People's IPA
People's Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

An inch of head floating over mahogany-red/brown liquid with large carbon bubbles flipping up to the top. Nose is all hops with a hint of malt sweetness beyond.

First taste is, surprisingly, all malt. Rich biscuit sweetness dominates for the first second or two, and then the hops come rushing in with bitterness and piney resin. The middle of the tongue burns with strong black pepper and chili pepper astringency, before the lingering bitter finish rakes the back of the throat. There's significant complexity here, and clearly they've been working on this beer to bring out subtleties (and not-not-subtleties) of flavor. Bravo!

The mouthfeel is a bit thin for an IPA, but this is a heady concoction and welcome local addition to the beer scene. I will get craving for this beer, and recognize its uniqueness gratefully.

This is technically the 3rd edition, but this is the edition upon which they have settled. The other two may eventually be re-released under new names, but this is the flagship. If you're drinking a beer that's billed as "People's IPA," this is the beer that you are drinking.

Pours dark. Beyond amber, almost mahogany. It's a pretty shade of red, and capped with a nice, retentive white head.

Smells of strong, bitterdry hops. Light citrus complexities, but mostly just bitterness. This is backed up by a strong, wood malt. A little offbalance, for my taste.

Well, it's clear that they're trying to go for something that's closer to Masala Mama than Sierra Nevada, and they got the hop profile down pat. Only problem is that when you're dealing with hops this bitter you gotta be sure to balance them almost perfect-like, and here the malt is a little lacking. It still tastes really good, though. I-I wish there was a 4.25 option.

Edit: I think my fridge is too cold. As it warms up, malt complexities shine through and the hops are balanced--though not perfectly--with nice, lightly sweet nodes of cereal. The nose doesn't much improve much, but is still okay.