The Curse IPA
Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery

The Curse IPAThe Curse IPA
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From:
Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery
 
Illinois, United States
Style:
American IPA
ABV:
7.3%
Score:
92
Avg:
4.22 | pDev: 13.74%
Reviews:
27
Ratings:
30
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 24, 2015
Added:
Oct 22, 2008
Wants:
  10
Gots:
  1
Red wax, 2008 release.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by drunkmonk:
Photo of drunkmonk
Reviewed by drunkmonk from North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Thanks to DavidEddie for the hookup on this one.

Pours a cloudy golden orange. Nice billowing head gives way to a steady belgian lace. Pungent pineapple, melon and tropical fruit's and hemp seed meld with some brown sugar and a slight buttery note. Creamy and somewhat syrupy mouthfeel, coats the tongue with oily, resiny hop oils. Citrus hops and sweet malts fight it out, and the malts do a fine job holding there own. A spicy alcohol note comes in an keeps the malt sweetness in check. Oily hop flavors linger nicely. This is a nice complex ipa, the sweet malt presence and syrupy mouthfeel would keep you from wanting more than the bottle. I had a great time with this.

Recommended.
Jan 03, 2009
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by jrob21 from North Carolina

Dec 24, 2015
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Reviewed by joe1510 from Illinois

4.71/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
22oz Bomber
$9.00
Flossmoor Station

Red Wax

The Curse is Flossmoor's newest IPA in (dis)honor of the Cubs inability to win. This IPA has the glowing copper body of a freshly minted penny. There's excellent clarity with only a little haziness and the off white head grew to three fingers easily. The head took a few minutes to settle but got comfortable with a thick cap of creaminess that leaves sheet lacing on its way dawn and after each drink. This is another delicious looking IPA from Flossmoor.

Whew, this beer is a grapefruit bomb. Flossmoor used "c" hops galore in this brew. Their website mentions Columbus, Cascade, Cluster, and Simcoe; all of which fly from the glass directly into my nose. The aroma consists of mostly grapefruit pith with a little sugared grapefruit for good measure. Some of that aspirin like quality slides its way in there while the malt profile of this beer is almost all pale with a light drizzling of caramel. The malt is barely detectable in the nose, just the way I like it.

The flavor of this beer follows suit. The caramel is more pronounced as is a slight sweetness from the pale malts but hops rule the day. The malts wash over the tongue first but are violently shoved aside while the bitter grapefruit pith stomps all over my tongue and down my throat. This beer changes immensely as it warms. When the beers colder the bitterness is a buzzsaw along the tongue as it warms more malts come forward while the bitterness concentrates itself on the back of the tongue. This IPA is very nicely done.

This IPA starts out juicy but before I know it my mouth is bone dry with a lingering bitterness throughout that ends up doing a number on my tongue as I get close the end of the bottle. The dryness and bitterness alone raises the score for me. There is a moderate body here with soft carbonation that allows the beer to work through slowly.

This bomber disappears too quickly and I'm left wanting more. I should have picked up a growler while I was at the brewpub.

This is another excellent IPA in the series from the guys at Flossmoor. They have yet to make one that isn't excellent. These IPAs can go toe to toe with the best.

Reviewed: 10/27/08
Aug 19, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by birdsellam from Indiana

Feb 16, 2012
 
Rated: 4.5 by brandoman63 from Illinois

Nov 30, 2011
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Reviewed by tpd975 from Florida

3.97/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
If it's from Floosmoor it was provided by fishingnet

A: Pours a cloudy orange hue with a light head. No real retention or lace.

S: Caramel malt sweetness, fresh florida orange with some light notes of bitter grapefruit.

T: Nice balance between hops and malt. Gooey caramel with some brown sugar. Lots of orange with mild grapefruit, Wow just like the nose.

M: Medium in body smooth.

D: Good Ipa
Jan 29, 2010
Photo of Florida9
Reviewed by Florida9 from Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A: Very hazy orange in color. I split this one between two glasses, one a snifter and the other a tulip. The snifter produced a short, white crema-like head which the tulip produced a a large, big-bubbled white head. okay lacing.

