Mel's Magic IPA
Iron Horse Brewery

8/13/2020 rated. Iron Horse brews some really good beers and this one is no exception. This beer pours an orange/amber with a small head and a fruity hop taste and nice malt body.

Poured from 12oz can into a dimpled mug. I can't quite read the date stamped on the bottom; 9/27/22 maybe?

Appearance: rich amber-orange hue with a moderate haze and a thick finger of frothy ivory foam with a little bit of an orange cast. Nice!

Smell: rather sweet, with both caramelly and biscuity malt character. Hops are citrusy and earthy in character; not bad, but it's rather on the sweet side for my taste.

Taste: bready, caramelly, sweet malt, with a fair dose of citrus hop character; bitterness is medium-high. Not too bad if you like your IPAs sweet.

Mouthfeel: medium body with a decent carbonation and creaminess.

Overall: this beer isn't bad, but it's not really suited to my palate -- it's rather on the sticky side.

Sixpack of cans pours a hazy copper color with a creamy white head. Smell is a pine scent. Taste is balanced between caramel malt and pine flavor. It's a little cloying on the finish. But a very flavorful brew.

12oz can from Albertsons. Clear copper pour, small lasting off-white foamy head. Malty, caramel aroma with a light hoppy edge. Hops more prominent in the taste, sticky toffee malts underneath. Mildly dry at the finish.

Beautiful copper red color and plenty of foam in the tall goblet. Tastes like a Red/Amber ale but better than most in that category. No more hoppy, though, with a modest bitter aftertaste. Quite malty with the roasted and caramel flavors. Hops are subdued with a touch of piney and resin notes in the aroma.

Overall this is quite drinkables, but sweet and malty, and just different from most IPAs nowadays. Looking up this beer on the IH website takes you down a very deep rabbit hole with no actual information on the beer. From the 12 oz can purchased at Elizabeth Station.

A total sleeper. Perfect balance of hop and malt. Tried it on a few friends and they were taken a back.

Hazy orange brown, looks like apple cider. Minimal head but some that clings to glass. Smell is sweet- mango, honey, pineapple, light apple spice. Taste is mellow all the way across. Upfront are bitter pineapple, apricot, and grapefruit with bready malt on the tail. Finish is wet and smooth. It’s a malt forward IPA but nicely balanced. If you’re a hop head it might not do it for you, but for me it’s the type of IPA I could drink a few of without getting overwhelmed.

is this a new one from these guys? have not seen it before, but then again new beers from iron horse are kind of rare, at least ones that come around boise, its always the same few. anyway, this is pretty old school, malty, amber colored, moderately bitter but nicely balanced and with quite a lot of body. its brick red, a little hazy, short tan head, full of mineral character, piney hops, a little oiliness, smooth in texture, slight oxidation but thats on me for keeping in the fridge for more than a month. to me these guys do one thing really well and everything else rather hit or miss, i love their pale, but this is from a bygone era, way more malt weight and caramelized character than i need in an ipa, and as such, i dont want to make a day of drinking them. there is a subtle yeast element here too, not quite english, but not inconsequential. overall not bad, good proportions if you like them old school, but this doesnt do a whole lot for me, slightly metallic as it sits but plenty carbonated to keep it moving. just a beer.