Crooked Tree
Dark Horse Brewing Company
Beer Geek Stats
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- Style:
- IPA - American
Ranked #1,003 - ABV:
- 6.5%
- Score:
- 89
Ranked #8,128 - Avg:
- 3.99 | pDev: 11.03%
- Reviews:
- 941
- Ratings:
- From:
- Dark Horse Brewing Company
- Michigan, United States
- Avail:
- Year-round
- Wants
- 151
- Gots
- 608
SCORE
89
Very Good
89
Very Good
Notes:
Inspired by West Coast I.P.A.'s, but brewed with Michigan style. The Crooked Tree is heavily dry hopped to give it a big aroma of pine and citrus. The flavors are big, yet very balanced between fresh hops and malt. Often described as "grapefruit" our hops give this beer an excellent fruit flavor that finishes dry.
Reviews: 941
| Ratings: 3,361
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Reviews by the Alström Bros:
BeerAdvocate from Massachusetts
4.5/5 rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
From BeerAdvocate Magazine Volume II, Issue II:
West Coast IPA done Michigan style with an almost patented "Intense Transfer Method." Bring it on, our hophead alter egos are ready for it. Nearly clear orange-amber color dons a thin haze. Solid head retention with some sticky bubbly lacing. Deep aromas of ruby grapefruit, evergreen and wild flowers show what the hops are all about. It seems the nose is all about the hops as well. Mild carbonation, smooth and crisp medium body. Citric hop flavor throughout, mostly tangerines, sweet grapefruit and blood oranges. Hop bitterness is soft as the hop flavor is dominant with a puckering component. Sure there is some maltiness present with a notch of sweetness and light biscuity undertones, it brings some balance to the mix. Hint of alcohol middle to end with a juicy cherry fruitiness. The finish points toward dry with a long lingering and pleasant hop flavor.
Bull's-eye when it comes to the style its aiming for. Drinkability is high and with only 6.0 percent ABV it's a borderline session ale; at least in our book it is. IPA freaks should seek this beer out.
Nov 13, 2009
4.5/5 rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
From BeerAdvocate Magazine Volume II, Issue II:
West Coast IPA done Michigan style with an almost patented "Intense Transfer Method." Bring it on, our hophead alter egos are ready for it. Nearly clear orange-amber color dons a thin haze. Solid head retention with some sticky bubbly lacing. Deep aromas of ruby grapefruit, evergreen and wild flowers show what the hops are all about. It seems the nose is all about the hops as well. Mild carbonation, smooth and crisp medium body. Citric hop flavor throughout, mostly tangerines, sweet grapefruit and blood oranges. Hop bitterness is soft as the hop flavor is dominant with a puckering component. Sure there is some maltiness present with a notch of sweetness and light biscuity undertones, it brings some balance to the mix. Hint of alcohol middle to end with a juicy cherry fruitiness. The finish points toward dry with a long lingering and pleasant hop flavor.
Bull's-eye when it comes to the style its aiming for. Drinkability is high and with only 6.0 percent ABV it's a borderline session ale; at least in our book it is. IPA freaks should seek this beer out.
Nov 13, 2009
More User Reviews:
B-Stad from Minnesota
4.44/5 rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Very good IPA offering from Dark Horse. You can't find a better balanced IPA than Crooked Tree. There's nothing exciting or unique about this beer, it is simply crafted to perfection. If you enjoy IPAs you will definitely appreciate this beer.
Jul 12, 2015
4.44/5 rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Very good IPA offering from Dark Horse. You can't find a better balanced IPA than Crooked Tree. There's nothing exciting or unique about this beer, it is simply crafted to perfection. If you enjoy IPAs you will definitely appreciate this beer.
