New England Sea Hag IPA

Brewed by New England Brewing Co.
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Woodbridge, Connecticut USA

Pours a copper color. Aroma is pine and grapefruit. Flavor is balanced. Doesn’t have the hop bite finish of a lot of IPA’s. However, that doesn’t detract from this beer as it’s very drinkable. A nice surprise here. I look forward to trying some more New England beers, provided they sell them here in MN (haven’t seen any others as of yet).

[march 16, 2009]
Can. I have never heard of this beer before and only picked it up because it came in a cool looking can. My expectations were rather low for this one, but I was quickly delighted when I cracked that tab. As soon as the seal was broken I could smell awesome hops before I even poured it into a glass. After pouring, very bright grapefruit notes, dank weed, light ammonia, and a pine tree are noted in the aroma. The palate is slick with a lingering stickiness. Though the flavor is certainly hop heavy with suggestions of grapefruit and oranges, it is never overly bitter, just very herbal and citrusy. Finish is dry. What a great surprise!

I think this beer deserves a nomination for the "best beer in a can" debates that seem to pop-up on this site every week or so. It is a delight. This beer pours a dark reddish amber with an abundant sticky head made up of miniscule bubbles. Aroma is the highlight of this beer; lots of light hop aroma with some sweetness. The smell also communicates a refreshing amount of effervescence. Mouthfeel was medium up-front...not watery but not overly substantial (nor syrupy). Maybe a tad too light. Taste was rather malty, but also balanced. Hops come out after a few sips (or maybe as it warmed up). The taste was full-bodied while remaining extremely drinkable. Beats the hell out of the much-acclaimed Dale’s Pale Ale in the best canned beer contest (IMO). I bought this at Norm’s Wine & Beer in Vienna, VA during a Labor Day weekend visit.

Pours dark amber into a shaker. Fluffy off-white head slowly recedes leaving no lacing. Pine, resin and grapefruit aromas. Watery malt up-front with a lasting pine finish.

12 oz can **Summary** - Picked up on a visit to Alexandria, VA, I decided to get a single. Coming from a can this competes well with some of the offerings from Oskar Blues. This makes a great beer for grilling out with or tailgating. **Aroma / Appearance** - Soft with an offwhite head the liquid was permeated by a bronze glow. Strong traces of spruce, sawdust, and resin made a solid blend that reminded me of a freshly waxed hardwood floor. **Flavor / Palate** - The bitterness starts from the first sip and turns into a meld of Early Grey tea and small pieces of starter firewood. Fluid it flows calmly across the palate then rests gently on the back of the throat with a lemony zest. Solid all around there are no flaws and quite a few strengths. This one should be on your radar if it isn’t already.

Can. Thanks to Stine for the trade. Pours a deep amber body with nice head. Hoppy aroma with a nice malt presence. Flavor is sweet, lots of hops creating a sort of spiciness, sweet malty backbone. Full bodied. Nice IPA.

Poured a rich amber color, nice initial head, very good rings of lacing, nice looking beer. Aroma was hoppy, pine and citrous mostly. Flavor starts with caramel and citrus/pine hop notes, definitely displays some tropical melon type fruits underneath, and finishes with a little bit of an herbal or earthy touch. A pretty neat IPA, mouthfeel is moderate for the style, not sticky, not thick. A decent IPA. Thanks to Bert for sharing this one!

Received from jjpm74, thanks for throwing it in. Poured a rather light amber color with a white head that left a fair amount of lacing. Pine in the aroma, paired with light caramel and a biscuit aroma. Taste is much of the same, starts out with malt before the hops jump in and finish up. Mouthfeel was a little light, medium carbonation. Pretty good beer, and certainly worth trying.