Phillips Hop Circle IPA (formerly Phillips IPA)

Brewed by Phillips Brewing Co.
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Victoria, Canada

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

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Bottle courtesy of Irondjin: Poured an orangey color ale with a super big foamy head with perfect retention. Aroma of bitter hops with strong sour notes. I am guessing we have an infection issue here which may explain why the head is still perfectly in place ten minutes after I have poured the beer. The label mention that these beers were heavily hops to make all the way to India without going down the drain – well seems like this one didn’t make it across the country without getting infected. The brewery is usually reliable so I will have to rerate when I get the chance.

UPDATED: DEC 24, 2011 Used to drink a lot from bottle as Phillips IPA--rating updated draft version....Phillips hop circle draft @ Malones. Gold. Slight haze. Plums. Fruity aroma . Passion fruit. Pear. Asian pear. 3,7, thin and hop doesn’t come through BUT nice and dry. In fact I love dry and it’s so dry. 3,8,15 ....old rating = Visitors or residents of BC can’t do much better in the IPA category even if Seattle or Portland residents might scoff. Not as strong in the nose or palate as Phillip’s Amnesiac 2IPA but more quaffable to boot. Hints of lychee and other fruits. Best not served too cold of course...

Pours a slightly hazy dull gold with a small but pernicious head. Very light, doughy malt aroma. Thin and citrusy, very "pinched" taste. A LOT of hops in this one. Grapefruit & lime, they overpower the thin malting. Nice bitter lingering aftertaste. Body is very thin but highly carbonated. This is a very good beer for the hop-hungry, but if you’re looking for more sophistication try the Amnesiac or Black Toque.

UPDATED: AUG 2, 2007 hmm......most of the other ratings are saying it pours a hazy amber.......mine is quite clear, and yellow. anyways......nice head, great lacing on my glass. Nose is a little thin on the hops, they are there, but not as pronounced as i like in an IPA. Nice carbonation, and here we go, the hops are present in the flavour. Nice citrus notes, and a good amount if bittering in the finish. Not too shabby! A very good everyday solid IPA.

Pours a hazy copper color with a white head. Aroma is caramel, with some grassy, citrus hops. Flavor is malty with a nice bitter grassy finish.

Hazy orange amber with a thin creamsicle-coloured head. Big fruity-fresh aromas initially after the pour, then as it settles it becomes more resinous and piney. Classic grapefruit and resin hop character in generous proportions with a healthy malt base. A very well-made IPA.

Any first impressions?
-A sheet of foam spreads atop the near-transparent honey gold.
-A floral, fruity hop perfume soars above the wooden dryness.
-Resinous hops benefit from some mandarine fruitiness.
-The well-rounded body and rather comfortable carbonation produce a very drinkable mouthfeel.

What if you dig deeper?
-Lingering earthy hop resins pleasure the back of the tongue.
-There is enough caramel and bready maltiness to support both the nose and flavor profile.
-This is an efficient, classic PNW IPA, worthy of a forest hike.

Bottle; no date.

Dark gold in colour with somewhat low carbonation. Aromas of grapefruit, tangerine, light pine, and a hint of black pepper. Heavy in the mouth with some bready overtones. Loads of assertive pine resin flavor. The citrus element returns mid-sip but fades again, leaving the pine, some chunky bitterness, and some leafy green hop flavor. Not very balanced, but I don’t mind a hop-ladden beer like this. Thanks Oakes!

Caramel malt sweetness rounds out the citrusy grapefruit-lime and pine hops that dominate the aroma. Hazy deeep golden-copper body is topped by a low white head that recedes rapidly to a large bubbled partial cover. Biscuity malt character is quickly joined by very strong grapefruit citrus hop flavour and even stronger bitterness. Malt body is overwhelmed somewhat by the hops leaving the body feeling a bit thin. Strong carbonation is quite sharp and prickly. Tulip glass. Fridge temperature. Bottle (Brewery Creek, Nov-06).

[2006 GCBF] Golden yellow with a good head, this beer is well carbonated as well, which really accentuate the hops. Very very hoppy beer but is integrated well. Enjoyable.