Mongrel IPA
Watch City Brewing Co.

 

 

Had 9/23/09
This beer poured a somewhat murky brown color with ruby highlights when held to the light. There is a two finger off white rocky head that coats the glass the entire way down. Nose is of caramel and toasted malts with a healthy dosing of floral hops. Taste is malts up front - caramel malts first hit the tongue followed by a nice balance of roasted malts. The finish has a nice hop bite that leaves you wanting more. Medium body, medium carbonation, creamy feel to the start with a clean crisp dry finish. This is definitely one to sit with for a long time.

On-cask at the brewpub on 5/10/07, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: After the typical entertaining cascade of bubbles from a cask serving, the beer is a light brown color, with a medium-sized, dense off-white head that fades very slowly, was present all the way through to my last sip and left a thick even lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of sweet caramelized malt with a strong hops background and a touch of citrus.

T: The taste isn’t as sweet as the smell is, but it starts out with sweet flavors of caramel and a little citrus, which are quickly followed by a strong bite of hops bitterness. The malt character is very hearty. The after-taste is pleasantly bitter.

M: Crisp and very smooth, medium body, light carbonation (as expected from the cask), finish is dry and slightly sticky.

D: Very tasty, goes down quite easily, not too filling, it’s a very enjoyable beer that is worth sticking with for an evening.

Had on cask and dry-hopped from the Brewpub in Waltham. Presented in a basic pint, the beer was a dark penny copper color with one-half finger of thick and sticky off white head.

The smell features a balanced hop aroma with soft fruity aromas and very faintly floral.

Taste has an innitial hop character that is mild but offers a bitter and crisp finish to each sip. Some flowery esters and the beer is balanced with a detecable malt presence.

Medium body and low carbonation indicative of its cask serving.

An enjoyable and sessionable IPA. The flavors came together nicely here and offered a very drinkable beer. Normally I tend to stay away from IPA's on cask for the simple reason that I prefer mine to be a little on the cooler side and crisp. This one, however, was quite enjoyable.

Got all mixed up with this one on 6/29/2005. 16-oz. pint at the source in a shaker glass.

Frothy, big and little-bubbled ¼-inch head at start with some sick stick. Deep brown hue with just a touch of light penetrating; tough to make out if anything is going on. Hell yeah the hops jump up to the front of the nose, but there seems to be just a hint of butterscotch in there too, which is intriguing. Hop wash flows over the tongue, followed by a cooling molasses hit and an attenuated earthy character, kind of weird, but ultimately palatable.

Good stuff, off beat, but one I’d check out again – hope I can try more in this hop series.

On tap at the brewery 6/20/05.

Poured a nice brown with shades of red peeking here and there. A tan head adorns this brew before giving way to sheeting lace.

Smells and tastes a pleasant mix of hops and malts.

I think my feelings for this beer can best be summarized by a song written by the musical group Big Head Todd and the Monsters...

"It's bittersweet...more sweet than bitter...bitter than sweet..."

Just like that... only without the unpleasant realization that your relationship has grown old and your carefree youth is long gone. Your relationship with this beer will last approximately 4 minutes and won't get the chance to grow old.

This beer poured from a growler (fresh one though, I live across the street) a deep, clear brown with nice ruby highlights. It was topped by a decent tan colored head that left an attractive lace on the side of the glass I sipped the beer. Wonderful hop profile in the aroma, Citrus up front with grapefruit and dare I say orange backed by just a hint of figs to give it a nice balance of malt. The flavor has a nice hop bitterness in the front with the citrus I found on the nose along with a mild hop flower. More sweetness in the flavor thanks to the 15 types of grains. Nice mellow summer beer, not overpowering, just there, the way you like it. It has a smooth, mildly slick mouth feel, and a good drinakbili

Pours a dark brown with a two finger tan head, leaves full sheets of lacing down the glass.
Citrus, floral, toasted malt aroma.
Good hop bite to the taste, but quite malty - complex with the 15 malts used, reminded me of a older or less hoppy arrogant bastard with the blend. Biscuit, toffee, toast, citrus, caramel, anise, fruit.
Medium-bodied, and an Interesting beer to drink.

Sampled on tap at the brewpub. 4.8% ABV and 42 IBU. This is not a pale ale. They are calling it an "American Ale" at the pub, but it is more like a fairly hoppy brown ale.

This ale poured a clear, dark brown with red highlights color with tan foam that clung to the glass and coated it. The smell was sweet and malty with notes of licorice, chocolate, caramel, and dried fruit. A nice aroma, but not strong. The taste was richly malty with a good shop of hops in the background, and with notes of licorice, and chocolate. Sometime about the flavor (perhaps the licorice) reminded me of Imperial Stouts. No doubt it is due to one of the many malts used in this beer. The mouthfeel was smooth and creamy and hoppy with medium-full body and moderate carbonation. The aftertaste was nice and hoppy. This was a very good ale and easy to drink.

Another tasty beer enjoyed at Watch City yesterday. This was listed as the Mongrel American Ale yesterday. Like folks have said, the description for the beer says it includes 15 malts, well whatever is in there, it's tasty. Pour was dark chocolate in color, with ruby highlights. The tan head dissipated quickly, but little dots of tan froth remain on my beer. There is a nice, fresh hoppy aroma coming off the beer (the brewer didn't make it in before we left, or I would have asked him which hops). Taste is low in malt, rich in hops, and ends in a delightful roasted note. Sheet lacing left in my glass. Tasty, balanced, would get again.

On tap at Watch City...5.0% abv and 50 IBUs... Their flyer touted it as a "blend of 15 malts in a dark IPA..."

It was definitely on the dark side, with a deep brown hue. Great frothy tan head, with A-1 lacing in the glass, too! Appetizing aroma of bready malts and a good hit of floral hoppiness. Nice mix! Both body and feel on the tongue were nicely medium. The flavor, like the nose, started with a good, healthy bit of toasty, semi-sweet malts. That was followed closely by a decent dose of citrusy, floral hops. It was not overpowering, like a HopDevil or such, but it made for a pleasing, lasting taste in the mouth. This one would be a very nice session bier. Prosit!!

overall: 4.1
appearance: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | mouthfeel: 4 | drinkability: 4

547

Growler from brewpub.
Pour is a clear reddish brown, with a thick tan head that slowly recedes to leave good lacing. Aroma is big on the malts (not a surprise since the brew has 15 different malts in it) - a lot of chocolate, some roastiness, and a slight hint of smokiness appears. Flavor has a huge malty front, mixing up all the flavors mentioned above, and ends with a good floral hop blast. Full body, lot's of complex flavors, and dangerously drinkable.

The cask version is known as the SOB. Served up nice in my 20oz mug. Mouthfeel is perfection. Tastes nice. With 15 different malts melding together with a beauty of a hop flavor this beer is where it is at on cask. I'll be sad to see this brew go. Great on tap aswell.