Sonoran Victorian IPA

Brewed by Sonoran Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Phoenix, Arizona USA

Bomber. Pours a clear, dark, bronzed orange-amber hue with a small but tight head of beige tinted foam. Settling quickly to a bubbly film, the head leaves dense, sticky, homeycomb lacing on the glass. Aromas seem a little muddled, showing a dull, sweet, biscuity malt base with hint of butter and caramelized cereal grain. A light dosing of hops comes across floral and somewhat earthy, with smatterings of peppery spice and citrus. Flavors too show malt heavy, with the sweetness of the biscuit and buttery toffee-caramel exceeding the countering peppery, citrus blossom hop notes. The palate seems bulky and tedious, laden with unnecessary sugars and lacking the crisp, bitter, alpha acid finish that a good IPA should possess. It’s drinkable, but I’m far from impressed.

Bottle; pours a rich, darker orange color with a medium sized, firm, off white head. Aroma of toasted malt, bread, citrus, earth, vegetables and grass. I enjoyed the flavor much more than I had expected. Definitely more English style with a solid balance. Caramel and bready, gives way to fruity and earthy hops in the finish. Full. Mild, but tasty. Sessionable brew.

Bottle from sparky27 in the Mystery Swap v4.0. Pours a just hazy orange with a small white head. Big clean citrus, earthy vanilla and caramel. Very sweet, odd candied orange flavor. Finishes with more sweetness, light grapefruit. Went downhill quickly.

Bottle. Aroma of toasty, caramel malt with some berries and bitter-fruity hops. Flavor juicy with the berries and orange-red fruit notes with a good dose of bitterness and a great deal of toffee-caramel malt. Seems like it’s what they’re going for, though the hop character isn’t too exciting and the high levels of bitterness seem to override and intricacies the malt may possess. Alright.

Bottle thanks to Sparky27. Pours a slightly cloudy light brown with a small white head. Aroma of floral hops, caramel malt, toasted malt. Flavor of plenty of caramel and toasted malts, some light fruity notes, and floral hops. Overall it was ok but a little too malty for an IPA (even an English IPA). 7/4/7/4/13 [3.5/5]

Clear amber color/ white head. Floral leafy hop aromas. medium body. Mild floral citrus hop flavors on a lightly sweet caramel and stale cardboard malt base.

Outstanding tangerine nose with associated orange and lemon notes. Clear orange, medium yellow head, great lacing. Grapefruit and tea flavor. Grapefruit peel finish. Mouthfeel is a bit on the thin side. Really a wonderful American style IPA, despite the Union Jack on the label. One major flaw: sold in small bottles (22 oz.) I want this by the growler! Thanks, Bockhorsey!

22oz bottle. Murky dark golden with a small head. Super wheaty, soapy, and smells like ass. Whoa, tartness...something is off here. Will need to re-visit.