Epic Brewing Spiral Jetty
I caught this bottle of Utah’s Epic Brewing Spiral Jetty out of the corner of my eye the other day at my local shop and immediately did a double take. My initial reaction was that this was a beer from New Zealand’s Epic Beer which has been getting a good bit of press the past year or so. While I was a bit disappointed that this wasn’t a bottle from the other side of the world, I was still pretty stoked to try out a product from a brewery I hadn’t heard of yet.
Spiral Jetty is a 6.6% ABV American IPA that’s been brewed with five different hops (the varieties of which I couldn’t find) and is part of the brewery’s “Classic Series.” The beer turned out to be pretty darn tasty with a unique flavor profile that reminded me, for some odd reason, more of a pilsner than an IPA.
Appearance
This brew pours a pale yellow in color with a light cap of white. The head faded to a decent lacing on the glass.
Aroma
The nose has a pilsner-like vibe but with a hoppier edge. It’s got pretty forward hops that carry a light citrus and pine character, as well as toasted malt presence.
Taste
Maybe it was just stuck in my head, but the mouthfeel and malt/hop balance is playing tricks on my brain. The hops aren’t nearly as forward as I would have liked, but they do have a light earthy pine nature, as well as a light citrus character. The finish has a moderate level of hop bitterness. This is an interesting brew that’s a bit different than most American IPAs. It’s got a unique flavor profile that I can’t quite explain, but the beer is still quite drinkable.
Overall
Spiral Jetty isn’t a real hoppy IPA, but the malt profile within it makes for an interesting brew. It’s a decent enough beer at a pretty good price. I’m not entirely sure I’d go out of my way to get another bottle, but I’m certainly intrigued with the brewery and will be sure to try out their other stuff.
Rating: 3/5