Jul 15, 2014

Ithaca Beer Co. Flower Power

I don’t believe that I’ve had any products from New York’s Ithaca Beer Company in my drinking lifetime, but if you’re going to make an introduction, why not make it with their Flower Power. Holy hell, this is a tremendous IPA.

Brewed with a combination of Simcoe, Chinook, Citra, Ahtanum and Centennial hop varieties, the brew also receives five different dry-hoppings with Simcoe, Amarillo and Centennial. The result is an IPA of the highest quality and flavor. Juicy fruit, pine and a solid malt backbone all come together in one of the more dynamic, yet wholly drinkable examples of an American IPA.

Ithaca Brewing Flower Power photo

Appearance

Flower Power pours a pale yellowish amber in color with a a cap of white foam that fell smoothly, leaving behind decent lacing.

Aroma

Citrusy hops, light biscuity malt, soft pine, honey, floral notes and herbal hop notes come together in this clean and inviting aroma.

Ithaca Brewing Flower Power photo

Taste

This is one tasty and smooth IPA. Grapefruit, tangerine, an oily hop character and pine lead the way for soft bread and crackery malt notes. A moderate amount of hop bitterness lingers for a good while as it heads through the slightly drying finish. At 7.5% ABV, the alcohol is well masked in this medium bodied and slightly syrupy brew. A light touch of sweetness echoes softly after each sip.

Overall

I really like Flower Power. Since this initial tasting (actually held on April 22 of this year), the beer has not only shown up in my fridge on more than one occasion, but also the fridges of those to whom I’ve recommended it. Ithaca have managed to pack in a ton of hop flavor and smooth bitterness without alienating prospective fans by producing a hop-bomb. Flower Power is where it’s at.

Rating: 4.25/5

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