Winter IPA
Peak Organic Brewing Company

 

 

Not sure I see this as a winter ipa. But I see it as being delicious. Has a great feel and superb taste. The taste is that of a heavier ipa but it packs all that juicy flavor into a drinkable 6.2. Well done. Grab it if you can.

 

This is a classic crisp IPA and it’s super drinkable. I have the advantage of drinking it very fresh here in Portland Maine and it’s a favorite for home. At 6.2 it’s easy to drink anytime. Not sure I see this as a Winter Ale but it’s a great refreshing brew. Sharp hoppy flavor that lasts through the glass.

 

Wow, what a great surprise! I think I had seen this beer at my local shop before let's get scared away when I saw "organic" ... I stupidly thought that likely translated into lesser taste it's not the Brewers focused on being Earth friendly rather than making great beer.... Boy was I wrong! Lacing down the glass, full body taste and an ABV it is on the lower side (a good thing) for a beer this flavorful.

 

Picked up a sixer or a solid price at Trader Joe's in Commack, NY while visiting home for the holidays. The flavor has balance but a nice medium bitterness from herbal and floral with a little citrus mixed in. The overall flavorful but technically efficient brew kind of nopes out on the finish but is still pretty good value.

A: crystal clear; deep gold in color; 1+ finger ivory head that receded to a wispy cap; very nice lacing;

S: red grapefruit;

T: red grapefruit, but not as bright as the aroma; some sweet malt balances things; a hint of mint from the middle through the finish; mild to moderate bitterness at the end;

M: medium bodied; moderate carbonation; dry finish;

O: interesting; would have like more grapefruit in the flavor; other than being brewed in NE, these is nothing NEIPA about this beer;

A: The beer is hazy yellow in color and has some hues of amber along with a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a quarter finger high white head that quickly settled down, leaving a collar around the edge of the glass and a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface.
S: Moderate aromas of gooseberry and stone fruit are present in the nose.
T: The taste has flavors of passionfruit and pears along with some notes of pine towards the finish.
M: It feels medium-bodied, rather crisp and a little juicy on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is more crisp then it is juicy and seems to resemble more of an American IPA than a New England IPA (albeit one that is brewed in New England).

Serving type: can

 

 

 

 

12 oz can: Best By 6/4/2020
Opened and reviewed on 12/4/19

Orange and copper glow, certainly not as hazy as most NEIPA'S. Carbonation is streaming to form a tight white foam cap. Plenty of coverage throughout with a bit of lacing to boot.

Dank earthy citrus aroma is very nice. Peppery pineapple and grainy golden light malts mix together righteously for the nose. Sweet tropical fruits and honey wheat grains is certainly bold and stanky .

One thing is always for sure with Peak... It's very fresh and crisp feeling. Full of life in the palate. Dry and smooth as the earthy grains pop out in the flavor. Husky and herbal hop flavors first, then pepper covered citrus and pineapple. The dry and bitter effects are pretty big, not as smooth and silky as some of my favorite NEIPA'S are, but more clean and snappy, finishing dry.

The Juicy and fruity aspects to the style is lacking, but is replaced with more malty/hoppy balance in a traditional way. I'm highly enjoying what the Winter offering is all about, but rated against others in it's style category makes it a bit low end. So I have to balance how much I actually like it with style guidelines. Complexity is low to medium but crazy easy to drink.

 

 

 

12 oz can sent by Sierranevallagash into Ommegang flute snifter. BBD 05/09/19.

Creamy juicy medium yellow color with a fluffy white head of 2 fingers leaving lots of lace up the sides of the glass.

Fresh cantaloupe and melon on the nose. Some nice green grape and grapefruit pith following. Slight hay and grass. Tangerine peel.

A huge flash wave of intense bitterness starts up this beer - I'm talking tons of grass, dank, pine, grapefruit pith, and lemon peel. You'd expect it to continue on like a super dank sticky west coast IPA. But then it simply vanishes like a magic trick - never seen this before - leaving delicate, yes delicate notes of melon, green grape, tangerine, and white grapefruit. Near zero lingering bitterness. Perhaps slight grassy bitterness but it's very minimal.

Lots of prickly carbonation with a soft body and acidity, definitely right with the water profile on this one. Slight lingering oily resins.

I've never ran into an IPA that brings such intense bitterness and then breaks away into an acoustic set right away. I'm really curious what hops/schedule they used, pretty unique stuff. Definitely try it once.

 

Pours a nice bright orange. Smells like a hops rainbow. A bright flavorful ipa. Floral and citrus body. Slight bitter finish. No corn syrup in this brew.

Decanted from a 12 oz (355 ml can) into a conical pint glass; best by 06/17/19.
A: Pours a cloudy, golden to amber color with a two inch, white head, solid retention and rings of sticky lacing.
S: Aromas of grapefruit (really akin to Fresca soda), lime, tutti-fruity, and pine.
T: Semisweet to semidry. Flavors largely follow the nose, although a bit a caramel and honey seem to be in the mix and lime definitely strong than the grapefruit (not so in the nose). Light bitterness just sufficient to offset excess sweetness.
M: Light to medium bodied with medium carbonation.
O: Flavorful and enjoyable, although something about it seems a bit artificial. Would have it again.

 

 

 

 

Hazy, opaque golden orange in appearance, with a small tight white head. Good retention. Rings of lacing.
Smells of sweet tropical fruits. Cantaloupe, mango, papaya, apricot, pineapple, and strawberry.
The taste follows the nose, but less sweet and more clean the nose would indicate. Nice sweet-tart mango, pineapple, papaya, and apricot, with a touch of mango. A bit of yellow grapefruit on the mid-palate, along with a light doughy malt. Finishes lightly dry with just a faint touch of bitterness that doesn't linger. Maybe a hint of pine and dankness along with the grapefruit, but it finishes quite clean.
The mouthfeel is soft and slightly creamy, medium-minus bodied, well carbonated, and slightly thin on the finish--but ends crisp and clean.

Pours hazy straw into a tulip glass. Lacing throughout drinking

Smell is peaches, citrus, malt, pine, grass.

Taste is juicy: bright citrus and mango that falls onto a solid malt backbone.

Great beer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Solid IPA with low bitterness and nice juicy citrus and tropical fruit notes. So...leaning NEIPA. But it's not all that hazy and the mouthfeel could be a lot softer. So...not really NEIPA especially considering it's stated to be so in the description. Tasty beer regardless.

 

A: Pours a lightly hazy yellow color without 2 fingers of head that fades down to a thin cap that leaves decent lacing

S: Moderate fruity and tropical notes up front. Some citrus and light pine in there as well

T: Follows the nose. Mostly tropical fruit and citrus with hints of pine. Moderately bitter. Finishes with lingering tropical fruit notes

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation

O: A solid IPA with great drinkability. Definitely leaning towards NE style. Nice