S: Bread. Yeasty malts. Orange-lemon-citrus hops.

T: Low levels of pale malts. Light lemon and orange. A slight sourness and a little hop spice to it.

M: Medium in weight with medium carbonation. Bitterness builds slowly as you drink it.

D: I got this one on deep discount and I can see why - It appears to have a good bit of age on it, which isn't a good thing. I guess the surprising part is that the beer is still relatively good. Unfortunately, the yeast flavors (or rather off-flavors) have kicked in and are starting to dominate.
Nov 30, 2009
Photo of taylorhamrick
Reviewed by taylorhamrick from South Carolina

4.37/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Pours out with a kind of small head, but with a more vigorous second pour, I was able to quite quite a nice pillow of carbonation. The bubbles look a little loose, but they eventually remain in a tight cap that leaves a bit of lacing. The color is deep copper, with edges that are almost yellow. The smell is immediately of pungent hops. You get some moderate esters floating around, maybe some orange juice, but the citrus is subdued. There's a nice malty sweetness behind it, well accenting the hops, kind of bready. The hops are different than normal, I think there's some Nugget in here, there a bit grassy, not too resinous, but moderately so, there's really a kind of herbal, floral note. The flowery aspect of these hops is really shining. The taste starts out with some caramel syrup, like sweet cake, very nice. I also notice a bit of a citrus taste, like some glaze on the cake. But it moves more to floral soon, with pollens, some herbs, a bit of a taste of raw honey, and a bit of some leafy and grassy tastes. There's an interesting fruit presence, a bit tropical, a bit underripe, maybe some mango and cherry, mixed in with some light esters. Then finishes again with a bit of malty sweetness. The body is nice and full, almost too full, but not thick and syrupy. Kind of chewy though. The resins don't pucker you up too much, but you can feel them. And the carbonation is pleasant, almost sharp, but not bad. The beer is actually quite complex, which slows you down, but enhances your enjoyment of the beer by quite a bit. The ABV is sort of high, but I could probably still drink more than one. I really enjoyed it and would love to have another.
Jul 10, 2009
Photo of mikesgroove
Reviewed by mikesgroove from South Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A big thanks to a kind BA who sent me this bottle. Another one off the bucket list, which seems to be a common theme these days! Served cold and poured into a pint glass, this one was consumed on 04/28/2009.

The pour was very nice. A rich copper amber in color with a large billowing head of white that came up to two inches over the top of the glass, Nice and smooth settle left behind lots of side glass lacing and a nice inch of foam across the top. The aroma was a mix of light citrus hops and a nice and mellow bready malt. As it warms almost a touch of caramel comes out of it. Really very nice feel here as the the smooth and mellow medium bodied texture was very nicely balalced against good carbonation and a very creamy feel. Nice bitter citrus hops are the first thing to show up on this one. Really very well put together here with a ton of pine thrown in for good measure. Very well balanced though as the malts come in mid palate and lead the way to the dry finis and a super sessionable flavor.

Overall a very solid IPA. I am sure it was a bit more bitter when fresh but this bottle has held up well in the fridge as it was still one of the better in the style. I would like to see this one come around again.
Apr 29, 2009
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Reviewed by keithricker from Illinois

5/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Bottled, from the MapRoom in Chicago. Server had a heck of a time battling the wax top. :-)

To the reviewer just below mine: The varying colors of wax is their way of distinguishing the various offerings in this series. It probably represents significant cost savings versus printing new labels -- which would be unreasonably expensive, I would image, for such a limited release.

Color is a somewhat darker amber than most IPAs. Almost borders on an Amber or Red in appearance. Excellent head and lacing, etc. Looks like a very finely-crafted brew. Aroma is purely intoxicating; pine forest with hints of fresh texas grapefruit and hot cinnamon bread.

