Karl Strauss American Craft Beer Week Rye IPA

Brewed by Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
San Diego, California USA

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

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Growler to go from KS Sorrento Mesa: Cherry-amber color with a medium beige head. Aroma is light caramel and citrus. Flavor starts malty sweet with light citrus followed by some peppery spice and a building, lingering grapefruit bitter finish. Medium body is tangy with moderate carbonation.

12 oz tulip draft at the brewpub in Carlsbad, California. Pour is an unfiltered looking ruby brown, with a light tan head with some lace. Aroma is soft rye spice, along with light resinous hops. Subdued but clean nose. Taste is tannins, resins and spiced rye - nice soft integration between the Rye and the hops. Some floral comes out in the back as it warms. Nice, mild flavors. Palate is medium to light bodied, nice unfiltered mouth feel. Spicy finish. Nice use of Rye.

On tap. Pours with a lightly hazed deep amber-copper hued body with a mostly lasting off-white head. Aromas are fruity, citrusy and extremely estery. Malt profile exhibits bready, caramel, and light rye (spice, bread) notes. Flavors are very malty, some alcohol. Lightly spicy and bready. Honestly, not very IPA like (at least not at this point). Mostly all malt left, but not really too sticky nor too thin. Mild bitterness and a tinge of orange. Medium to lively bubbles, medium body. Lightly warming. Good, but its either faded (surprisingly elegantly for the style) or not very IPA-ish to start with.

Tap @ KS Sorrento Mesa. Pours a dark copper with a soapy film on top. Standard Karl Strauss diacetyl aroma is what usually turns me off of KS brews. Slightly spicy with some citrus notes. Thinly textured with minimal hopiness and an abrupt finish. I give this an extra point because it tastes much better alongside the delicious food KS serves.