Shin Splints IPA
Orlison Brewing Co.

12oz can poured into shaker pint. poured a clean, clear dark gold color that had over a half-inch of rocky, white head that had good retention and very good lace.

The aroma had a bit of malt base, with some nice citrus hops.

The same in the flavor profile, with the addition of a nicely bitter finish.

The body was solidly medium, and had a dry finish.

Drinkability was good, the couple cans I've had have gone down good. Overall, while not spectacular, this is a nicely solid brew. worth a shot if you see it.

Appearance is attractive, with golden brew and the whitest foam I've come across. Aroma I would describe as "attenuated." Or you could say "none." The body is anorexic. So take another sip-- it's just one endless bitter attack. I think of aspirin before the first sip is down my throat.

This is the kind of beer that gives "hoppy" a bad name. Actually I can't think of very many IPAs that are more thin, bitter, astringent, and unpleasant. Fortunately I was given a 12 oz can and I don't have to drink the remaining eight. Ptooie!

 

 

 

 

 

 

12oz can purchased at Huckleberry's in Spokane for $1.49. No freshness date on the can, which features a label seemingly paying homage to Bloomsday, with a runner wearing the abv (5.3) as his number, with a somewhat jumbled version of Spokane's skyline in the background.

Poured into a Selkirk Abbey shaker pint glass, this was a clear, coppery amber color, with an inch or so off off-white foam perched on top. Said head retreated to a foam collar after a few minutes, leaving streaky and spotty lace behind. The good clarity hints at Orlison's previous exclusive focus on lagers.

Clean and somewhat bland nose of grassy and piney hops. Apparently this is hopped with Perle and Amarillo hops, with a very European malt bill of Pale, Munich and Vienna malts. The aroma is not unlike a very hop forward pilsener.

The taste is a bit more assertive, but this is not a hop bomb. The flavor starts with an herbal, grassy hoppiness, with a bit of grapefruity and piney flavor following, before finishing with a dry, slightly mineral tasting fadeout.

Medium bodied, with a somehow slightly oily yet dry mouthfeel, finishing slightly more clean than one would expect for an IPA.

Not a bad beer, but quite atypical for a PNW-brewed IPA. Apparently the inspiration for it came from a fondness for running among several employees who decided to make Orlison's first regularly produced ale (and first ever IPA) something that could be quaffed just after polishing off a run. Therefore it somewhat strays into session IPA territory. Add in their previous lager focus and their use of a more Eurocentric recipe than typical for the region, and you have a beer that tastes like this. I will drink this again, but not when I'm in the mood for the standard IPA experience.