Elevated IPA
La Cumbre Brewing Co.

 

Canned 3/8/23, best by 6/6/23

Time to continue with the abundance of hoppy beers I’ve accumulated recently, and we have yet another one sent by Snaotheus. This one seems to be a classic from the IBU wars era of IPA, and my first beer from New Mexico! Let’s get into it

Pours a mostly clear orange gold with 3 fingers of creamy off white head that slowly fades to a thin cap and leaves decent lacing

The nose is certainly bold, but it doesn’t read super bitter as I was expecting. I’m picking up on aromas of pithy grapefruit, orange marmalade, caramel malt, earthy hops, dank weed, toasted grain, lemon zest, light mango, and pine

Surprisingly it’s also rather smooth in taste, hoppy but not really bitter. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting orange zest, white pepper, bready malt, piney hops, pithy grapefruit, mango, and light grass. The swallow brings notes of breasy malt, orange marmalade, piney hops, dank weed, grass, pithy grapefruit, light caramel, and black pepper

A medium body pairs with moderate carbonation, resulting in a crisp beer. Finishes bone dry with a bitterness that develops over time

This is damn solid stuff. Happy to cross another state off of my beer list!

 

Clear amber color with solid head. BIG aroma, with hoppy tropical and citrus. Taste is not overly bitter but has lots of flavoring hops. Top notch beer.

 

 

 

On tap at Mtucci, Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Yes. Raul finally did it - La Cumbre Elevated. And now I bet you are wondering: did it elevate Raul? You got it! Like Primal Scream Shooting Speed and Killing Light, Raul is feeling good with this one. Georgia O’Keefe on peyote? Maybe not. But what really could take me there? (Candice Swanepoel in a onesie, that’s who - Don’t tell Mrs Raul!) Anyway, it’s a goodie. And Raul feels goodie. And let’s try and be goodie together.

 

16oz can. Stamped on can bottom is 'CA11/07/22'.
Slightly cloudy, deep gold colored body. Two fingers of white fluffy head, which retreats to a full cap and ring. Leaves rings of lacing.
Aroma of bready malt, floral hops, a little dankness, and grapefruit pith.
Taste is pineapple sweet, grapefruit, pine dankness, and white grape. Has a solid toasted malt base. Grapefruit pith and pine in the aftertaste.
Medium plus mouthfeel, with some stickiness. Excellent carbonation.
Well balanced IPA, with tasty flavors and favorable mouthfeel. Looks very good in the glass.

 

 

 

Received from @lordoftheweins in a trade. Canned on 8/12/2022. Poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass. It pours a hazy, bright honey-gold color with 2+ fingers of fluffy, egg white head and rings of thick, clinging lacing. The nose is malty and earthy with floral hops and notes of lemon and grapefruit. This is superb! It opens with a strong dose of caramel malt which gives it sweetness that balances the hoppy bitterness (100 IBU). It has a brown bread quality that is most appealing. I assume this comes from the sophisticated grist bill that includes Bairds Carastan and Durst Munich malts. I don't believe I've seen that combination in an IPA before. The Mosaic and Citra hops add citrus and a hint of red berry as the ale warms and there is plenty of bittering from the Centennial and Chinook. The wild card is the use of Nelson Sauvin which is deep in the background. The tastes blend wonderfully. This ale is a nice, creamy mouth feel with pleasant carbonation and while the 7.2% ABV give it good substance, it's very easy to drink. Overall, Elevated is simply outstanding! An excellent recipe - well executed. If it were available on the East Coast, I'd drink it regularly.

From a tallboy picked up in Colorado, canned a month ago, into a fin du monde tulip — looks fantastic, very slight hazed golden honey bronze, a nice 1 finger head of little tight white bubbles, with modest retention, and decent lacing. Nose brings some nice waves of flavor: grapefruit pith and rind, faint herbal weediness, definite bready or biscuity malts. On the tongue, this kicks into higher gear and it is loaded with hoppy delights…packs a serious punch, and I enjoyed it.

Had a Heady Tioper a few nights ago, and it was interesting to taste this with that in the back of my mind: initially, this seemed really rough and bitter and unrefined, but about halfway through the pint, I started to find the unique groove on this one, and I really enjoyed it a lot.

Not worth the hype IMO, other malt heavy heavy beers such as Two Hearted are a bit better.

 

Had a few cans while on a trip to Nee Mexico. Solid choice!

Had on tap. At last after reading about it for years I got to try this classic. Clear bronze body with a white head and thick lacing. Humongous hops in the nose: dank, weedy, herbal, and bitter pine, with grapefruit and earth. Taste is overwhelming however, just a hop bomb with no balance, bitterness rains down on palate. Feel is hopped all the way with crushing bitters, yet it is clean and almost airy underneath. Not the legend it is made out to be given the lack of balance, but hopheads will adore

Picked up 4 pack in AZ - holy wow, great decision after not knowing the complete legacy of this one. Poured into straight edged glass, color is straw gold, head is bright white and presents 1 finger thick, exceptional lacing, and a lingering top.

Smell is big hop forward, pine, herbal, earthy, citrus, pleasant malt with light biscuit.