First taste was that of a Double or Triple IPA with the expected hop explosion, giving way to all sorts of complex flavors I can barely begin to describe. The follow-up is almost like a Red ale, with lots of toasted flavors, along with some mild hop bitterness. "IPA" is kind of a loose categorization, but then I don't think the brewmaster was overly concerned with trivial matters like labels and classifications. As part of the "brewers whim" series ... I get the sense that the brewer had some fun with this brew, rather than proceeding with any sort of caution.

Mouthfeel has kind of a frothy, rootbeer-ish quality that makes it fun to drink, but perhaps a bit heavy and flavorful to be considered sessionable.

In summary, this beer is all about the flavor. It is a rich and complex melding of flavors who's whole is greater than the sum of it's parts. I must have tasted about 10 different hop flavors, from fresh pine to organic citrus to a more organic wheatgrass, all in the same sip. Lively spices meld with a "red-ish" malt profile accented by notes of currant, molasses and black cherries.

This was my first from Flossmoor Station. I have always been skeptical due to the hype it receives around my neck of the woods, but I am now a believer. The "whim" series is a neat concept that embodies the spirit of a mad scientist set free from his straight jacket to run loose in his beer lab to see what he can concoct. And at least with this offering, the result is a very fun-tasting beer that excites the hop sensors on the tongue, in turn signaling the hop pleasure areas of the brain, causing my mouth to involuntarily utter the "mmmm" sound. "The Curse" is an ironic naming, as it is really more of a blessing. Perhaps because it is a limited release, I am cursed never to have anything like this again. Which is a shame.
Feb 23, 2009
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Reviewed by Ineedabeerhere from Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Got a bottle of this recently from the very generous Unclejedi- thanks!

Now let me make one comment here: Why is the cap waxed? Generally, you will come upon waxed bottles which are meant to be aged for an extended period of time since the wax can provide a more efficient seal as the bottle caps do fail sometimes over time. But this is an IPA- its not meant to age. My only conclusion here is that its waxed for purely aesthetic value. To me, it seems like it is a waste, and an unnecessary cost to produce which is ultimately passed down to the consumer. Oh well, onto the real review....

Pours fairly dark for an IPA, slightly cloudy dark amber color into my trusty Bruery-branded tulip (also received from unclejedi) which helps to support a 1 finger head.

Nice strong hop aroma of citrus and grassy notes. Some toasted (nutty?) caramel malt as well.

I saw that many other reviews noted that this was a pretty bitter brew- I thought that the hop profile played through and it had a fairly strong bitterness but I wasn't blown away by it. It was very flavorful with a full bodied, almost creamy mouthfeel- although certainly not balanced. I had no trouble killing the bomber by myself with a couple slices of pizza- very drinkable.
Jan 25, 2009
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Reviewed by MasterSki from Canada (ON)

4.17/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Picked up one of these at Armanetti's a little while ago - finally got around to popping it open.

A - Two fingers of off-white foam, excellent retention & lacing. The beer itself is a murky amber color, but is strangely darker and brownish in the upper half the glass(!).

S - Hoppy citrus flavors - lemon zest, grapefruit, pineapple, pine and floral scents. Not sure how old these bottles are, but they've held up well (gotta love the wax tops, even if they're a bitch to open). There's a solid malt backbone with toffee and bready flavors.

T - Now that's bitter - really surprising for a single IPA. It's mostly grapefruit with a touch of pine in the taste. There's a tiny bit of malt sweetness before the bitterness takes off, but otherwise it stays bitter well into the aftertaste. It's a little unbalanced for me, and a little bit of a letdown from the rich aroma.

M - Good thickness, very creamy. Smooth drinking and not overly carbonated. Lots of residual resin character. I can't think of many ways this could improve - perhaps it could be a little crisper at the onset.

D - The bitterness puts me off drinking more than my one bottle. The alcohol, while not obvious, is clearly present - no deception here. It's a good beer, and I'd have it again, but it's not Furious in the way I can demolish a 4-pack.