Jul 12, 2015
Treyliff from West Virginia
3.74/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle poured into a snifter
A- pours a murky deep amber color with a thin foamy white head that has short retention, settling into a thin film on top
S- fruity hop aroma with some notes of candied orange peel, a bit of pine, plenty of bready malt
T- more fruity hops up front with more candied orange peel, piney and earthy hops at the mid-palate, the finish is malty sweet, with noticeable alcohol
M- medium body and medium prickly carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel and a creamy, slightly warming finish
O- good ipa, a bit malty, nothing outstanding but certainly drinkable
May 07, 2017
3.74/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle poured into a snifter
A- pours a murky deep amber color with a thin foamy white head that has short retention, settling into a thin film on top
S- fruity hop aroma with some notes of candied orange peel, a bit of pine, plenty of bready malt
T- more fruity hops up front with more candied orange peel, piney and earthy hops at the mid-palate, the finish is malty sweet, with noticeable alcohol
M- medium body and medium prickly carbonation leads to a foamy mouthfeel and a creamy, slightly warming finish
O- good ipa, a bit malty, nothing outstanding but certainly drinkable
May 07, 2017
Bis4beer70 from Indiana
4.2/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The appearance of this beer is murky for an IPA,a cloudy orange.
Right away with a surprising fresh citrus but not BIG hops taste and it's w/a medium to full body.
Overall, for a not so super hoppy tasting IPA, it's drinkable and very satisfying.
My wife bought one for me & i'm gonna watch a recorded two day old,Fare Thee Well night 2 in Chicago while (or soon after) drinking it (depending on when my wife comes back up from the basement after gaming)...i'll continue watching Seinfeld reruns & reading Ulysses until she gets up here...My dog Sputnik looks bored over there setting in the red chair,poor guy! He wants to watch Grateful Dead & Trey too....also,this beer has a slight after taste that is not the best...a little bitter in a bad way...like the way you can feel about a Crooked tree in your back yard & the way it always scares ya a little bit that it might fall on yer garage in stormy weather...
Jul 07, 2015
4.2/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The appearance of this beer is murky for an IPA,a cloudy orange.
Right away with a surprising fresh citrus but not BIG hops taste and it's w/a medium to full body.
Overall, for a not so super hoppy tasting IPA, it's drinkable and very satisfying.
My wife bought one for me & i'm gonna watch a recorded two day old,Fare Thee Well night 2 in Chicago while (or soon after) drinking it (depending on when my wife comes back up from the basement after gaming)...i'll continue watching Seinfeld reruns & reading Ulysses until she gets up here...My dog Sputnik looks bored over there setting in the red chair,poor guy! He wants to watch Grateful Dead & Trey too....also,this beer has a slight after taste that is not the best...a little bitter in a bad way...like the way you can feel about a Crooked tree in your back yard & the way it always scares ya a little bit that it might fall on yer garage in stormy weather...
Jul 07, 2015
MuddyFeet from North Carolina
3.43/5 rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured the color of unpasteurized apple cider. Thick, murky and juicy looking. Creamy white head that hovers around like frothed milk. Nose is slightly woody and I can just slightly distinguish the hops.
The hops were much more pronounced in the flavor. The malts were sweet and a bit fruity. Also, got quite a bit of woodiness flavors. Medium body but a bit too much acidic clinginess for me. The hops really linger but not as bad as some other beers. But just enough for me to feel like I chomped into a Christmas tree.
Aug 15, 2006
3.43/5 rDev -14%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Poured the color of unpasteurized apple cider. Thick, murky and juicy looking. Creamy white head that hovers around like frothed milk. Nose is slightly woody and I can just slightly distinguish the hops.
The hops were much more pronounced in the flavor. The malts were sweet and a bit fruity. Also, got quite a bit of woodiness flavors. Medium body but a bit too much acidic clinginess for me. The hops really linger but not as bad as some other beers. But just enough for me to feel like I chomped into a Christmas tree.
Aug 15, 2006
chinchill from South Carolina
3.84/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12 oz bottle from SC with a bottling date of Jan. 2016.
Hazy copper body with an over-sized,fluffy off-white head. Exceptional retention and lacing. Some sediment stuck on the bottom of the bottle.
Mildly hoppy aroma, likely subdued by the thick head. Moderately strong flavor with medium-high bitterness for style.
