New Belgium Rewind IPA
Along with the Spring Blonde that was reviewed yesterday, I had also received a bottle of Rewind IPA from New Belgium Brewing. This 7% ABV (64 IBU) India Pale Ale is the latest in the company’s Hop Kitchen series. The beer was crafted as an “homage to our roots and craft-brewing heyday of the early ’90s.” As such, Rewind IPA is brewed with Maris Otter and Special B malts, as well as a wonderfully hoppy blend of Horizon, Willamette and Galena varieties.
Now, I’m not entirely sure how those particular ingredients reflect the early 90s per se, but I can say this. Rewind IPA is a nicely balanced beer with an excellent hop character and complimentary malt backbone — citrusy, piney, lightly sweet and entirely drinkable.
Appearance
Rewind IPA pours a deep amber in color with a solid cap of dense, tawny foam that left behind decent lacing as it slowly dropped.
Aroma
Earthy, leafy hops lead the way for fruity citrus, light pine and herbal notes. Caramel and bready malts form a solid counter balance.
Taste
The flavors follow the aroma well as citrus and herbal hop notes lead the way for touches of pine and leafiness join in. A light malt sweetness helps and caramel help even everything out. A moderate amount of bitterness arrives swiftly before fading smoothly to a semi-dry finish. There’s not much of an alcohol presence which makes the beer fairly easy drinking.
Overall
Rewind IPA brings a great amount of citrus and herbal hop flavors while still maintaining a wonderful balance. The bitterness isn’t overly assertive and makes for a refreshing drinking experience. I really enjoyed the earthy, leafy character that the hop blend presents. Rewind isn’t as unique as say the French Aramis IPA, but New Belgium Brewing certainly have themselves another solid addition to the Hop Kitchen.
Rating: 3.75/5
This is a review of a promotional sample from the brewery.
