New England Sea Hag IPA

12oz can courtesy of Matthew poured into a pint glass. Pours a slightly hazy dark amber with a small bubbly tan head that dissipates almost immediately leaving only the faintest hint of a ring. No lacing to speak of. The aroma is fairly subdued and dominated by caramel malts more than hops. There are some earthy hops in there on top of the caramel sweetness but its all pretty mild for an IPA. The taste follows the aroma but has just a bit more of the earthy hops initially. Then the big caramel malt base takes over before the grassy hops give an ever-so-slight bitterness in the finish. The mouthfeel is smooth and slightly sticky with both caramel sweetness and some hops. Average carbonation.

12oz can from nearbeer. Thanks for the trade! Poured a clear copper color. The head was off white head with an orange tint. Pleasant aroma with well balanced malt and hop contributions including graham cracker, toffee, citrus, grass, and a hint of pine. Medium bodied and delicately sweet without much bitterness. The flavor was a bit sketchy; spices, grass, and a touch of citrus. Not bad, but a strange melange nonetheless. Not bitter enough for me, either.

12-oz aluminum can. Thanks, Nugget! Dig that this is in a can, dig the can its in. Cloudy, ruddied medium amber. Light tan head. Huge florally fruity nose--oranges and grapefruits. Creamy medium body, some carb. Caramel, biscuit, and orange on the mid-palate. Long fruity finish. Nice little IPA. Not super distinctive or original, but shows no major flaws, either. You could drink quite a few of these.

12 oz can. Cloudy orange-copper with an eighth-inch of lasting foam. Nice soapy lace. Aromas of pear, caramel and apple. Flavors of spicy apple, ginger ale and resiny wood. Medium body is hop-tingly and dry.

Can from World of Beer, FL. Poured clear copper color with an average fizzy off-white head that mostly lasting with excellent lacing. Moderate to heavy sour citrus hoppy and malt aroma. Medium to full body with a slick texture and flat carbonation. Moderate to heavy bittersweet flavor with a moderate to heavy bitter finish of medium to long duration. This is a standout brew.

Date: 09/14/2008
Mode: Can
Source: Trade

Appearance: hazy burnt orange, creamy off white head, sudsy lace,
Aroma: sweet crystal and caramel malt aroma, floral and citrus hops,
Flavor: sweet and bready malt flavor, nice balancing hops, light bitterness,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.1/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

12 oz can. Pours a murky orange with a very hearty beige head that produces excellent lacing. My can is a bit old and there is a rather large amount of sediment floating around. Should be interesting to see if this beer stand the test of time on the shelf. Nose is pretty hoppy but overall aroma is lacking. You can pull some citrusy notes out of it but you have to search. Flavor is smooth and slightly bitter. There is a bit of a metallic taste that I am sure comes from the age of these can I have. Not bad, good floral, citrus hop flavors. It is starting to breakdown a bit but still is fighting hard to stay in the game. Not too bad overall. Like I said, it’s a bit old so I took that into consideration while reviewing. I would be very interested in trying a fresh one. I bet it would rate a lot better. Plus I LOVE craft beer in a can!!!

Nice looking IPA with a cartoon label. Cloudy brown with a foamy cap and a bland aroma. This tastes more like a pale ale or a bitter than an IPA. It is a little on the flat side, and a bit watery. This is perfectly drinkable, but it needs more hops to qualify as an IPA. This hag could use a facelift.