Thunderhead IPA
Thunder Canyon Brewery

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From:
Thunder Canyon Brewery
 
Arizona, United States
Style:
American IPA
ABV:
5.8%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.77 | pDev: 7.96%
Reviews:
10
Ratings:
18
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 23, 2015
Added:
Feb 15, 2003
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  2
The granddaddy of pale ales, this style got its start as a special brew for English soldiers living in India. Our IPA is a medium bodied ale, with a light copper color and characterized by an intense hop flavor, with full flowery hop aroma and higher alcohol content.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by LXIXME:
Photo of LXIXME
Reviewed by LXIXME from New Mexico

4.08/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Medium sized off white head quickly falls above a clear bright copper golden colored beer.

Big nice aroma of citrus hops with a nod towards some pine.

Nice west coast citrus and pine hops taste.

Slightly bitter in the aftertaste that brings along the citrusy hops taste with this medium bodied IPA.

Nice tasting easy drinking IPA, a worthy drink.
Apr 05, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.99 by Lobina from Arizona

Nov 23, 2015
 
Rated: 3.91 by yemenmocha from Arizona

May 29, 2015
 
Rated: 4.04 by teraflx from Arizona

Apr 17, 2015
 
Rated: 3.88 by Nhoelzen from Arizona

Apr 17, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by Satan70 from Wisconsin

Jan 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by bsnone from Arizona

Jun 26, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by sooner961 from Oklahoma

Jun 01, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by t0rin0 from California

Mar 03, 2013
Photo of LittleDon
Reviewed by LittleDon from Texas

3.88/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Light amber with some haze. It has no head, but this may be the product of very wet glassware or how it was poured. It produces some lace that slides down the glass. Light carbonation. Strawberries and hops aroma. It's clean and hoppy up front. The hopping indistinct, nothing spectacular about their characteristics. Medium bodied, pleasant bitter finish that doesn't stick too hard to the back of your tounge.
Jul 13, 2009
Photo of AaronRed
Reviewed by AaronRed from New York

3.85/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Darkish/pale hue as poured from a growler purchased at the brewery. It has a nice white foamy head, with aromas of grapfruit and citrus upfront. Pretty smooth for an IPA, but packed some bitterness that lets you know this is a well hopped beer. Flavors stayed throughout the drink. A very nice beer, worth tyring if you are in the area.
Apr 22, 2008
Photo of PhxHorn
Reviewed by PhxHorn from Arizona

3.45/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A hazy yellow with a fair amount of foam. Moderate citrus smell, not overwhelming at all. Tasted a bit weaker than the smell would lead you to believe. A decent flavor, but a bit one-dimensional and not similar to a west coast IPA. Very drinkable, but just not the hop bomb that you tend to get out here.
Jan 23, 2008
Photo of mushroomcloud
Reviewed by mushroomcloud from Texas

3.61/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A - Deep golden bronze color. Orange - amber is another good descriptor. Clear and clean. 3" off white dense head. Excellent retention. Thick, foamy lace.

S - Huge grapefruit. Bitter peel. Some skunk that kind of throws things off. Hint of a creamy malty character hiding under all of those hops.

T - Hops not apparent up front. More of a malt in flavor than expected. Hops stay mild in the middle but explode into a sharp, bitter finish. Some creamy vanilla flavor in the mix as well.

M - Medium bodied, close to full. Low carbonation. Round and slick mouthfeel.

Good drinkability. Looks great, but struggles to keep up the rest of the way. Still, a good IPA.
Jan 30, 2007
Photo of bennetj17
Reviewed by bennetj17 from Arizona

3.58/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Clean copper color, light tan head, about 1/2 inch thick with decent retention. The smell is quite hoppy, more of a citrus hop scent. The citrus hops are strong with the first sip also, but not much flavor from the malt. The finish yields a moderate bitterness. The mouthfeel isn't bad, but it leans toward being a bit thin/watery. Carbonation is nice, alcohol doesn't seem overpowering. Overall its a very drinkable brew, but I would have enjoyed more malt flavor/complexity.
Jan 31, 2006
Photo of HighCarbDiet
Reviewed by HighCarbDiet from Colorado

3.9/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
My first impression of this beer is very good.

Color is a deep gold, resembling apple juice. Thick, strong head, with lacing all over. The head never really disappears.

Very strong, piney, hoppy scent, just the way I like it, without too much citrus. The spicy, floral smell is perking me up at the end of my meal.

Tastes much like it smells, but there's a moderate bitterness to boot. The bitterness doesn't linger too long though, so it's not too hard to drink.

I'm looking for some more malt though. This might be a bit off-balance. But those are some nice hops. I can never identify the type, but I know these are the kind I like.

Mouthfeel is fine, good carbonation, goes down well.

An IPA fan should like this beer.
Jul 13, 2004
Photo of Gueuzedude
Reviewed by Gueuzedude from Arizona

3.9/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours a deep copper color and is visually quite clear. It is topped by a pale off-white head. This has a fully aromatic hoppy nose, citrus dominates with notes of grapefruit, and perhaps a hint of pine. This beer is fully hoppy throughout the flavor profile, it starts with a spicy herbal character up front. The bitterness starts to be apparent in the middle and then blossoms in the finish. There is a nice level of toasted malt in the middle that helps to accentuate the hops. This beer really showcases the hops without being overwhelming. This is lightly sweet as well, but it is not that noticeable because of the hop bite. This is nice and clean, and is technically spot on for the style.
Jul 09, 2004
Photo of beerguy101
Reviewed by beerguy101 from California

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Medium copper color. Medium head. Aroma is floral hops and citrusy (orange peel). A medium bodied IPA. Malts are nutty and slightly sweet. Hops are fairly bitter and grapefruity. Nicely balanced towards the hops. It's hoppy without being over the top. Very drinkable IPA. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and crisp. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.
Sep 28, 2003
Photo of Gusler
Reviewed by Gusler from Arizona

4.12/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
The beer pours a light copper color, the head unpresumptuous in size, the consistency frothy, the color a light tan and the residue forms a nice clinging sheet upon the glass. Big floral nose, sweet malt, orange peel crisp and fresh as the morning dew. Front is malt and sweet, the top has a moderate feel to the palate, then “BAM”, kicked it up a notch with the hops ferine in their bite, stingingly acidic, dry and bitter lingering aftertaste, what a treat for us “Hop Heads”, once again “Draught Only” as I understand it.
Feb 15, 2003
Thunderhead IPA from Thunder Canyon Brewery
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 18 ratings