 kepano (239), Meudon, France
Mar 11, 2008 Updated: Mar 12, 2008
Between sips of America’s Hall of Fame, I had to give my local brewers some palate-time. Enter Bristol’s Edge City series, an appreciated project riding shotgun to some of my standby local brews (I’d tip my hat to the Winter Warlock any day). This IPA pours an attractive Charentais melon hue, deeply translucid, like stained glass and topped of a nice white froth. Hops are obviously at the forefront, juicy and fruity – distinctly American. Grapefruit, pineapple, tangerine and hints of pine share the stage. Caramel and acacia honey lend offsetting malts. Hints of cedar, plum and lemon custard round the complexity of this jubilant nose. The flavor, surprisingly, is quite mild. A soft echo of honey constitutes the primary focus with subtle tonalities ringing erratically. Initial accents of spruce needles and cedar bark transition to a biscuity, burnt apricot mid-palate and finish with peach and pineapple. A sugary aspect competes with a hint of cheesy (Gouda-like) hop, but the excitement remains in this brew’s aroma. "Nice" is such an insipid adjective, but unfortunately Bristol’s Edge City IPA is just that: a nice beer. Not particularly exciting but eminently drinkable, with a tasty hop profile and a mild but genuine bitterness. (19/03/2007)
msante79 (578), Orland Hills, Illinois, USA
Jun 28, 2009 Bomber. Pours copper with white head. Aroma is caramel malt, light hops and citrus. Flavor is caramel malt and faint hops and light citrus. Much better if you let it warm up a bit. This might me an old bottle as I am not getting an fresh hoppiness or big citrus flavor. It was in the cooler section so who knows. All this is now is a malty pale ale.
VitaminR (376), Colorado, USA
Jun 26, 2009 Citrusy pine nose, some floral notes. Cloudy dark amber with a small head. Slight toffee sweetness with a grassy bitter bite. Light carbonation, medium body, minty hoppy deep finish. Almost seems like a "real" ale without the freshness? Not a top choice, decent, but there are way too many IPAs out there to try that are much better, even the lesser ones.
theisti (1445), Leawood, Kansas, USA
May 26, 2009 12 oz bottle (labeled as Compass IPA), purchased at the liquor store next to the Safeway in Fountain, Colorado. This appeared to be best beer available at the shop, so I gave it a try. Pour is mostly clear copper orange with nice settling and a 1 1/2 inch white head. Nice splotchy lacing as the beer falls. Aroma of dank citrus and pine hops initially, quickly followed by nice toasted biscuit maltiness behind that. Nice balanced and fresh nose. Taste is fresh, dank, citrus orange, bright pine hoppiness balanced with the toasted biscuit malt. Nice balance between the sweet and the bitter. Palate is medium thin, medium carbonation - really drinkable.
CaryTheDude (1075), Longmont, Colorado, USA
May 2, 2009 Crushed at the Pumphouse Spring Beer Festival. Decent IPA. Some good bitter hops combined with some poopy malt in nose and flavor. Drinkable.
glennmastrange (687), hobe sound, Florida, USA
Apr 25, 2009 Bottle. Roasted note for the malt, pine for the hops, a hint of dough for the yeast, with a background note of apricot. Head is small, fizzy, slightly off-white, with good lacing and is mostly diminishing. Color is clear, dark amber. Flavor starts moderately acidic and finishes lightly acidic and moderately to heavily bitter. Palate is medium, watery, with a lively carbonation and finishes moderately astringent and dry. An okay IPA, but missing a few things I like in the style.
jbye4334 (313), Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA
Apr 3, 2009 (on tap at bristol). Pours a copper color. White head, with medium to heavy lacing. Has a citrus aroma, with a hoppy citrus taste. Finish is smooth, with citrus flavor that lasts. Very soft carbonation.
rustychiles (864), Mesa, Arizona, USA
Jan 15, 2009 Bottle courtesy of Santa!
Pours a nice copper color with a small white head. Aroma of hops, citrus, pine, malt. Flavor is pine, caramel, malt, oily resiny hops, grapefruit. Nice sweet yet bitter balance. Pretty nice IPA.
BlackForestCO (802), Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
Dec 28, 2008 Updated: Feb 18, 2009Tap. Poured a clear copper-orange color with a moderate off-white head that faded to a soapy layer and left some nice rings of lacing. Aroma of bright citrus, such as orange and tangerine, some leafy hops, and a bit of pine. Smooth, lightly tart entry with a faint hint of toasted caramel and a nice fruitiness including orange, grapefruit, tangerine and apricot that transitions into an earthy leafiness with some soft hints of pine and a bit of tart fruitiness on the finish. Moderate carbonation and nice mouthfeel. Overall, an underrated IPA. I was pleasantly surprised.
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