Lake Placid IPA

Brewed by Lake Placid Pub & Brewery
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Lake Placid, New York USA

Date: 05/18/2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting

clear dark red, wispy beige head, streaks of drippy lace, sweet caramel malt aroma with floral hops, lots of hop flavor with mostly dry dark caramel malts and a spicy bitter character, the earthy and bitter hops take the lead but there is enough of the caramel malt to keep it from getting out of control, a hardy winter warmer

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 13/20
Rating: 3.4/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **+/4

Cloudy dark amber. Earthy-piney aroma with bright peachy notes and dark caramel. On the palate, it has an earthy, slightly woody character, again with bright fruity accents. Lingering bitter finish.

12oz bottle. Small beige head that leaves nice lacing atop murky copper body. Aroma is medium sweet, floral/pine, some caramel, orange, light peach. Taste is moderately sweet, pine, floral/orange, caramel, light toffee. Smooth medium body, resin, light effervescence.

12oz bottle. Poured a medium amber color with a huge, huge sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, citrus, and toasted malts. Tastes of caramel, oranges and toasted malts. Lots of lacking left on the glass.. On the sweeter side.

12 oz bottle-pours a tall light tan head. Color is deep copper. Aroma is hops-grapefruity. Taste is bitter grapefruit, aftertaste is a flatness and a little bite. Colder is better. rerate–on tap-3.3

Darkish amber, 1cm foam of off-white head. Earthy, minty and woody strong nose. Caramel and fruits mingle along the sweaty and citrusy hops. Fair amount of bitterness, lasting if not the most flavorful hops. Watery peaks enhance drinkability while floral edges ensures comfort and known territory. Good bodied, slightly creamy. Not worth a 3.9 in my book, but definitely a pleasant and dry IPA with a solid malt base and well distributed carbonation.

Bottle sampled on 7/2/06: Pours a clear copper orange with a big, frothy light head. Has some drier toasty caramel and mild fresh earthy hoppy aroma. Body starts with some lightly sweet, earthy bittering hoppiness and a drier, thinner bittersweet finish. Drinkable, but could be more assertive and interesting.

Bottled:
Orange-y hops ignite a strong and lasting resinous, grassy bitterness...A hefty pale ale with seductive caramel malt girth and serious hop depth...Another one of those rich pints of American boldness...

On tap at the brewpub:
Hmmm...I seem to recall that the menu at the pub said it was 6.8%abv, which would be quite a change from the 5% we have listed here. Anyway, this proudly unfiltered strong Pale Ale/IPA hybrid presented lots of earthy hop goodness developing into orangey and resinous complexities. Great body with a touch of fruity caramel. Always a treat, although I still preferred the version brewed and bottled in Plattsburgh by a couple of points.