Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA (USA) (Bottle)

Light brown and clear. Has a big, white head, mostly lasting. Floral notes in the aroma. Flavor starts medium bitter, finish is more heavy bitter. Palate is watery.

Picked up this pint in New Jersey. Pours a big creamy head on yellow. Lace in glass. Aroma is metallic, as if it was poured from a can. Taste is thin, creaminess and burnt. There is a moderate bitterness and a ignificant maltness overtaken by the burntness. This was not finishable.

I dont’ care for pale ales. Having said that, I would endorse this as one of the most drinkable pale ales you can find. Hat’s off, Belhaven.

[205-20070212] 500mL. Grainy yeast aroma with hoppy thistle sweetness, fruity spices and a hint of licorice. Clear, amber brown body with very tiny disappearing bubbles and a medium-lasting foamy off-white head. Flavour has malted wood overtones with a spicey background and a hoppy aftertaste. Medium body, tangy. Interesting blend of spice -- convincingly twisted and thistley.

I tend to like most IPA’s but I was really disappointed by this. Very grassy aroma to it. Reminds me of the smell of day old grass clippings. This brew is missing the strong hoppy bitterness iat the finish and is too dry for my tastes. It also has a bit of an alcohol bite to the flavor, I’m suprised it’s only at 6.1%.

Pours lightly hazy copper-orange with a one-finger white head. Herbal, grassy, and slightly piney hops dominate the aroma, but there is an underlying English malt sweetness. The flavor is a lot of the same, but the maltiness is somewhat harsh. The finish is fittingly bitter but fades away too soon. Worth a shot.

IPAs are low on my list for a beer and had I known this was one it would not have been ordered. However, this beer was found to be a quality offering. The tart hops (normally the turn off for me) are evident but don’t dominate nearly so much. Pine and some sweetness could be easily found but this is mostly dry beer.

smells like an ipa should-bitter!! color is normal. flavor is different than most ipas. good hops up front but not as bitter a finish as the usuals. thats usually a turn off but i knid of like the roasted finish this has. Good effort here.