Catawba Valley Whiskey River IPA

Brewed by Catawba Valley Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Morganton, North Carolina USA

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

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On draught at Barleys Taproom. Pours a cloudy peachy amber color with a tall white frothy head that leaves an excellent sticky lace. Aroma has tons of citrus hops and whiskey that combine to give a rather solventy acrid bite which mellows some as it warms. Aroma has some soft vanilla notes underneath the stronger chemical notes. Flavor has much of the same bitter solventy bite to it - lots of grapefruit, orange and whiskey. Not altogether bad - just an odd combo and a bit intense. Sticky palate with moderate-to-high carbonation. Interesting beer - dialing back both the hops and whiskey would help a lot I think.

Prepackaged growler from Bruisin’ Ales. Murky amber body with medium beige head. Aroma is moderately sweet, grapefruit, acetone, light melon. Taste is moderately sweet, grapefruit, some acetone, strong acetone in finish. Medium body, light acidity.

Maltzilla with the growler. Pours an an orangish color. Aroma is hoppy and bourbon at the same time. I also get some woody notes and caramel. Flavor hits with a hop bite but is quickly replaced with a sweetish bourbon/wood flavor. Fun beer to try for sure.

My wife is a saint bringing me back a growler of this from her recent trip up to asheville. This was very interesting. It is not often you get a whiskey barrel aged ipa that is as hop forward as this is. First glass was a citrus orange hop monster in the aroma with a smooth sweet flavor. Burst of orange flavor is really nice as well and is what we all know and love as an IPA. The second glass was much more whiskey ageing influenced with some wood, vanilla, and a little bit of peat. What we all know and love in a barrel aged beer. Cloudy orange color with almost no head but that could be the growler serve that influenced that.

IPA aged in Jack Daniels Tennessee whiskey barrels. Growler dispenses a mostly clear, radiant orange amber body with a large almond head that quickly falls into splotchy lace. Aroma opens with oak tones of vanilla, leading into citrusy grapefruit, pine, and toasted caramel. Smooth medium body has a soft carbonation. Taste begins with citrusy grapefruity hop bitterenss, edged with pine and some grassiness. Oak is evident, adding a woodsiness and prominent vanilla. Toasted caramel provides a solid malt base. The whiskey is subtle, but kicks ass in the aftertaste. Very well done. The Tennessee whiskey barrels provide a deep complexity without overpowering. Highly enjoyable!

Draught at Barley’s in Asheville. Pours opaquely cloudy gold with offwhite head. The aroma is sweet whisky, lemon zest, a bit of cake. The flavor is straight, smooth whisky with oak and vanilla hints, and some nice lemony hops. It builds up a hoppy bitterness toward the finish. This is some pretty good stuff.

On tap at Barley’s Asheville. Pours a cloudy amber with a white head and solid lacing. This retains some grapefruit aroma, surprisingly, but has a definite oak quality. The palate is medium and apparent whiskey flavor is imparted in the way of oak and vanilla, moreso oak. The hops are only here to provide a small bite. This works pretty well for a barrel aged IPA. Always a precarious experiment.

Bottle from kp at February Houston Tasting. Thanks, man! Pours a deep, thick cheddar orange with an aroma of sweet grapefruit and strawberry orange. Flavor is cedar, cedar, and a touch of cedar. Average mouthfeel. Not you momm’as IPA, for sure.

Thanks to kp for bringing this to the February Houston tasting. Deep orange color with a think rocky white head. Nose of orange, hops and pine. Flavor is hops, melons, pine, oak and grapefruit. Thin, but enjoyable.

bottle thanks to kp. Shared at the February Houston Tasting. Poured a cloudy, light orange with small white bubbles for a head. Nose was of peaches and oak. Taste was of citrus hops and caramel. Mouthfeel was thin with a bitter finish.