Wet Mountain IPA
Canteen Brewhouse (Il Vicino)

 

I had this IPA at the Il Vicino Pizzeria Microbrewery (Canteen Brewhouse) with pizza. It goes well with Pizza.

(L) Fairly clear amber hue, with half an inch off-white head.

(A) Aroma of sweet malts and citrus.

(T) It was malty, bready, sweet, as well as hoppy like grapefruit.

(F) Well balanced, a bit dry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bottle label data: BREWED & BOTTLED BY BRISTOL BREWING CO., COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. Bottling date appears to be notched somewhere between November and December.

Dark honey colored body; lots of yeast flecks suspended in the body; one-finger thick, foamy white head. Very little detectable aroma; some malt sweetness, maybe a wisp of pine scent when something does tickle the nose hairs. Malt-forward character initially with the taste, then a slowly developing hop bitterness that lasts through the finish; some grapefruit notes. Medium body; sweet with a crisp edge.

I assume this is a contract brewed beverage since the label distinctly states it's brewed by Bristol Brewing Company while Il Vicino pizza has locations in five locations (three in NM, one in CO, one in KS). Regardless, the IPA is okay though hardly memorable. Perhaps it's best described as a higher end English-styled IPA as far as overall character goes. I know it's been around for a long time (two decades or more - won a Gold Medal at the World Beer Cup in 1996) and the beer style would precede the current crop of hop bomb IPA offerings. Still, despite Canteen Brewery's web site claim to be intensely hoppy in aroma and flavor (http://brewery.ilvicino.com/the-beer/), this sample doesn't deliver. It's still tasty and respectable in an old-fashioned way, but is rather pedestrian compared so many AIPA offerings currently available.

 

A- Lighter copper body, one finger offwhite head, good retention, nice medium film, decent lacing though splotchy.

S- Grainy pale malt, citrus mostly mild lemon zest, plenty of grapefruit. A bit of floral/grassy aromas as well.

F- Caramel, bread, lemon zest, grapefruit, mild pine-forward bitterness on the backend that leaves a nice bitter sting. On the moderately sweet side of the spectrum. For the most part, not complicated but certainly reasonably tasty.

M- Medium-thin bodied, good carbonation, mild drying pine bitterness on the finish.

O- Decent IPA, nice hoppiness and a good malt backbone to make a decent drinker. Nothing mind-blowing, but it's a very solid local beer to have.