste. With a name like "brutal IPA" I expected this beer to go scorched earth on my tastebuds. Instead the taste is super complex and balanced, even gasp…delicate. The taste is like the smell, all hops. Big citrus and lemonpeel hop taste. Malts take a total backseat here, providing only a little supporting sweetness that fades in and out with each sip. Like I said I was surprised this was not more bitter. don't get me wrong it is nice and bitter. Probably a little more then a normal IPA, but it is still not like a ruination ale or a palate wrecker. Nice refreshing mouthfeel, decently dry with a minimum of carbonation. Bracingly bitter but still refreshing, this would be my go to lazy summer afternoon beer, if I could get it in steady supply.