Brooklyn Brewing East India Pale Ale
The other day I received a package from New York’s Brooklyn Brewery. I had totally forgotten or missed the news that the brewery had installed a canning line and now here were three samples of beers I’ve had at some point in the past laying before me — canned, not bottled.
Canning seems to be the new trend on the rise in recent years and, while I’m all for the convenience factor, I’m always worried that the process will throw off the taste a degree. With modern technology and new techniques, this is pretty much a moot point and really isn’t an issue most of the time, but every now and again, I get a canned version of a brew I’ve enjoyed many times over and it’s just not the same. How does this delivery vessel affect Brooklyn’s East India Pale Ale? Well, it’s been some time since I last had the brew, but from what I can remember, it still tastes just as good as it did from the bottle.
Appearance
EIPA pours with a dense white cap resting upon its golden amber liquid. There’s a slight chill haze that took a little time to settle out.
Aroma
One issue I have with cans is that they can mask the smell of a beer since they retain the cold much better than bottles. I’ve found that letting a canned craft brew rest in the glass for a bit prior to enjoying helps alleviate this issue. Once this Brooklyn brew sat in the glass for a bit I was greeted with earthy, piny hops, subdued citrus notes and a balanced charter of lightly toasted malt.
Taste
This beer tastes great and follows the nose for the most part. A sharp hop bite accompanies grapefruit, pine resin and a subtle malt backbone. The crisp mouthfeel actively pushes the flavors around the mouth hitting your tongue with hoppy goodness from every angle. The bitterness lingers for a good long while as the 6.9% ABV warms ever so slightly.
Overall
East India Pale Ale is a solid brew that is now available in the convenience of a can. It’s flavor profile is strong and carries a solid hop character that needs a little time to fully come into itself once poured into a glass — danged can was just too darn cold.
Rating:4/5
This is a review of a promotional sample received from the brewery.