Phillips IPA

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

Sightly turbid and golden-amber with a tight white head. Aroma is grapefruit, apricots, light floral and biscuit notes. Sweet citrus dominates, restrained bitterness, medium roast malt to balance. Finish lingers some with a little hop-bite. Mouthfeel is moderately resinous and alcohol s well-concealed. This is a great IPA to enjoy with friends without challenging the taste buds too much.

***rerate Nov 18, 2009**
Not as impressed this time around. Still a very very drinkable brew that does not rely on massive bitterness. Nothing wrong with it but it’s not 3.8 any more.

Poured out a huge creamy off white cap on top of a hazy yellowy amber brew. Lasts forever, excellent lacing. The aroma is citrusy and refreshing. Ruby red grapefruit, apricot, orange, floral, mixed well with the caramel. Obviously a hops first IPA, not a caramel first one (like the last couple I’ve had). Mmmmm. Made my mouth water on first sip and most other sips that followed. Great sweetness and very tasty orange, grapefruit, pine, almost has a candy like flavour. Mid taste spice and caramel tag along with a bitterness that rises but does not linger forever. Excellent carbonation (I just tasted garden fresh carrots.... still lingering... what the hell? Piny finish. I drank this pretty damn fast!

Bottle courtesy of my friend Adil- I think this was courtesy of the real Chinese niggaz. Anyway, it poured deep hazed amber/orange. Nose was simple yet inviting. Fresh hops and caramel with bready malts and perfume. Sweet caramel and bread crust leads to piney hops with a nice citric profile. A simple IPA that pleases and does the job. Good.

Draft at the Black Frog. Pours pale amber, with a thick rocky white head, persistent and with very nice lacing. Nose is very subdued; sweet malt, mild citrus hops, well-balanced, and just hoppy enough to be true to style, just really nothing that stands out in any crowd.

Nicely hopped. Actually, the hops outpower a nice, slightly sweet malt taste. Hint of citrus. Nice looking beer with an orangey-brown colour. I might get this one again.

[1528-20080712] 355mL bottle. Muted orange hops aroma has fruity leafy hints. Hazy, orange brown body with a long-lasting foamy off-white head. Hoppy navel orange flavour. Medium body. Solid IPA, not too assertive.
(@ Volo; Toronto, ON; w/ jerc)

341 ml bottle purchased at "The Strath" Ale, Wine and Spirit Merchants at the Strathcona Hotel in Victoria, BC. Pour is hazed orange, golden and tan. Foam on the head charged up the glass on the pour, then settled in normally. Aroma of strong resin hop, pine, citrus and some nice earthiness. Taste is resembles the nose; much resin, pine and citrus -- balanced with a nice sturdy malt backbone. There is some earthiness in the malt as well, giving this beer almost a charcoal smokiness. All of the mentioned flavors integrate nicely, and the palate is serious enough to hold it all together, yet still drinkable.

Draught at The Railway Club, Vancouver
Hazy golden color; creamy head. Very nice hop aroma, delicate fruits (mango, oranges), creamy. Good toffee and caramel flavor, and strong bitterness; the hop comes with some resins (side to side with Big Kettle ESB, it has less aromatic hop, more hop oils, less sweetness). Good.