Lovin' these Flossmoor Brewer's Whim series - they're all pretty different in character. It'd be nice to see a chart with the different hop usage.
Jan 20, 2009
Photo of jjayjaye
Reviewed by jjayjaye from New York

4.38/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Review 11/26/08 - Brewer's Whim Series - Batch #7. Flossmoor Beer Blog - IPA Wax Color Code -Red - THE CURSE

Many, many thanks to DavidEddie for the opportunity to consider this one as well!! These are some of the best IPAs out there. Orange peach color with a big foamy pastel yellow head that resists fading and leaves sheets of Belgian lacing. The aroma on this one is more subdued; a piny resin hop is the lead character in this play. Big, full bodied beverage that's totally creamy; slightly lighter in the mouth than the Lady. The flavors are big and the grapefruit hoppy resin and sweet malts compliment each other really well. Its up at 7.3% ABV and it's another real fine drinker. Wow that was good! A 4.5, S 4, M 4.5, T4.75, D 4.5

Previously filed as Brewer's Whim Series:IPA
Jan 04, 2009
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Reviewed by TurdFurgison from Ohio

4.37/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
I picked up this bomber at Armanetti in Chicago for $9.99, along with 4 other "Brewer's Whim" series bottles. No "Curse" name on the bottle, only identified by the red wax. The beer is light copper color and transparent, with a thick creamy head which forms wet lace on the glass. The smell is all hops, citrusy and sweet. Actually you can make out some malt aromas in the back too. The taste is citrus (grapefruit, maybe orange) and a little floral, with some malty sweetness that keep the bitterness away in the aftertaste. The body is light, almost creamy like a cask conditioned ale but wiht more carbonation. Overall this is a great IPA now, and might have been even better when fresher.
Jan 02, 2009
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Reviewed by largadeer from California

2/5  rDev -52.6%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Dyan shared this one with me. Thanks!

Appearance: Ultra turbid orange-amber with a solid white head. Clarity is atrocious but otherwise it's a decent looking beer.

Smell: Bready sweetness, light on the hop aroma aside from a touch of grapefruit.

Taste & mouthfeel: Similar to the aroma; bready, malty, subtle citrus. Medium-light body, fairly crisp. The finish has a nice big resiny hop kick to it, but I find myself wanting more balancing hop flavor. Not awful, not great.
Jan 01, 2009
Photo of younger35
Reviewed by younger35 from Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Picked up a bottle of this from Dobby's in Palatine for $9.99. It wasn't in a fridge so hopefully hasn't lost that hoppy goodness. Drank from my Stone India Pale Ale flute.

Red Wax.
Flossmoor IPA 2 of 10

Appearance- Pours a hazy orange yellowish with a nice sized one finger creamy off-white head that has pretty potent staying power. A fairly decent cap is maintained and a bubbly/fluffy collar remains leaving a bit of sticky lacing.
Smell- Lots of citrusy hoppy goodness here. Grapefruit, pineapple and orange seem to burst out of the glass. Lightly floral with maybe a bit of earthy pine but mostly just loads of citrus. Despite all the hops in the nose, the malt comes through as well. Lightly buttery with some caramel/toffee tones and obviously enough; butterscotch. Quite a bit actually. It really comes out as this badboy warms.
Taste- Starts with a fairly big rush of bitter citrus; loads of grapefruit pith and on a lesser note, orange peel. The bitterness actually gets taken over fairly quickly by a blast of biscuity malt sweetness. Not overly sweet mind you, just enough caramel to cut the bitterness for a slight second. Finishes with a light malty kick and the return of the citrusy bitterness. Lingering grapefruit and some alcohol last and last.
Mouthfeel- Medium to heavy body with soft creamy feel with the light zesty carbonation and semi warming.
Drinkability- Overall I tend to enjoy more of a 'balanced' IPA which I think I would classify this as. This is my exception apparently. I really like the hop combo that's going on in here and I almost feel that the malt is getting in the way (and I don't think that often). Definitely worth a try regardless!
Dec 30, 2008
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Reviewed by hellbilly from Arizona

3.95/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
growler received from SQNfan in the growler swap version something or other.

pours a pale copper color with a medium sized wispy near white head which leaves pillows of lace all over the glass.

