Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA

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

On tap@O’Brien"s: Nice clear amber color with a small bar pour off-white head. Aroma is light citrus and pine. Flavor had a light citrus start (grapefruit) followed by a little pine and a hint of grass with a sharp semi-dry grapefruit rind bitter finish. Medium body is zesty with lively carbonation.

Bottle. Light copper with a small head. Aroma is pretty fresh and hoppy. Flavor is really hoppy but not too bitter. A whopping 8% is pretty surprising and hardly noticeable.

12oz bottle shared by kmweaver. Big fruity citrus and orange juice Centennial nose, bright and clean smelling, unmuddled by yeast, which is fine if it’s hopped well, and in this case it certainly is. Flavor of piney orange juice, some sharp oily and resinous onion and hop cone juiciness, but also it has a musty dankness over the middle, before turning back towards a more bright, juicy, sharp and pungent orange citrus flavor in the finish. Drying and properly bitter, with flavors of pineapple, fresh oranges, pine cones, etc. Really good.

22 oz bottle. Pretty pedestrian looking IPA. LIght orange/golden with a huge frothy off white head. Nice aromas of citrus,spruce and over ripe apricot. Nice fresh fruity IPA this one, very sweet, lemon rind, oranges, apricots and lychee. Mouth watering really.palate was on the thin side which added to drinkability in this muggy weather here in Salem. Overall a good drinkable IPA in the "old style" mould of Bridgeport IPA.

12 oz. bottle, from six pack purchased at BevMo LaJolla. I’m happy to see this, I’ve been wondering for a couple years why Firestone Walker didn’t make a production IPA - now they do! Pours a clear, bright orange amber color with a vigorous pour producing only a small off-white head. Aroma of toasty and grainy malts, citrus fruits, with pine and other resiny evergreen notes revealing the plentiful hops. Flavor has grainy and lightly caramel malts, barely detectable under the onslaught of brash, grapefruit, floral and spicy pine hops. Medium body and crisp carbonation. This is indeed a hopheads delight, bold, bitter and mostly balanced.

Clear amber golden body with lasting head. Big hoppy nose, pine and citrus. Easily drinkable for me though the partner thought it was too bitter, medium light body and don’t notice the alcohol, liked this but would also like to try it really fresh.

Draught @ Brouwer’s Café:   Amber, slight copper hue, clear, lively carbonation, moderate frothy off-white head, nice lacing.   Certainly looks the biz.   Straight up hop nose.   Very minor barnish/musty malts.   Clean, slight citrus aspects, smooth hoppiness.   Not biting at all, while remaining hoppy and somewhat citrusy.   Seems well balanced, smooth, with a nice finish.   Body and mouthfeel are spot on.   Lingering citrus zest.   I would enjoy it more if it had a touch more sweetness.   That woukd really round it out.   As is, fairly solid and enjoyable.

20080728 Pale amber with sticky white head. Nice stinky hops aroma, pissy, tropical. Very thin bodied. One dimensional hops but it is a nice dimension. Quenching but plain.