Freeminer Trafalgar IPA

Brewed by Freeminer
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Cinderford, England

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

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(16.9 oz bottle, $5) I’m struggling for words on how to describe this British IPA. It’s obviously less bitter than its American counterparts, but there’s still a nice hop bite in the finish. Nevertheless, despite the claim that Freeminer believes in serious hopping, this is still a British IPA and is pretty subdued. Nothing wrong with that, just don’t expect a hugely hoppy beer because the label says so. Behind the moderately bitter hoppiness, a gentle maltiness is still allowed to come out to play, showing a slight nuttiness and modest toastiness. A hint of smokiness evolves in the finish. Soft, smooth and easy on the palate with a dry, lingering bitterness. The delicate nose is toasty, malty and hoppy. Dark golden, amber in color with lots of dark specks suspended in the beer. Pours almost no head, with only an off-white sheen topping the beer. Only a few short streaks of lace adorn the side of the glass. I have 2 bottles, and this one is brewed by Freeminer, but bottles by Wessex Craft Brewers. My other bottle is brewed and bottled by Freeminer, so it’ll be interesting to see if there’s any difference.

Slightly hazed copper pour with a stong earthy and caramel malt aroma. A nice hop and spice presence that finishes with a splash of bitter orange peel. Nice.

It has an assertive hop nose, a wonderful hazy copper colour and flavour to spare. While the malt could have a stronger presence I am reminded from my recent sampling of how lush and lingering the hop flavour and finish are (which is surprising for a British IPA made with Goldings hops).

Bottle conditioned. Honey-brown body, cloudy with sediment, topped with a huge, off-white head, billowing, sticky lace, shrinks down small. Aroma is sweetly apple, citrus, earthy like grass, a bit skunky. Body is medium, carbonation is light, mouth is wet. Flavor is mildly sweet, apple, caramel, citrus hops. The finish is long, mild, and mildly hopped with flavors of apple skin, wood like a pine board, some grapefruit rind, and some roasted flavors. Finish is also kind of sour. A little spicy. Atypical, pretty drinkable, flavors are moderately strong. Doesn’t fit a style very well.

Light orange to dark color. Almost like apple cider. Medium thin head. Fruity aroma. Thick mouthfeel, very crisp. Slight bitterness at the end. Interesting beer.

Odd cedar nose with light babyfood and oatmeal hints. Opaque ochre with a few flakes, medium yellow head. Somewhat astringent for the style. It tastes of sour wood and apples with an obvious and intense wheat bread crust finish. Pesky alcohol seems to hang around like an unvited party guest. Strange beer and fabulously unique.

Pours amber with a thin white head. Smells of eathy hops and spice. Tastes citrussy and spicy with a light peppery finish.

500ml bottle. Interesting this is listed as imported by Rogue - didn’t know they did that. Clear amber with an absolutely huge beige head that descends rockily. Sucked up 2/3 of my English pint glass. Spicy citrus nose, bready and tangerine citrus notes. Flavor is very bready, a bit earthy, light tangerine citrus tang. Odd, but not bad.

16.9oz bottle. Pours orange in color with full foamy off white head. Aroma spicey, sweet and floral hops. Taste sweet, hoppy and light pineapple with bitter finish.

Hazy golden body with a huge ivory head, very lively carbonation. Sweet and slightly spicey aroma, it seems like some nutmeg and sour apple if that makes any sense. Sweet and hoppy taste, some pineapple with a light apple accent. Smooth ending, would have rated higher had the initial carbonation not been totally out of wack.

Maybe not the worst IPA I’ve had, but I know Freeminer can do SO much better (see Deep Shaft Stout). This beer just didn’t have any semblance of what I consider an IPA, English or American...where’s the hops? And what’s up with the avalanche of carbonation with this? It felt like I was drinking some 7-Up type beverage with that high fizz.

The beer pours a very nice looking medium amber color, hazy with a gigantic sized head. The aroma was straight-up fruity with an unclear floral/perfumey character that I didn’t chalk up to hops, but rather the yeast used. Flavor is masked by the harshness of the beer, but pushing aside the bubbles there is a smidgen of sweet fruityness there. The overcarbonation lingers after awhile causing quite a bit of extraordinary burping. Whew...no thanks."