Palisade Red Truck IPA

Bottle. Pours with a copper to golden color. Some aroams of hops and pine, flavors are subdued, not as hoppy as I would have liked. Seems to have some rather unique flavor profille with strawbeery, stone fruit and some hops in the background. Not bad though.

12oz botttle from Bubble Liquor in Castle Rock. Pours murky copper with thick off-whte head. Aroma is sweet malt, candied sugar, hops, and a little citrus. Flavor is malty with caramel, candied sugar and some hops. Definitly more a malt forward IPA. More of balance APA than a IPA in my opinion. Decent ale just not a good IPA.

Amber color with good head retention. By appearance alone you’d think it’s just another IPA. But a pleasant surprise awaits in the nose. This IPA has an alluring, candied malt with hops aroma. Hmm... Belgian candy sugar? ... very reminscent of an abbey single. On the palate the rather nontraditional candy maltiness is promnent at first but then the hops rush in to tame the sweetness, leaving you with the impression that this beer also has good balance. Very, very drinkable. Medium bodied. In summary, this has to be one of the most drinkable IPA’s out there yet still serious enough to be considered by hopheads as well.

She poured rusty amber which seems to defy the laws of physics and chemistry by sparkling brilliantly in the light despite her decay. More amber in hue than a large majority of American IPAs, her dress is a solid testimony to her approaching sea of malty hops. Her nose is sweet and malty with a vivacious current of damp green grass, freshly picked oranges, and a sprinkling of fallen pine needles. Flowers in bloom release gentle pollen esters into the air which enhance Red Truck’s overall nose. Curious, I dip into her awaiting coppery depths to be met with sweet hop dryness which kicks and squirms in the back of her palate. Dry, bitter green grass snaps and snarls in the finish; all bark and no bite with nary a lingering mark. The more I sup, the more I notice her palate’s predominant and rather simple plan: sweet and malty in the front with light caramelized sugars, sweet breads, and a touch of orange which bleed away into a dry, grassy, bitter explosion before fading away. No floral esters are to be found, despite the earlier tease.

All-in-all, she was more enjoyable than I was expecting. The Red Truck IPA may not win many awards, but I was more than pleased with its balanced split personality which lent to high levels of IPA sessionability. Sometimes I forget that IPAs don’t all have to be big brash hop-bombs and that, at one time, they were the session ale of choice. Well done, Palisade Brewery. Now, about that truck for sale…

In classic IPA fashion this pours a bright semi hazey copper colour. Big creamy off white head. Plenty of those dank hops right up front on the nose. In yo face! Tastey and firm with a certain amount of chewiness. AStringent, grapefruity and slight pine. subtle smooth caramel undertones in this brew."

12oz bottle picked up in Wisconsin a few months before consumption. Deep red-brown color. Decent head. Malty and soapy, and while there is a little half second of bitterness, this is pretty underwhelming hop-wise. Medium to full bodied, with some detergent lemon action. Good enough to swill any day, but really lacks finesse and class. Average at best.

Bottle shared by hopscotch. Pours dark amber color with off white head. Malty aroma with floral hops. Sweet malt flavor with mild hoppiness. I like my IPAs more hop foward than this one is. Medium body with mild carbonation.

12oz bottle thanks to waolsen. Dark amber with medium head. Very fragrant flowery/grassy hops. Roasted caramel malts meet the grassy hops head-to-head and neither really overtakes the other. Very well balanced, with moderate malt sweetness. Low bitterness to finish. Really enjoyable.