Three Penny IPA
The Shed Restaurant & Brewery

Pours a lightly hazed amber with good cap of white froth and decent lacing. Scent is strong on fruity and floral hops with a lightly sweet biscuity malt backbone. Taste leads with juicy orange and grapefruit with defined floral character and a faint note of grassy and herbal hops - all without being too bitter, biscuity malts keep the beer dry. Medium bodied, dry, good carbonation. Solid, yet unspectacular IPA with no off notes.

On tap @ the Three Penny Taproom (Montpeilier, VT) on 2/20/11. Served in a pint glass.

Pours a clear copper, topped with a ½ finger of rich eggshell-white head. This retains with a frothy look that leaves back a good amount of robust sticky lacing. The aroma is grassy and a little herbal, with some more bitter notes of citric fruit. Malts soften up the edges of this a bit but honestly; this nose just isn't giving up a whole lot of flavor here. This is disappointing.

Green and grassy hops are strong in the taste, which has a moderate bitterness and a bit too much of a raw veggie character going on with it. There is a bit of caramel and bread malt character here that sweetens the profile some on the edges but the dominate flavor here is mostly that same green bitterness the whole way through. The finish is dry with a lingering pithy bitterness that is coming on too strong. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a firm prickle carbonation that lasts during the duration of the glass. If this is 7% ABV, then it is extremely well hid. The body here probably keeps this beer in the game more than it should be.

I just couldn't get into this one. Just not enough complexity or excitement here from the hops (especially from a supposed DIPA), which all seemed to give off that same green tasting flat citric bitterness. Like I said, the body at least keeps this somewhat drinkable but I got bored with this glass pretty darn quickly.

On tap at..you guessed it..Three Penny Taproom in Montpelier, Vt.

Poured cloudy, typical looking almond amber, under a lite tan head, that leaves a tight, tiny bubble film and moderate amounts of fine lacing.

Floral hopped up nose.

The hopping here smacks me of being on the British side of things, fairly tame to be called a DIPA if you ask me. I'm not getting much citrus from this sample/batch. It is quite dry, quite tasty, quite enjoyable. Malty underpinnings in place. Easy drinking, well crafted, dangerously drinkable. I'd def. go for another..

A pint of this was enjoyed at the Three Penny Taproom on 11APR10, costing me $5.00. It is the recipe of one of the Three Penny owners, Matt, who was a former Shed brewer. I believe The Shed brews this exclusively for the Three Penny Taproom.

My pint was dark copper colored, with a little haze within. A frothy, off-white head crowned the liquid, lasted well and left excellent lacing. Nose exhibited some toastiness and citrus qualities. This DIPA was quite smooth going down, though it was a smidge less than medium bodywise.

Light toastiness leads off for flavor as well, creating a strong malt base. Solid hoppiness follows, with some rind produced by the Centennial, Chinook, Cascade and Simcoe. This citrussy action lasts well on the palate. A tasty recipe from Matt, nicely done by The Shed. Prosit!

4.05
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 4

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