Hooligan IPA
Great Waters Brewing

I was a bit puzzled by this brew, as it was first presented to me, for as the cascase rippled it appeared to be cast in a a hazy golden hue, not how I prefer to see an IPA. When it settled, the color seemed a surer bronze, and the top was blessed with a milky froth.
Aroma: mild, yielding rather little, initially, faint peach, perhaps. Coulda used more in this department.
Taste: hops are rather quiet on the palate, but tasty. Bitterness unfolds, and soon a certain sourness appears from time to time, if I'm not going crazy. Under the hops, it's smooth and creamy. Nicely drinkable, with fruitiness subsisting throught, and I find myself liking it more as I drink. Had in the company of fellow BAs before Winterfest '04, and we all agreed it was a nice English-style rendition, but still not the sort of IPA that gets me excited.
There's a tagline under it's name on the board that reads: "Release your inner wanker." Man, you really don't want to encourage me to that, guys, I can't be held responsible for the after-math!

Golden color. Big, dense bone white head. Retention is outstanding. Flowery hop aroma. Some cereal grains as well. Flavor is just bland. That describes it perfectly. Mildly hoppy. Even more mildly malty. No off flavors, but still would be on the bottom rung of my IPA ladder. Thin body and a bit watery as well. No Thanks.

On cask: Nice dark golden orangy yellow color, somewhat hazy, lighter corn-like hue at the edges, tall one inch head of fluffy thick off-whiteness that just sits there, barely moving throughout the whole sitting, lacing in ocean foamed thickness and sticking in unusual flame-like shapes. Smell has a nice mild citrusy hop aroma thats seemingly mellow but present with some grassy notes and light breadish malting in the back. Taste is mildly hoppy with citrus and fresh grass, thats light and calm with a nice feel of bitterness, an English Style IPA all the way, thats more like an American pale but calmer. Super smooth with a little toasted breadish malt backing, but the hops perform a nice trick of easy bitterness and smoothness lending mellow citrus and grassyness. Not a major hop monster in any regards but with enough flavor, character, and bittering that makes you keep going. A super clear and lightly fluffy textured feel that fits right in for a cask-conditioned English IPA. Very quaffable stuff. A lighter side of an IPA thats rarely seen these days and pulled off so well. This ones a keeper in my book and could have continued drinking this all night long no prob. And it was even shared with ADR and Truthbrew, so that made for a good time too.

On cask at the brewpub, a much more balanced "English" IPA than either the Marnie Gras or the Shipwreck...

Just slightly hazy dark orange color, glistening 1/2 inch head that's almost bright white. Aroma is hoppy, but more mellow than strident, some bits of nectarine. Nice mouthfeel, very well-balanced for style -- creamy maltiness with just a tang of mandarin orange and mildly crocus-like bittering. The most hop heat is felt in the aftertaste. A well-composed beer, nice on cask, but hardly one for hard core hop heads. Those folks should wait for the Marnie Gras Ale come the Winter Carnival in January.