Oct 15, 2015

AleSmith Brewing IPA

When word of AleSmith Brewing Company’s Virginia arrival first hit, I responded instantly with a deep-seated, Pavlovian level of drool. The company’s Speedway Stout had only crossed my lips once, several years ago, prior to this announcement. And ever since, it’s been one of the few beers after which I have lusted, but missed out on routinely. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one awaiting the brewery’s arrival — the big tasty stout was no where to be found on initial shopping trips. So I did the next best thing. I purchased every other product the company had sent, including this IPA, and prepared to hunker down for my wait.

My initial disappointment about once again missing out on Speedway was quickly washed away by one hell of a well-crafted IPA. There’s nothing uniquely outstanding about this 7.25% ABV beer. AleSmith IPA is just simply an outstanding brew. It’s got all you could want in the style plus a decent bit of balancing malt to round out an experience that has lead the beer to appear fairly frequently in my fridge since first purchasing it in late August.

Appearance

A resilient head of dense, tawny foam rests atop the dark amber brew.

alesmith-ipa-2

Aroma

Tangerine, grapefruit, soft pine, bread and a touch of honey combine for a clean, enticing aroma.

Taste

The flavors are right in line with the aroma except with the added bonus of herbal hop notes. Tangerine and grapefruit lead the way with a luscious, tropical fruit character. Pine, caramel and soft bread notes carry you through a moderate level of bitterness before ending int he lightly drying, lasting finish. There’s not much an alcohol foot print present.

Overall

I’ll admit that my disappointment at missing the initial round of Speedway Stout was not hidden well. I had initially just decided to settle on this IPA as a consolation, but now that I’ve enjoyed it a few times, I have to admit that I didn’t give it the proper credit at first. This brew is outstanding and should be among the top examples of what a well-rounded IPA should look, smell and taste like.

Rating: 4/5

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