India Pale Ale (IPA)
John Harvard's Brewery & Ale House

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviewed from notes. On tap at the Harvard location.

Color is a pretty nice orange color with an off white head and a bit of lacing. The nose is pretty plain with some light citrus hops and a bit of pine. The taste is similar with some light citrus and pine and doesn't really bring much; a slight bready taste as well. Feel has some very slight bitterness. Drinks fairly well, but not all that much involved.

This growler was supplied by a third-party so my friend and I did not have much information other than it was an IPA from the Manchester, CT pub. It poured a very cloudy maple color with a thin white head and minimal lacing. The aroma is grassy wheat with weak diluted hop hints. The flavor starts with a surprising kiss of grass hops, more than I noted in the aroma. Otherwise, it doesn't present a lot of complexity. Very little malt, sort of dry, medium feel, a little swampy. Not very drinkable to my taste buds but it's OK, a little different. Generally disappointing given my love of the style, but my friend seemed to like it alright. Won't hurt to try it but it sounds like there are plenty of better choices available at this brewpub.

This beer had a nice orange color with decent head and lacing. It had an excellent hoppy scent with citrus hints. Ver nice IPA flavor, a nice mix of hops with a slightly orange undertone. It goes with well and is worthy. While I prefer JH's pale ale, this DIPA is very good, too.

Growler-> pint

Pours a dark copper with a generous slightly oft white head that retains well and deposits some chalky sheets of lace.

Nose: Sweet, some hops, caramel

The mouth was medium full and seemed about right. No real hop presense at all. Dominated by thick malts with just a tad of bitterness. Had an extract like quality aftertaste that made me think that this batch was slightly off.

We finished the growler, but with little enthusiasm.

This was my second beer during this sitting, after the Red Ale that I did not finish. It was also a nice looking brew, had a nice thin head on top. Nice golden color to it, had a hint of red hue in it.
First taste was very tastey. It was a well made IPA, nothing that stands out, just a very Hoppy and bonified IPA. It was very enjoyable and with a clean finish like all IPA's should. Very well balanced, not overly hoppy.
Very pleased with this selection.

I got this brew on-tap at John Harvard's brew pub in Wayne, Pa.
Appearance: This poured a tight amber color, with a light tan head. The head was two fingers with good retention.
Smell: There was a mild hop aroma.
Taste: The taste was a magnified verison of the smell. It contained a high amount of hops.
Mouthfeel: Consistent with IPAs, very rigid.
Drinkability: I would say this has medium to high drinkability.
Don't drink and review.

Sample at the Pittsburgh location. This beer is a dark gold/copper color with a minimal off-white head. Very little lacing. Citrusy hops aroma with a touch of spice. Medium-bodied with a good amount of hops flavor, along with citrus and spices. The finish is where the beer comes up a little short. It is on the watery side and not as hoppy as the taste and smell. There is a light hops and spice aftertaste. This is fairly good aside from the weak finish.

It's been awhile since I've had a good, solid pine-tree-soaked IPA. This beer has remedied that shameful deficiency.

Poured from a brown glass John Harvard's screw-top growler retrieved from Pittsburgh by my brother, BigThuggin. Beer served in a Becher-style pub glass.

Swirls of color fill the glass: the brown, orange, red and yellow of a harvest cornucopia. A few large bubbles form the lackluster head and leave behind but no trace of lacing. The low carbonation and resulting lack of head in this particular serving are a consequence of the packaging and not of the craftsmanship.

This is a lively beer with a humongous evergreen bouquet accompanied by a surprisingly robust pale malt aroma.

Taste is resinous (in a good way) pine and grapefruit hops and again as in the smell, a rigid backbone of pale malt with a mildly toasted flavor. The malt might call to mind an English-style IPA, but the American-style hops still come out on top.

Mouthfeel is mildly watery which may also be a growler issue.

Easy drinking yet full of some simple but intense flavors, this is a damn good IPA. I look forward to trying this one fresh out of the tap.