Good mouthfeel excepting for some mile hops-alcohol harshness.
Aug 16, 2013
3.84/5 rDev -3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12 oz bottle from SC with a bottling date of Jan. 2016.
Hazy copper body with an over-sized,fluffy off-white head. Exceptional retention and lacing. Some sediment stuck on the bottom of the bottle.
Mildly hoppy aroma, likely subdued by the thick head. Moderately strong flavor with medium-high bitterness for style.
Good mouthfeel excepting for some mile hops-alcohol harshness.
Aug 16, 2013
phiberoptik from Illinois
3.95/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours a deep copper with a sudsy off-white head.
Smells of mango, pineapple, caramel malt, wheat grass, honey, slightly dank and musty.
Bitter mango, slight juicy fruit flavor, dry malt, bitter metallic finish.
Medium bodied, but slightly thin with a tongue drying effect.
This is a good, tasty IPA. If you like lots of tropical fruit hop notes you will love this one.
Aug 19, 2012
3.95/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours a deep copper with a sudsy off-white head.
Smells of mango, pineapple, caramel malt, wheat grass, honey, slightly dank and musty.
Bitter mango, slight juicy fruit flavor, dry malt, bitter metallic finish.
Medium bodied, but slightly thin with a tongue drying effect.
This is a good, tasty IPA. If you like lots of tropical fruit hop notes you will love this one.
Aug 19, 2012
sjdevel from Utah
4.58/5 rDev +14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Look:
Quite effervescent after pouring from 12oz. bottle. Nice lacing after the head deflated. Hazy copper color that is darker than expected.
Smell:
Strong floral hops. Slight caramel notes and tart fruit.
Taste:
Strong bitterness greets you at first sip (but not very high on the IBU scale). After the bitterness fades, sweet malt and caramel flavors come through at the end. Citrusy notes creep up and, upon fading, finishes slightly dry
Feel:
Great mouthfeel. Fuller than expected and pleasing to the tongue. Light – Medium.
Overall:
I really liked this IPA and my first sample from Dark Horse. I saw this in a Michigan Meijers store on vacation and gave it a try.
Aug 20, 2015
4.58/5 rDev +14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Look:
Quite effervescent after pouring from 12oz. bottle. Nice lacing after the head deflated. Hazy copper color that is darker than expected.
Smell:
Strong floral hops. Slight caramel notes and tart fruit.
Taste:
Strong bitterness greets you at first sip (but not very high on the IBU scale). After the bitterness fades, sweet malt and caramel flavors come through at the end. Citrusy notes creep up and, upon fading, finishes slightly dry
Feel:
Great mouthfeel. Fuller than expected and pleasing to the tongue. Light – Medium.
Overall:
I really liked this IPA and my first sample from Dark Horse. I saw this in a Michigan Meijers store on vacation and gave it a try.
Aug 20, 2015
Stengelfoot from California
4/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Nov 03, 2018
4/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Nov 03, 2018
drabmuh from Maryland
3.74/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Picked up a bottle of this at Julio's. Overall a rather plain IPA.
Beer is light copper with a full white head that sticks around and leaves some lacing on the glass. Mild haze and moderate to low carbonation.
Aroma is weak and mildly malty with hints of pine hops on the edges.
Beer is bitter and sulfury on the mid to late palate, overall its a chewy beer at medium body. Weak lead off but a strong hop presence in the second half of the mouth. Its a decent tasting IPA, easy drinking, just not very interesting.
Dec 06, 2010
3.74/5 rDev -6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Picked up a bottle of this at Julio's. Overall a rather plain IPA.
Beer is light copper with a full white head that sticks around and leaves some lacing on the glass. Mild haze and moderate to low carbonation.
Aroma is weak and mildly malty with hints of pine hops on the edges.
Beer is bitter and sulfury on the mid to late palate, overall its a chewy beer at medium body. Weak lead off but a strong hop presence in the second half of the mouth. Its a decent tasting IPA, easy drinking, just not very interesting.
