Brewtopia Events
India Pale Ale
Tasting Comments
Owen Ogletree (director of Brewtopia Events) gathered together some of his fellow beer lovers at Athens' Burntstone Brewhouse to sample and comment on several commercial beers.  This beer sampling was done as a blind tasting where no one was aware of the brand that was being served each time.  Beers were informally judged and ranked according to American Homebrewers Association (AHA) style guidelines.  This sampling was conducted in August, 1999.  Drop Owen an email to share your comments and opinions.

Beers provided by ABC PACKAGE STORE, 2303 W. Broad St., Athens, GA, 706-549-1686.
ABC offers a fantastic selection of microbrews, import beers, and wines!

Brewtopia Events

Commercial Beers -- Blind Tasting Comments...

More beer destinations on our Brewtopia Events webpage...

  
 
Here are the bold beer tasters!  (LtoR)  Lari Cowgill, Pasha Sovourin, Lynn Gieger, Owen Ogletree, Don Beistle, and Dean Graves.  We'd like to thank Burntstone Brewhouse for hosting us!

Each beer was ranked with an informal score of 1-10.
(10 - a fresh, perfect beer for its style / 1 - a beer that is completely not to style)

Style Description

India Pale Ale (IPA) -- India Pale Ales are characterized by intense hop bitterness with a higher alcohol content than other pale ales.  A high hopping rate and use of water with high mineral content results in a crisp, somewhat dry beer.  This pale gold to deep copper colored ale has a full, flowery hop aroma and may have a strong hop flavor (in addition to the hop bitterness).  India Pale Ales possess medium maltiness and body.  Fruity-ester flavors and aromas are moderate to very strong.  Chill haze is allowable at cold temperatures.

Dogwood Breakdown IPA
Score: 8.  Nice chill haze / carbonation is low (good) / aroma of floral hops / well balanced / fruity / mineral, sulfury aftertaste / complex / nice, flavorful, fits style well  / a pleasant beer.

H.C. Berger Indego Pale Ale
Score: 2.  Smells and looks like a Belgian Brown Ale / sour / infected and old / not unpleasant, but not an IPA / vanilla flavors, but no hops to speak of / earthy / does not fit style.

Oregon IPA
Score: 5.  Aroma of american hops, nice / slight metallic hint to malt aroma / metallic flavor, could be old? / not very fruity in aroma / drinkable and refreshing / quaffable / bitter in flavor / not a remarkable example of IPA style.

Portland IPA
Score: 4.  Low carbonation (nice) / stale aroma / a toasty, toffee-like flavor / earthy hops / medium bitterness / no hop flavor to speak of / mineral flavors / not a true IPA, but a good regular Bitter.

Snake Dog IPA
Score: 3.  Corn-like, caramel aroma / no hops in aroma / metallic flavors / could be old / hops are low all around / fruity / water seems low in mineral content.

Sweetwater IPA
Score: 4.  Slight chill haze / very light hop aroma / not much aroma at all / heavy on the flavoring hops / hops have a resin-like flavor / not extremely exciting for an IPA, but a pleasant beer.

Tuppers Hop Pocket
Score: 7.  Slight chill haze / aroma is clean, perfumy, smells like noble hops / not very bitter in flavor / smooth / nice malt / well balanced / slightly fruity / some hop flavor / a nice beer.

Beers provided by ABC PACKAGE STORE, 2303 W. Broad St., Athens, GA, 706-549-1686.
ABC offers a fantastic selection of microbrews, import beers, and wines!

 
© 1999 Brewtopia Events
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