Two Brothers Heavy Handed India Pale Ale

Brewed by Two Brothers Brewing Company
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Warrenville, Illinois USA

(12 oz bottle: Obtained in trade with Ughsmash, thanks Jason!) Quite a flavorful and full-bodied IPA here. Husky, caramely and fairly sweet, but also reasonably hoppy and bitter, so though different from the IPAs I’m used to, it presents a pretty balanced assault on the palate. The nose is less balanced and pleasurable, showing the same sweet and caramely maltiness and a fair amount of husk and grain, but little in the way of hops. Mild chalkiness in the flavor and mouthfeel. Medium-full body has good heft from start to finish and carbonation is good, so this feels solid on the palate. Medium amber in color with only a slight haze. Short but tightly-packed head pours an off-white color and gradually settles to a ring, but not before leaving a moth-eaten curtain of lace on the glass. Not among the elite of IPAs, but solid enough to buy regularly if I lived in the area.

Pours copper with very little head. Weak aroma for an IPA, but I picked up some caramel and faint hops. Initial taste is malty, but finishes bitter and grainy.. A tad resiny in the mouth. This beer was nothing special. With the exception of the Hop Juice, Two Brothers beers have so far been a disappointment. I’ll keep trying, because I hear good things. UPDATE:10-6-07. Draft at Radio Maria in Champaign. I noticed some soapiness/hairspray notes on the finish. Rating will stay the same.

Poured a slightly cloudy amber color with a small beige head. Fruity citrus aroma..sweet. Flavor is dominated by the piney and citric hoppiness...getting gradually bitter and dry in the end. Resiny and tasty.

Poured a clear deep amber with a red hue. and small off-white head. Citrus and earthy hops. Some caramel and candy with a light fruitiness. Some alcohol notes which was surprising for <6%. Malty start with fair amount of hop acidity. Bitterness starts midway through and goes for a long finish. Semi-dry. Light-medium body. Decent beer.

Red copper IPA with a thin white head. Restrained hops in aroma with light caramel notes. Good whiskey malt base with nice Fuggles hops (or very British style), lightly floral. Nice and fresh, lighter bodied, a bitr week for an IPA, more like a pale ale. On tap at the Map Room, Nov. 12, 2005.

from the bottle. poured a nice clear amber with lot of bubbledand a off white head that left some lacing. aroma got a nice balance of hops and honey and maltsand a nice light citrus. flavor hops, malts and bitterness that didn’t sit to well and some fruit and the honey comes out as it warmed

More of an APA than an IPA. To tell you the truth, Ive been much less than impressed with Two Borthers’ offerings, and this is no exception. Pours a crystal clear copper orange with some whitish head that dissipates rather quickly. No bubbles anywhere to be found. I really hate filtration and force carbonation. Nose is rather light, a mix of floral and citric hops, along with some dough. Taste is rather weak, certainly not "Heavy Handed". Begins with a rather thin and boring malt mixed with some more floral hops. Finishes bitter and dirty, almost a dusty or ashen taste. The only thing going for this beer is its extreme sessionabilty, not something I was expecting from reading the label. Where did the 62 IBU’s go?

I would have really enjoyed this ipa but it had an overly sweet sticky finish..........