Dec 06, 2010
largadeer from California
4.04/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: Pours a murky-as-hell amber with all variety of shit floating around in it. I think this might be unfiltered. Head retention is excellent however.
Smell: Like walking through a tree farm during Christmas time, this stuff has a huge pine aroma and actually little else. Citrus undertones may be present, or it may just be me trying to pick out something beyond the smell of pine. Hard to tell. I'm not complaining though, this stuff smells great.
Taste/mouthfeel: Well, the muck-infused texture isn't quite ideal for an IPA, but this actually has a lot going for it. Lots of pine and grapefruit hop flavor with a dry, biscuity malt foundation beneath it. The mouthfeel is pleasingly dry and semi-crisp, making this one more of a quaffing beer than something I'd sit around and contemplate life with.
Drinkability: I finished this one in no time and could definitely drink another (if I had one).
Notes: Got this from Scoobydank as an extra. Thanks man!
Jun 15, 2008
4.04/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: Pours a murky-as-hell amber with all variety of shit floating around in it. I think this might be unfiltered. Head retention is excellent however.
Smell: Like walking through a tree farm during Christmas time, this stuff has a huge pine aroma and actually little else. Citrus undertones may be present, or it may just be me trying to pick out something beyond the smell of pine. Hard to tell. I'm not complaining though, this stuff smells great.
Taste/mouthfeel: Well, the muck-infused texture isn't quite ideal for an IPA, but this actually has a lot going for it. Lots of pine and grapefruit hop flavor with a dry, biscuity malt foundation beneath it. The mouthfeel is pleasingly dry and semi-crisp, making this one more of a quaffing beer than something I'd sit around and contemplate life with.
Drinkability: I finished this one in no time and could definitely drink another (if I had one).
Notes: Got this from Scoobydank as an extra. Thanks man!
Jun 15, 2008
woosterbill from Kentucky
3.53/5 rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12 oz bottle into a Duvel tulip.
A: Hazy reddish amber body with an inch of dense off-white head; average retention and lacing. Solid.
S: Not too much going on, really. Light citrus hops and some caramel malt. Not bad at all, but far from memorable.
T: Starts out with sweet malt, then becomes a little spicy with the hops, and finishes back on the malt. Moderately bitter aftertaste. Balanced and enjoyable, but not really what I'm looking for out of an IPA.
M: Medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation, but the bubbles are a bit on the rough side.
D: As it warms, somehow both the malt sweetness and finishing bitterness become more pronounced - not exactly a recipe for drinkability. Still, it's not exactly a chore to put one back.
Notes: Underwhelming, but thoroughly innoffensive. This amount of caramel malt could definitely stand up to a more assertive dose of hops, and I'd especially like to see evidence of some later additions. This beer's plenty bitter, but not really that hoppy.
Cheers
Jun 28, 2010
3.53/5 rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12 oz bottle into a Duvel tulip.
A: Hazy reddish amber body with an inch of dense off-white head; average retention and lacing. Solid.
S: Not too much going on, really. Light citrus hops and some caramel malt. Not bad at all, but far from memorable.
T: Starts out with sweet malt, then becomes a little spicy with the hops, and finishes back on the malt. Moderately bitter aftertaste. Balanced and enjoyable, but not really what I'm looking for out of an IPA.
M: Medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation, but the bubbles are a bit on the rough side.
D: As it warms, somehow both the malt sweetness and finishing bitterness become more pronounced - not exactly a recipe for drinkability. Still, it's not exactly a chore to put one back.
Notes: Underwhelming, but thoroughly innoffensive. This amount of caramel malt could definitely stand up to a more assertive dose of hops, and I'd especially like to see evidence of some later additions. This beer's plenty bitter, but not really that hoppy.
Cheers
Jun 28, 2010
SmellsofMahagony from Texas
3.7/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Feb 01, 2015
3.7/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Feb 01, 2015
Crooked Tree from Dark Horse Brewing Company
Beer rating:
89 out of
100 with
3361 ratings
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