Shiner Brewers Pride Brut IPA
Spoetzl Brewery

Appearance: A very murky orange glass struggles to hold a thin white wispy cover of foam. Gives a little lace.

Aroma: Tropical fruit, very ripe pear, earthy hop, mineral water.

Taste: Fruit flavors are pretty firm, a bit of banana esters, mango, with a pretty firm bitter and almost herbal finish, guessing the green tea. A hint of butterscotch.

Mouthfeel: Almost still, very flat, medium body, syrupy texture, swear there's a bit of pear grit, oily warm finish.

Overall: First taste did not impress me much. Too unusual, not really an IPA, not enough hops, too fruity, strange fruit at that, and almost flat. Starting to pick away at what I was tasting, I was struck by what this didn't taste like, a Shiner. Slap an obscure Belgian label on this and I wouldn't have blinked. Seems to be more to a European taste, lower hop, mineral water, complex. It won me over. Not sure I'm going to get more, but am enjoying this one.

 

Appearance: not completely clear, but not exactly hazy (you can see through and down the glass, but it is slightly foggy). Golden in color, white head that leaves a film across the top of the glass with a good amount of lacing.

Smell: Brut Champagne, white grape, sweet fruit.

Taste: almost like champagne at first, followed by sweet pear and bitter hops, finishes dry and clean. There is a taste in the middle and I’m not sure what to call it, it is slightly citrusy and slightly grainy between the light start and sweet pear/bitter hop finish.

Feel: light but not thin, good carbonation, dry finish.

Overall, a pretty fantastic version of an IPA. I really enjoyed the Rosè Pale Ale, so when I saw they made a Brut IPA, I knew that I was in for a treat, even with my disdain for IPA’s in general. I wish I had room reserved on the ride back to New England for more than a 6 pack of these.

 

 

Brüt IPA by Spoetzl Brewery 6.8% 45 IBU
IPA-Brüt

Appearance: pours gold, clear, white head turning into a ring of foam, nice lacing but doesn’t hang around

Aroma: pear, pale malt,

Taste: green apple, pear, bitterness at the back

Mouthfeel: light bodied, crisp, clean, some resin

Aftertaste: dry champagne, mild fruit hangs around

 

 

Insanely refreshing. Tastes like Green tea with a nice malt character, somewhat light on the hops. I wouldn't call it an IPA, it's really unique. Almost like a hopped green tea lager (except for the fact that it's an ale). This is by far the best Brut IPA I've had yet, very impressed.

Poured from bottle into Celis tulip, 2 finger soapy cream colored head recedes down to to a pool and hangs around, good lacing. Crystal clear golden in the glass. Smells of fruity belgian yeast esters, bready grain and lemon. Taste is what I want it to be, has some fruity yeast esters, sweet belgian candi sugar, pear and some light notes of citrus, almost lemony. Ends with a mild bitterness, and is dry, almost crisp. Very easy drinking 6.8%. If I had to guess, they took the recipe for the Belgian Pale they did a while back, maybe increased the hops a tad, and dried it out. I am totally fine with that because I loved that beer, but thought the residual sweetness was a tad too much. So why they may call this a Brut IPA, more like a Brut Belgian IPA, or a hoppy saison. Whatever it is, it is quite enjoyable