Friar Mike's IPA
Vertigo Brewing

On tap at the brewery.

A bronzed copper with a thin, light brown head with decent retention and lacing, this looks solid. The nose is classic old school IPA with pine and some grapefruit, along with a mild caramel and some honey. The palate opens with a blend of hop bitterness and dark caramel sweetness and bitterness. There's pine and grapefruit, along with dark honey, a little bit of toast and some bread. Neither the hop nor the malt necessarily call out English IPA. Medium in body with moderate carbonation, this beer finishes mildly sweet with a touch of fruit present. Decent.

Poured into a Samuel Smith imperial pint glass. Pours a medium bronze amber with a thin off-white head that dissipates to patches and thin ring around the glass with light slippery lacing. Light aroma of biscuit malt and grassy hops, almost like a bitter. Flavor more robust, dominated by citrus, herbal (mint family) and grassy hops, definitely English/continental in profile, mild biscuit malt. Medium bodied with mild carbonation. Nice domestic take on an English IPA. The hops seem authentic, although perhaps a bit more herbal than traditional, but that works positively for the ale. The malt seems a tad mild for the hopping, but supports it satisfactorily. Loses a few points for somewhat lackluster carbonation, although it may be similar to cask ale in that regard. A nice change of pace to the traditional IPA that spawned the hop monsters in the Northwest. If anything tasted this good by the time it got to India, they were lucky blokes.

 

A: Shines with a golden hue, a better looking beer comes far and few.

S: This beer is lighter on hops, but I still give it mad props.

T: Definitely an English IPA, But the flavor can stay.

M: The body is full, it will get you on a roll.

O: Down to perfection, doesn't need a correction

To appreciate this beer you have to reconfigure your preconceptions about IPAs. Most of the IPAs we get in the Pac Northwest are Northwest-style American IPAs. Friar Mike's is brewed to the English-style, so the properties of a NWIPA are absent by design. The aroma for example, is without hop emphasis - no flower bouquet or pine forest. And the bittering is stiff like a woolen overcoat - firm, but not overblown. Comes in unfiltered amber-brass with a radiant head, white as coconut, held aloft by a rolling boil of carbonation.

Though Vertigo is owned by two guys named Mike, Friar Mike's IPA is named for a mutual friend ordained as an internet minister. Nice change of pace in the IPA realm.

Just had at O'Brien's pub in Hillsboro (a great little authentic UK style pub btw), I think the only place it's available, made by 'the Intel guys' according to bartender. Served in a shaker pint, Friar Mike's IPA is a chill hazed golden orange with a small, creamy white head that leaves heavy lace.

Smell is at first rather subdued, citrus hops and apricots. Served cold, as it warmed, the orange aroma gained intensity.

Taste is pretty bright, minty, herbal hops, a bit of toasted malt and a spicy finish, with some sour citrus coming out as it warmed. Well balanced and quaffable, if a bit pedestrian.

Mouthfeel is crisp and slick, with a medium body and pretty high level of carbonation.

Drinkability is pretty good, a snappy little IPA, clean and easy drinking. Not a mind blower, but certainly something I'd order again next time I'm at O'Brien's.