Ruud Awakening IPA
Old Schoolhouse Brewery

A 16 ounce draft pour into a nonic pint glass at the taproom.

Look- Deep gold, mildly hazy, white frothy head, above average head retention and lacing.

Smell- Tangerine, pine, pith, slight biscuit, medium strength of scent.

Taste- Tangerine, pithy, slight pine, medium strength of flavor.

Feel- Medium body, average carbonation, moderate bitterness, moderately creamy, mildly mouth warming.

Overall- Deep gold and mildly hazy with above average head retention and lacing. The bouquet was tangerine, pine, pith and some slight malt character. The flavor followed the nose and the alcohol content blended well with the malt, but the pine was much less pronounced than in the nose. Both aroma and flavor were medium in strength. Feel was medium bodied with moderate bitterness and some mild mouth warming character. Overall this beer provided a nice drinking experience with nothing really sticking out good or bad. Thus it was solid, but average.

22oz bottle of Old Schoolhouse's Ruud Awakening. Beer is off-clear and brassy amber with a moderate white head. Aroma is piney but has a caramel malt sweetness in the nose, too. Flavor has a solid West coast IPA bitterness with more pine and resin, but a solid malt backbone to bring balance to the classic IIPA flavor. Low carbonation makes for a pleasant, weighty mouthfeel. The finish is bitter and makes no apologies for its hoppy aftertaste.

 

Poured from 22oz bomber into a tulip. No packaging date listed.

Appearance: medium orange hue with a tiny dash of haze and a light effervescence. head is a finger of frothy tan foam that looks quite nice atop the orange.

Smell: classic West Coast hop aroma: pungent and piney. There's quite a lot of sweetness underneath as well, but it is balanced.

Taste: quite malty with a piney, resinous, herbal hop character and a solid bitterness. This is definitely a classic WC DIPA, and a nicely executed example of the style.

Mouthfeel: medium-rich body with a good carbonation and really a great creaminess for the style. Really good.

Overall: I like this beer, especially as an example of the style, but it is a bit hard-hitting for my taste.

220z bottle picked up at Central Market in Mill creek, Washington.
No canned on or Pakgd date, a bit concerning. Served in an oldschool McDonals NBA Looney Toons plastic cup.

Look- Deep, hazy amber color with an off-white amber head , good amount of lacing. Carbonation is rather active in the glass as it sits.

Smell- Ripe, sweet orange, sweet spring and summer berries, malt and skunk, a little grass.

Taste- Very similar to the smell, but the old skunk kills it.

Feel- Medium bodied but smooth, bitterness hangs around for a while

O- I would love to try a fresh bottle of this, I will update this if I can find one.
Kind of sad I live about 200 miles from this brewery and can't find a fresh botlle.

 

 

 

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a medium, coppery amber with fine two finger white head with great retention and thick lacing, looks nice. Aroma of caramel malt, citrus and piney hops, orange, grapefruit, light dankness. Good to smell a classic West Coast IPA again. Flavor is caramel and lightly biscuit malt, citrus and grassy hops with a little pine, orange, light lemon, grapefruit and hints of light stone fruit. Finishes with solid citrus and grassy hops with hints of piney; good bitterness level. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess and pleasant mouth feel. I'm surprised I haven't reviewed this before, as I've had it several times over the years. A super example of the classic West Coast IPA style, with old fashioned suggestions of early, English inspired IPAs with the mix of grassy hops and biscuit malt with the more domestic flavors. Really solid flavor and hopping without over the edge bitterness. A perfect IPA for the start of a little high heat in the Northwest. I have to say that this is one of the most frequently suggested IPAs when I talk to a new beer person at local stores that carry craft beer. It flies under the radar, but is widely appreciated, not the least by me right now.