Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA (USA) (Bottle)

Brewed by Belhaven (Greene King)
Style: American Pale Ale
Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland

Pours a rich dark gold with a big white small beaded head. Nose is a nice mix of cedar and fresh cut grass, with a little bit of pizza dough sweet yeast scent in the back. Flavours are quite clean and is somewhat more aggressive than the usual british ipa. Certainly a mix of U.K. and what is going on in the States. Good flavour all round. Well balanced with Hops in the forefront above stable semi sweet malts. Hard to find any real faults in this unassuming beer.

Brown bottle. 500ml. Pours clear amber gold with thick bright white cape. Decent lacing. Clean and refreshing aroma of cascade hops, rich malt beneath. Quiet bitter front, blend of aromatic and green hops, malts here were subdued. Fairly short for such intense (flavorful) ale. Starts great just somewhat it looses it way along the path.

(Bottle, Stockholm Beer Festival, 30 Sep) Amber colour with off-white head. Fruity nose with citrus (grapefruit, orange) and notes of nuts and fudge. Fruity taste with distinct flavours of citrussy hops and notes of grapefruit and oranges. More American than Scottish in style. Very nice.

Draft. Murky light brown color. Fruity and slightly plastic flavor. Watermelon, tobacco and plastic flavors.

[Bottled at Stockholm Beer Festival] Clear amber, rich brief head. Strong fruity perfumy hop aroma. Medium sweet and fairly light bodied. There’s some caramel and bread, but it’s dominated by peachy hops. Medium bitterness. Un-scottish.

500ml bottle: Pours a clear amber-gold ale in my glass...wonderful 2 finger rocky cap that lasts and laces. Aroma is Pacific NW all the way with the Cascades giving the floral grapefuit tones and the challengers with the fresh pine notes..all this over some substantial bready malt sweetness. Chewy Maris malts meet up with juicy grapefruit -pine hops from the get go and the hops slowly gain power over the mid palate...finishes wet and lightly bittering with a metallic aftertaste that battles a malty biscuit aftertaste. This is a good rendition of an American Pacific north west APA and fanciers of that style will like it. Ample out front NW hopping, sturdy malts and a satisfying 6.1%ABV ...very drinkable and satisfying.

Full west coast hops aroma, light copper, pours a rocky, two fingered cream head, leaving very pretty lace. Flavour of oranges, red grapefruit from those hops, some fine malt backing up this offering. Nice throat-burning sensation from the hops, great bitterness, well balanced. Great!

Bottle- Aromas of floral cascade, perfumey hops, pine, and citric rinds. Pours a deep amber,with a solid white , two finger cap, with pretty lace. Tastes pretty piney, bitter, lemon zest, bready matls towards the end, and the challenger really give the cascade a go. This could be the first UK IPA that I actually really like. The UK, and an IPA?? Who knew?