A patchy, sticky head lets you know that you're looking at an IPA, and the lacing will let you know even after the beer has gone away. The color of the beer is also classic IPA - a very murky gold-tinted brown. The aroma sure enough keeps the idea of an IPA going with citrus hops that have just a bit of floral to them. <insert comment about really wanting to drink it based on these attributes>First sip is definitely more characterful than a run-of-the-mill IPA. It is very bitter, as you might expect, but it is filled with untamed grains and grasses in the middle, and they kind of push everything else aside. The hops are trying to get through with actual taste, but the most they can afford is a floral puff. Instead, the coarse nature of the grains kind of grates on the mouth as it goes along. Not a sipping beer. Is it a gulping beer?
Tip-in is light grains, slight bitterness, and significant carbonation burn (so far, not good). The middle tumbles in with a very coarse mix of grains, floral hops, bitterness, carbonation burn, wheat, rye, and some stale bread crust. The finish doesn't help things as the bitterness becomes louder and more intrusive only to be joined by a kind of snap of tartness on the tip of the tongue with a musty trail-off.
Bottom Line: Few are the IPAs I really don't like, but this is among them.
1.25/5