Taste is big citrus, pine, earth, herbal, lighter citrus, some dankness; malt is biscuit and toast though not sweet and overly malty. Really incredible, classic big hop with solid malt backing.

Mouthfeel is moderate carbonation, moderate sweetness, moderate/strong bitterness: lingering light barley malt sweetness and biting bitterness.

Overall a near perfect IPA - big hop aroma and flavor and hop bitterness in the modern classic styling.

 

Was my go to, my only go to once I tried it, when I visited the great state of New Mexico. I only wish I could get it here in Ohio. One of my favorite IPAs hands down.

 

 

 

(16 oz can, CO 11/22/21, BB 02/20/22, #2785; purchased single from Total Wine, Park Place, Tucson... poured into a stemless wine glass)

L: near brilliantly-clear, orange-amber liquid; rocky, craggy, slightly orange-tinged gummy foam... the head holds for awhile, big thick rings after the first two sips

S: grapefruit, orange, lemon, papaya, tropical spice undertones; excellent expression and intensity... scratched grapefruit peel dusted with floral herbs is the pervading essence; touch of musk

T: again, like their Project Dank, a nutty, resin-rich hop character, woody and citrusy... dry, relatively lightly bitter aftertaste, with a slow-emerging spicy, medicinal, near perfumy, whole-flowered alcohol... second big sip reveals more cookie malt and orange jelly candy flavors, as well as a more expressive leafy hop flavor, and even some hints of grapefruit soda

F: very delicately resinous and rounded; the hop and ethanol heat rugburn the palate, faint frictive fire... this is streamlined like some RR IPAs (PtY et al); a joy... swell then swoosh; can't improve this?

O: another smanger from La Cumbre... I'd probably be a regular customer if this was available back home (NJ/PHL), but I'm familiar with admittedly comparable brands; Elevation isn't unique... even so, good shit!; glad to have met ya (1855)

Pours a golden with hints of amber in the mixed small one finger whiteish head from an aggressive pour leaves some nice sheet lace behind.

Aroma is good old fashioned pine and citrus rind bitterness the way God intended loaded up the toasted malts so much they overpower them. Got lucky picking this one up just on a whim and fresh can date at the local grocery store on our trip.

Taste is bam hops big pine notes with the scrap your tongue pine resin lingering into the finish and bringing joy to ones taste buds. So nice after the few hazies I have been thru on this trip. Don't forget the citrus orange and loads of bitter grapefruit rind mingled with the God given pine, this treat makes an old hop head very happy.

Mouthfeel is medium with enough carbonation to tingle the tongue with alpha hop goodness.

Overall a wonderful blast to the good ole days, can see why this one is ranked 13 very nice in my old man opinion anyway.

Many thanks to beergoot for this can!

A - Medium to dark gold color with perfect clarity and soapy white foam resting on top. Carbonation is very light.

S - Light earthy citrus and pine with delicate oily presence.

T - Dank and oily earthy with citrus and pine. Eventually coats the mouth with an oily, resiny coating of citrus and pine.

M - Texture is big and oily that leaves a lingering piney citrus coating in the mouth.

O - This is a really fantastic IPA and would be a fridge staple if it were available in my area. Recommended and thanks again, Dave!

 

 

16oz canned 9-21-21, opened 11-20-21.
1 finger white collar, fine bead and dense...very good retention.
Golden bronze with excellent clarity. Sheets of lacing.
Citrus, orange peel, pine and an earthy/gritty malt aroma.
Plethora of fruits as it warms...stone fruit, berry, more citrus/lime. Berries in cream.
Bright entry, maybe below a medium body with appropriate carbonation levels.
Healthy bitterness in a long and dry finish.
Would keep this in the fridge regularly if it was available.
Outstanding.

 

 

 

 

2021-08-22
16oz can served in a Belgian chalice. Bought it at the brewery last night. Sticker on the four-pack suggested it was canned 8/17/21.

Pours a clear amber color with a medium sized head that collapses into a thick ring and one wide but thin island. The ring climbs up the sides of the glass, making me think lacing should look pretty nice. Smell is primarily piney with a moderate biscuity background.

Taste is right in the same direction. Tons of piney bitterness, just a bit of a burnt toffee note, moderate caramel sweetness.

Mouthfeel is quite dry and clean. Overall, this is a pretty nice west coast style IPA. I like it.

Drank in Denver, CO. Poured from a can to a tulip glass.

L: looks amazing. An opaque, copper with a great white head.

S: definite citrus and stone fruits. hints of granny smith Apple.

T: orange, pine, and hops are all heavy in this one. Not much malt flavor.

O: a good brew that I would reach for if I was in the mood for a solid IPA

Light brown to burnt amber with a fluffy but short khaki head that retains well. It's a bit darker than is typical for the style, but otherwise looks beautiful.

This is an exercise in all kinds of contrasts. Up front features a dichotomy of ultra toasty malt, almost like pumpernickel, and brighter citrus rinds. Then bitter pine woods meet quite herbal and maybe even eucalyptic accents. A bit dank, but also refreshingly prickly, something almost like sandalwood spices the exhale.

It's almost like an old school hoppy American brown ale, but not that aggressive and way more drinkable.