Diamond Knot Brewing Industrial IPA
As you may have noticed with the latest round of reviews, I’ve been drinking a good amount of porters and stouts lately. The bitter, biting winds and shorter days of this time of year call for darker, thicker brews — and I’ve got more sitting in the basement just waiting for me.
But it’s also a good opportunity to brighten up those dark days with something crisp, sharp and hoppy. Something that reminds you of later afternoon sessions on the back deck after a long day working on the yard. I’ve never seen anything from Diamond Knot in my area before, but its Industrial IPA was exactly what I needed.
Appearance
The brew pours amber in color with a good sized, off-white head that left a clinging lace on the glass as it faded.
Aroma
You can smell this one almost immediately after opening the bottle. Big time citrus hops (grapefruit, tangerine) dominate the nose as a good bit of resinous pine and sweetness don’t linger too far behind. A toasted malt presence is also there, and does its best to balance out the large hop footprint.
Taste
The palate is just as packed full with citrus notes as the nose alluded to. The rather aggressive hops also have a good deal more of a pine resin character to go along with the initial sweetness — which ultimately fades smoothly to a not-too-bitter finish with a decent bite. The higher alcohol content (7.9% ABV) doesn’t really make much of an appearance, but you will certainly feel it in the end. There’s just enough of a malt presence in the mix to keep this one from completely destroying your palate, taking just enough of an edge off the hop profile.
Overall
Industrial IPA is just what I needed the other day to break out of the season’s icy grip, if only for a little while. The juicy citrus hops and lingering resinous bitterness were the right combination for the mood I was in. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for this one come next Spring.
Rating: 3.75/5