Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA

Brewed by Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Paso Robles, California USA

On tap at Stone. Keep the glass tonight. Sweetness on the nose complemented the hoppiness. Nice deep orange color. I’ll use the word nice a lot. I was pleasantly surprized after some of the other Firestone brews. A sweet thickness was well matched to the clear and sharp hoppy flavor. Caramel, piny citrus fruit, but not heavy or sticky. Nice one.

Nose was very sweet and fruity with notes of pineapple and mango. A slightly hazed yellow-orange beer. the head with thin but liked to produce a lot of lace. Flavors dry and citrusy but with a firm malt background and complimenting hoppiness rather than being cumbersome. Bitterness really only evident in the aftertaste where it rounds things out and reminds you that you are drinking an IPA. The beer has a very clean, crisp, slightly spicy freshness that is quite nice.

12oz bottle from hophead 22 (trying to put a dent into all these ipas!)....pours a medium caramel brown with a thin frothy white head. quite lively.... more malty of a nose than expecting. toasted malt ..... flavor brought forth more of a balance between the hop and malt. biscuity caramel malt interspersed lighter bittering hops. perhaps this isn’t the freshest of bottles as the hops aren’t as prominent. not bad though.

12oz bottle. Pours a brilliant orangey-gold with a thick off-white head that leaves subtle suds of lace on the glass. The aroma is nicely hoppy - grassy with distinct orange citrus and subtle bready malt notes. The flavor starts hoppy. There are noticeable levels of evergreen, citrus, and earthiness. There is also a nice underlying malt character that is bready with a nice balancing residual malt sweetness and a very nice touch of toasted bread flavors and subtle melanoidins (munich malt?). At mid-palate the beer is pleasant and refreshing with a subtle sweetness but mostly a dry, crisp texture and full, firm hop bitterness. The finish is somewhat dry from the hops and is thick and resiny with simcoe hops. It is also somewhat full with a growing sweetness that does a great job of balancing the firm bitterness. Malt complexity grows, too, with the finish - after a few sips - exhibiting, for instance, subtle notes of molasses The mouthfeel is full and slippery with a subtle sting from carbonation. Overall, a very nice, hoppy American IPA.

On tap. Copper/orange in color with a creamy head and some lacing. Aroma of grapefruit, citrus, toasted caramel, bread and some fruit. Flavor was basically the same as above. REally solid flavor. Pretty hoppy for the style, but it lacked a little bit of balance. Still some really good stuff.

12oz bottle. thanks to hophead22 for this one. pours hazy gold with white head. nose of sour mash, lemon, citrus. flavor of sour dough, citrus, very faded hop notes, a bit cardboardy. okay i’ll re-rate this someday.

Bottle poured a clear amber with a lingering ring of light amber foam. Aromas of earthiness, carmel, light pine, light orange zest and a hint of grapefruit. Palate was light to medium bodied and crisp with a dry finish. Flavors of carmel, earthiness, pine and grapefruit with a crisp dry lingering bitter finish.

Pours a clear orange to golden color with a lasting beige head. Smell is very fruity and tropical and aromatic. Nice Smell. Taste is crisp, and nicely bitter with orange and tropical fruitiness to the hops. Medium bodied with light but crisp carbonation. Fruity bitterness and pine lingers and this is a fantasticly drinkable and enjoyable IPA. One of my new favorites!