Jun 22, 2017

Troegs First Cut IPA

I’m not sure when Troegs Brewing started releasing First Cut IPA, but I only just ran into it early this year in mid-April. The wife had picked up a six pack of the 6.2% ABV (45 IBU) IPA at the grocery store just before a long weekend of yard work. Clearing brush/deadfall, mulching and getting everything ready for Spring is an annual tradition at Barley Blog HQ, as is the apparent practice of trimming young hop bines in order to strengthen them. Seems like the arrival of First Cut IPA was timed quite nicely.

This tasty IPA isn’t just brewed with a lovely combination of Simcoe and and Comet hop varieties — a wonderful dose of mango has also been employed here to create a solid array of refreshing flavors. The mango is up front with its presence in both the aroma and taste, but doesn’t overly dominate to the point where it becomes too much. The juicy, earthy fruit melds cleanly with grapefruit notes and a moderate hop bite for a balanced and easy drinking experience.

First Cut IPA is a darn good brew that refreshed the body after a long day out in an unexpectedly warm April afternoon. The mango influence here provides plenty of fruit and soft sweetness that is countered well with an equal measure of hop bitterness for a thirst-quenching character. Needless to say, the sixer the wife bought didn’t last long — nor did the second one we had to get to replenish the first.