French Broad IPA
French Broad River Brewing

French Broad IPAFrench Broad IPA
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
French Broad River Brewing
 
North Carolina, United States
Style:
American IPA
ABV:
5.9%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.8 | pDev: 12.11%
Reviews:
38
Ratings:
160
Status:
Active
Rated:
Aug 09, 2018
Added:
Aug 27, 2011
Wants:
  6
Gots:
  10
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Mojo:
Photo of Mojo
Reviewed by Mojo from Alabama

4.06/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22 ounce bomber -> Samuel Adams Perfect Pint

A - pours up a deep amber with a two inch off white head, excellent retention, and excellent lacing. A beautiful pour.

N - PINE!!!! and citrus

T - this is my kind of IPA. Slightly hop forward with caramel malt and roasted nutty goodness. grapefruit notes are abundant.

M - slight aftertaste, good carbonation.

O - loved this. Those small NC breweries come up with some winners!!!
Sep 28, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.02 by Wrigfen from South Carolina

Aug 09, 2018
 
Rated: 3.6 by West_Chester_Ale_Tester from Ohio

Jan 04, 2017
 
Rated: 3.99 by AMarkle6524 from Pennsylvania

Oct 02, 2016
 
Rated: 3.88 by justinm4bama from Alabama

Sep 17, 2016
Photo of BEERchitect
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky

4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
While the ebbs-and-flows of IPA seem to veer at every turn, it's a good reminder that a fantastic IPA is still a fantastic IPA at any of the stops along the way. A showcase of hops in bitterness, flavor and aroma with a firm malty support and you really can't go wrong.

French Broad's flagship IPA pours with the familiar amber color that we've become accustomed. Capped with a creamy off-white froth and the beer comes to life- shedding an array of hoppy perfumes. Citrus, herbal grasses, fresh pine and light tropical fruit peel off from the hops as a honey-like biscuity scent gives the fruit impressions a ripe, radiant and vivid fragrance.

Gentle sweetness rolls onto the tongue with a toasted nuttiness to complement he calm honey and caramel sweetness. But the ale doesn't hold onto its sweetness too long, quickly favoring the growing hops and calming the malts gradually across the palate. Trailing hop bitterness is of fresh grass clippings, freshly shaven pine and fresh citrus peels in a smooth but piquant resinous tang.

A crisp and brisk finish proves to be highly thirst quenching and drinkable. Medium-light in body the remnants of malt are toasty and faintly starchy and upholds the hop bitterness, giving it roundness and calmness. Spicy bitterness clings onto the finish and outlasts all other flavors by a long piney margin.
Jun 30, 2016
 
Rated: 3.88 by Wisconsin_IPA_Lover from Wisconsin

May 04, 2016
 
Rated: 3.43 by Didier from New Hampshire

Mar 21, 2016
 
Rated: 3 by MasterRigger from North Carolina

Dec 31, 2015
Photo of Miles_in_beer_city
Rated by Miles_in_beer_city from North Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
This is my go to IPA. Visit the brewery at least once a week (2.50 pints on Mondays) and buy case of bomber special on Sunday's (case of 12 - $33).
Dec 26, 2015
Photo of mst934
Reviewed by mst934 from North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I've lived in Asheville for a long while now, and full of guilt, can say I have never had this. Random whim at the grocery store today, picked up a bomber. No date (tired of breweries not doing this, even Budweiser gives a date...). Could be fresh, could also not be fresh. Anyways, poured into a 13oz Belgium glass. Nice half inch frothy head that dwindles down. First thing is the nose. It smells awesome. Very bright citrus right to the face. Light copper color as well. Taste is pleasant. Citrus forward hops, not tropical on this one. Traditional one could say. Has a nice malt body and a lingering bitterness. Its drawback is the feel. Not overly thin, but has a watery feel on the back end. I'd like it to have a little more oomph in that department. Overall, not a shabby beer at all. I'll buy again, without a doubt.
Oct 02, 2015
 
Rated: 3.67 by Pens1967 from Louisiana

Aug 27, 2015
 
Rated: 3.97 by KingEdward from North Carolina

Aug 20, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by BPMeyer27 from Ohio

Jul 03, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by nathanmiller from New York

Jun 13, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by Eziel from Ohio

May 26, 2015
 
Rated: 3.69 by davet100 from Virginia

Apr 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.07 by Notacraftdrinker from Florida

Mar 31, 2015
Photo of Bogon
Reviewed by Bogon from North Carolina

4.01/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4
I like this beer.

Perhaps I should explain that I'm a hop head. I'm perfectly fine drinking Green Flash Palate Wrecker or (to pick something more local) Olde Hickory Death by Hops.

French Broad IPA is not like that. That's the surprising thing. In this beer the brewers have crafted an amazing amalgam, a remarkable balance, so that the malt and the hops fuse into a single unified beverage. Very smooth, very tasty, and altogether worthwhile, if you call yourself a beer drinker.

It's orange, lightly carbonated -- other reviewers have done a good job describing the appearance. The aroma is an apt harbinger of the taste, almost like a perfume. My sample came from a 22 oz. bomber, poured into a glass Carolina tankard, whence the white and blue "UNC" logo has long since been effaced by the dishwasher. The low level of carbonation had me wondering whether the beer might be more fizzy at the brewery. The cap felt tight. There's no date on the bottle, but the beer tastes fresh.

Overall, I have to give this a high recommendation. If you're partial to IPAs, this deserves a tasting. Maybe even if you're not, this might be the right sort of brew to expand your horizons. I look forward to visiting the brewery in Asheville one of these days. The beer should be even better at the source.
Mar 17, 2015
 
Rated: 3.25 by BGsWo22 from Texas

Mar 02, 2015
French Broad IPA from French Broad River Brewing
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 160 ratings