Extra I.P.A.
Swans Brewpub / Buckerfield Brewery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full pint on tap right at the source. Lightly colored, a dark apple juice hue with an anemic white head. Aroma is a tad curious, juicy pears right off the bat followed by some tangerine, mango, and peach notes and a subtle brown sugar malt backbone. This was a different American IPA experience ... Certainly this brew is hopped to that degree of intensity and the smell is west coast but the flavors are decidedly those of an "old world"/"new world" hybrid model. Potently bitter to my palate and super fizzy to boot. The flavor spectrum traverses pine and grass, chamomile and juniper, tomato leaf and gooseberry, hints of tropical fruit and fresh cut flowers but goes right back to a gin-like herbal/medicinal bitterness, slightly sour perhaps. Subtle butterscotch and caramel lurk in the background initially but the malts do grow as you go. Like a British IPA on steroids, really. I detect some booze. The mouthfeel remains reasonably smooth but I did not find the overall impact to be terribly gentle. Ratings could improve if I am in an appropriate mood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rank, hellish IPA for those who love IPAs...

A - What you'd expect from an IPA - amber coloured. It looks nice but...

S - Paint thinner and peppermint, with a dash of ammonia.

T - Pure minty bitterness - pure s*** in my opinion. It's the ultimate trendy hipster drink - so hoppy and nasty, the singular reason why I would never touch an ipa ever again.

M - Honestly, the bitterness was so rank, I couldn't tell you.

Overall - A nightmare. It made me so sick afterwards - I could taste the minty bitterness for hours after, even the next morning. The worst beer I have ever tasted.

A: Pours a pale and clear copper with 2 fingers of soapy white head leaving a scant ring of bubbles around the glass.

S: First hits pine, grassy notes and lemon, excellent lemon grass characteristics with mild bitter after taste. As the brew warmed up the tropical fruit scents developed, with notes of lycée, mango and pineapple. I'd suggest lingering over this drink a little to enjoy the changing scent as it warms.

T: Nice smooth pine and lemon with fresh cut grass echoing the lemon grass smell. A good level of maltiness up front that balance out the hops nicely. Overall it's a smooth IPA, with a level of malts that manage to compliment the hops, without outshining them.

M: Creamy, smooth and a little buttery, similar to an oaked chardonay, with enough body to leave a coating on the tongue. Fairly low carbonation - however I lingered over this for a good long time so that may be a result of the extended drinking time.

O: This brew is a well balanced mix of malts and hops with hints of tropical smells and tastes. I really enjoyed lingering over it enjoying the changing profile and recommend you try the same. Excellent paired with spicy noodles and fried eggs.