intensely fresh citrusy aroma... lots of grapefruit peel and flesh, orange peel, leafy green hops, flowers and a small amount of malty sweetness.

the palate is incredibly hoppy and dry but in no way bitey... flavors of grapefruit pith, rosemary-esque pine qualities, various citrus, earthy sweetness from the grains, flowers and a spicy kick before a dry mildly bitter finish. soapy floral aftertaste continues to parch. seemingly full bodied with a very rich mouth feel from the creamy slick carbonation (perhaps the 2+ weeks in the jug?). it never distracts though as the bitterness keep punishing my tongue!
7/3/8/4.5/16/3.8
Dec 16, 2008
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Reviewed by DefenCorps from Oregon

4.38/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
22oz bottle with red wax thanks to my friend Kunal who brought me a couple of these when he came visiting over Thanksgiving. Thanks are due to joe1510 as well for pointing him in the right direction

A: Decanting this at cellar temp into my Duvel tulip yields a sunset orange beer that's got a little haze and a massive off-white head with excellent retention and great lacework that reminds me of the Mayhem logo. Awesome.

S: Glorious hops with a massive grapefruit punch and a ton of citrus. There's some sweetness as well with a caramel/ fruity character. This one is a solid grapefruit bomb, though.

T: Wow. Grapefruit assault all the way with a great flavor, bitterness and a hint of hop astringency. While there is a little heft to the beer, it never gets to be distracting, allowing the hops to dominate. Clean hop flavor all the way with a hint of some pine and some citrus. Dry and bitter on the finish with some wonderful pine and grapefruit bitterness

M: Light to medium in body with moderate carbonation that goes really well with the resiny hop character. The finish is fantastic, both in dryness and bitterness

D: I'm drinking this bomber with no issues and could go for another...
Dec 12, 2008
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Reviewed by BeerTruth from Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Another Flossmoor brew courtesy of the very generous joe1510, god I love these IPA's!!

22 oz. bloody waxed bomber poured into a nonic.

Pours a foggy copper hue (just like most in the series) with a full two finger off-white head that seems to stick around forever. A wonderful layer of webbing remains on the sides of the glass. Smell is probably the sweetest I've encountered in the series so far. Lots of floral and citrus hops fill the nose with a touch of pine underneath. A good amount of caramel malt and butterscotch balance out this hop monster. Just a wonderful beer to sniff. Taste starts off with sweet pink grapefruit sprinkled with brown sugar. The bitter hop sting comes midway with juicy oranges and peaches. Aftertaste is a bit dry with some earthiness, a touch of spruce, and buttery biscuits...mmm!!! Creamy medium body with a smooth feel and soft carbonation, just how I like my IPA's. There is some booze as it warms, but that didn't stop me from puttin' this one down. My favorite SO FAR in the series. I just have a feeling that something down the road will top this one, but it won't be easy. Keep up the good work Flossmoor, and keep 'em comin' my way Joe :) Winner winner chicken dinner, get your hands on this one for sure.
Dec 09, 2008
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Reviewed by roadhouse from Florida

4.53/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
I was hoping to get this one on tap at Flossmoor last night but it was gone so I settled for the bottled version. Poured from a 22 oz. red waxed bomber into a pint glass.

Appears orange-amber in color with a one inch off-white head. This one is really clear and the carbonation bubbles are coming up like a reverse snowstorm and it's nice to look at. Leaves some very nice looking lacing down the entire glass.

Aroma is bursting with fresh hops with grapefruit and floral qualities being the most dominant but there is also some piney, grassy and slightly sweet and spicy notes as well.

The taste has a great fruitiness and sweet caramel at the start that is quickly laid to rest by an assault of citrus, pine, and spicy hops. The caramel sweetness lingers on beneath everything and the finish is wonderfully hoppy with a sort of raisiny sweetness in the back.

Mouthfeel is medium but a bit closer to the full side. Pretty chewy but very easy to drink.

This was definitely one of the best Flossmoor IPAs that I've tried. Not quite as good as Vishnu's Vice but still one of the best I've ever had.
Dec 01, 2008
The Curse IPA from Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 30 ratings