Sacred Cow IPA
Arbor Brewing - Plymouth Taproom

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From:
Arbor Brewing - Plymouth Taproom
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
American IPA
ABV:
6.8%
Score:
84
Avg:
3.7 | pDev: 13.24%
Reviews:
153
Ratings:
385
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 04, 2020
Added:
Jul 30, 2002
Wants:
  9
Gots:
  48
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Beaver13:
Photo of Beaver13
Reviewed by Beaver13 from Colorado

4.23/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5
12 oz bottle. Pours a cloudy brownish gold with a thin white head that quickly goes to a thin film.

The aroma is bright and fruity (lemon) hops with some grains in the background.

The flavor is fruity, piney and grassy hops with some grains and a good bitter finish that lingers in the aftertaste. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation and kind of watery.

Overall, it's pretty one-dimensiona and a bit thinl, but it's a very good IPA and one of my favorites from Arbor.
May 02, 2008
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.27 by Seal4676 from Michigan

Jan 04, 2020
 
Rated: 3.5 by rare_bird from Michigan

Dec 03, 2019
Photo of Tripel_Threat
Reviewed by Tripel_Threat from Michigan

3.78/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Served on tap at the pub in an English pint. Copper color with a creamy head of foam. Aromas of biscuit, and orange blossom. Bready flavors with a orange and herbal hop flavor and an orange rind finish. Having a pull from the Cask gives it an English style IPA flavor and feel. A nice change of pace.
Nov 16, 2019
 
Rated: 3.5 by Coho11 from Ohio

Jul 25, 2018
 
Rated: 3.65 by SaisonRichBiere from Michigan

Mar 03, 2018
 
Rated: 4.44 by BenHoppy from Michigan

Dec 21, 2017
Photo of deg909
Rated by deg909 from California

4.25/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Sampled Nov 2017, in Grand Rapids, MI.
Liked it!
Dec 03, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by Marvicsin from California

Sep 30, 2017
 
Rated: 3.48 by mtomlins from Canada (ON)

Aug 14, 2017
Photo of Treyliff
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia

3.64/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle poured into a snifter

A- pours a deep amber color with a ruby hue, two-finger foamy white head that has great retention and leaves some lacing behind

S- citrus hop aroma up front with some orange zest, followed by an odd peppery clove aroma. Bready malt with a bit of pine and honey close it out

T- sweet malty base gives way to some citrus and piney hop notes. Mid-palate gives some orange marmalade, the finish is bready with a honeyed sweetness, lingers of citrus and peppery clove

M- medium body with high carbonation leads to a a foamy mouthfeel that fills the mouth into the finish

O- a little raw at times, but nice citrus fruity hop notes
May 10, 2017
 
Rated: 4.75 by Irish12 from Pennsylvania

Apr 15, 2017
 
Rated: 3.48 by tmcarter23 from Michigan

Mar 19, 2017
 
Rated: 2.83 by Stu_Grimson from Michigan

Mar 07, 2017
 
Rated: 4.23 by Benjolovesbeer from Michigan

Dec 15, 2016
 
Rated: 3.72 by MI_beerdrinker from Texas

Oct 17, 2016
 
Rated: 3.22 by j0hnc2468 from New York

Oct 15, 2016
 
Rated: 3.73 by Fishwhisperer from Michigan

Sep 19, 2016
Photo of Ozzylizard
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania

2.87/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
Undated bottle at 42 degrees into a hand washed and dried JK snifter
Aroma – spicy, fades completely away
Head small (Maximum < two cm, aggressive pour), tan, creamy, diminishing to
Lacing fair. Wide partial ring of tiny bubbles
Body – medium amber, hazy, particulates floating about – looks like cider
Flavor – definite hops bitterness and flavor, ends with an alum-like bitterness with a long hang time; no malt, no alcohol, no diacetyl
Palate – light to medium, watery, soft carbonation

Since this is undated, I don’t know how old it is but it has been sitting in the back of my reefer for three months. Hopefully it’s better fresher.

Appearance 3.25, Aroma 3, Flavor 3, Palate 3, Overall 2.75
Aug 11, 2016
Photo of Big_Neezy
Reviewed by Big_Neezy from Michigan

4.56/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
There should be two categories for Sacred Cow IPA: from the bottle and from the Ann Arbor taproom. I had it from the Ann Arbor taproom. The reason for this is that when you get a pull of it from the Ann Arbor taproom, it is served at cask temperature which is a fluctuating 10-15 degrees warmer then you would get from a refrigerated bottle and in my opinion, the one true way to enjoy this beer. Otherwise, pour it into a glass and let it sit for 10 minutes.

A: Rusty, golden color with a modest head.

S: You get classic IPA smells of orange and grapefruit peels. Citrus blossoms and bread notes.

T: At 80ish IPUs, it's got some bitter to it but the malt finishes nicely making for a great IPA. Long in flavor, but not an after taste, that properly develops on the palette.

M: Nice medium body which makes for defining characteristics to develop and for ease of drinking. More than a session IPA but still permits you to enjoy a couple.

O: Sacred Cow IPA should be considered one of the benchmarks for what a traditional American IPA should taste like. Great jumping off point for those just getting into IPAs. If you have the means to enjoy a glass from the A2 location, then please do.
Jun 22, 2016
Sacred Cow IPA from Arbor Brewing - Plymouth Taproom
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 385 ratings