Thomas Creek Chocolate Orange IPA

Brewed by Thomas Creek Brewery
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Greenville, South Carolina USA

Serve in Shaker, Tulip

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Sampled at esbls. Darker coppery. Is this an attempt at a chick IPA? I taste only a little chocolate and even less orange. Hops are an unfortunate choice. Not a winner.

Bottle, this ale had a clear red-ruby pour with dark brown at the sides of the glass, the pour made a large off-white head that hangs around a bit and receded to a sticky cover and thick ring, the glass had generous flowing bubbles, it left lots of lacing on the glass, there was no sediment in the bottle, this IPA had aromas of toasted malt, chocolate, caramel, grass, citrus and spice hops, some fruit in the background, there were flavors of toasted malt, some chocolate, a little caramel and fruit citrus, the finish had a medium or less hop bitterness, the finish was a little drying on the palate, the mouth feel was light on the palate, it had a little bit of a creamy feel and generous carbonation (a little too much carbonation), this was a nice drink but not real exciting or appealing to me.

Bottle. The pour is a dark copper color with a white head. The aroma is mostly faint hops. The taste is just meh. Little hops and not getting much orange, very very little chocolate in the aftertaste. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Bottle. It hides the bitterness well but something just isn't working for me. Worth a try though. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

5/24/13. 12oz bottle from Grassroots. Amber brown pour with a nice tan head that cuts in half but lasts and laces decently. Big hop aroma, some light citrus, melon, and a touch of caramel. Not really chocolate orange anywhere. Rich hop flavor with balanced bitterness and a touch of chocolate from the roasted malts, but not much. Mostly lemony citrus hop character. I see what they were going for here, but they didn’t pull it off. I would never guess chocolate orange blindly... should have just said it was a nice india brown ale or whatever the kids are calling them these days.

UPDATED: APR 27, 2013 Draft... Jupiter Craft Brewer’s Festival 2013... Beautiful dark beer. Holding it up to the sun, I’m rewarded with flashes of crimson. The nose is a nice balance of dark chocolate and citrusy, floral hops. I’m picking up no orange essence in the aroma. Medium-bodied with tingly carbonation. Loaded with delicious hop flavor and bitterness, but there’s no orange or chocolate essence to accompany all that lupulin and medium-roast malts. Lengthy, bitter, lightly acrid finish.

Clean opaque burnt wood brown with one finger of light tan head. Nose is very citrusy and resinous. A nice hop nose. Dry/zesty/piney. Lots of citrus resin etc... Light dark grain acidity. Medium light body, green and dry.

Draft. Poured medium amber with a medium sized off white head. Aroma was citrus, earthy hops, caramel. Flavor was moderately malty, hop forward. Earthy hops, a little dank. Picked up some orange. chocolate? No.

Tap at Beer Study. Deep amber, reddish, thick yellow white head. I dig the aroma--very tropical, lots of mango, apricot, coconut, pinapple, guava, citrus, light chocolate roast. As it warms, some cheesy smelling hops are more apparent but overall it smells much better than I expected. Flavor is similar, slightly muddled--some banana, light citrus, cadbury chocolate, coconut. Not amazing, but much better and more drinkable than expected. Aroma was definitely the highlight.

Draft at Brewvival. Hazy brown color, small tan head. Aroma of citrus and chocolate. Taste is milk chocolate and orange peel. Interesting.