Devils Backbone Eight Point IPA
You have no idea how excited I was to see six packs of Devils Backbone products in my local Harris Teeter. I’ve been enjoying the brewery’s IPA (then un-named) at local restaurants on tap over the past year or so, but to finally be able to purchase it easily at the grocery and take it home — giddy school girl excitement comes to mind, though an image of my 220+ lbs self jumping around in a skirt certainly is frightening. Not sure the wife would go for that either.
At any rate, Devils Backbone Eight Point IPA is a clean drinking brew that’s made with a “…cornucopia of hop varieties,” as the brewery’s website states. I’m not sure what that means, but one taste certainly helps illuminate the tastebuds with all sorts of hoppy goodness. The beer weighs in at a respectable 5.9% ABV and 60 IBU. And just down-right enjoyable.
Appearance
A slight chill haze clouded the light amber brew as a dense, one-finger crown settled slowly.
Aroma
Tropical citrus fruits, grapefruit, tangerine, pine, light resin and subtle malt backbone all come to a head in this inviting aroma. Despite the hop-forward character of the nose, the beer still gives off a balanced impression.
Taste
The flavor pretty much follows the nose as a clean hop profile coats the tongue with a moderate amount of bitterness that lingers nicely in the mouth-watering finish. Hints of grapefruit, pine and lightly toasted bread all play well together. The crisp mouthfeel helps accentuate the hop bite and refresh the palate. At the modest alcohol level the beer isn’t quite sessionable, but certainly won’t do too much damage.
Overall
All I can say is that if you’re a fan of hoppy brews and live in Virginia then shame on you for not having at least one six pack of Eight Point IPA in your fridge at this very second. I’ve had several examples of this style from other local breweries and this one is right up there with some of the best.
Rating:4.25/5