Free State C3 IPA

Brewed by Free State Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Lawrence, Kansas USA

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

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UPDATED: MAR 16, 2007 Murky brownish orange color, small white head. Bottle by TAR(and my thanks go out to him). Aroma is dominated by grassy, rotting twig smell. Flavor is very reminiscent of Ruination( they both use similar hops) but I think the Cascade(which isn’t in Ruination) is the more dominate of the three. Bitterness appears in the finish. Very good IPA.

Sweet, medium-light maltiness. The hops are significant but the malts are nutty and notable because they are evident. Slightly floral hoppiness; deft blend of the 3 varieties. Bright and fresh. Not that much different than a regular IPA...alcohol not noticeable.

Draft: Toasted peach. Creamy, dusty-white wisp of bubbles. Tangy, bushy hop aroma with honey-drizzled orange rind, flowers, and graham notes. Toasted malt and nutty yeast whispers. Soft mouthfeel. Medium-bodied. Sweet, luscious malt onset immediately pursues the chewy hop flavors. Mild notes of apricot, honeysuckle, and white pepper try to smoothen the rough-edged hoppiness. Brief, tight piney hop flavors at the center before becoming bushier and more citrusy, building well into the finish while encompassing the sweet malt layers. Finishes thickly malted, which counterbalances the lingering trail of hop leaves and orange peels. Overall, more soft, piney Columbus in the aroma would have softened the earthiness. Moreover, the loud alcohol, despite its relatively low 7.8% strength, and hugely earthy, citrusy hops overshadow most of the subtleties, but do leave behind a voluptuous malt display. Simplistic, but delicious.

Pleasantly strong hoppy aroma, heavy notes of pine, flowers, grapefruit and spice along with some prominent lightly caramelized malt sweetness to counter. Deep copper color, clear, with an uneven, subsiding head and a small amount of delicate lacing. Sweet, lightly toasty malt flavor up front followed by a burst of juicy hop flavors, spicy and citric, and with a very well-balanced finish, the hops lingering and nicely bitter but with the malt making its presence known and felt throughout as well. Full body to be sure, palate is smooth and just the slightest bit syrupy, the effervescence low to medium. The first Imperial IPA brewed and sold in the state of Kansas. Bravo.