NEIPA
Spearhead Brewing Company
- From:
- Spearhead Brewing Company
- Ontario, Canada
- Style:
- Hazy IPA
Ranked #923 - ABV:
- 7%
- Score:
- 90
Ranked #13,275 - Avg:
- 4.1 | pDev: 15.37%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 5
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jun 19, 2024
- Added:
- Jul 11, 2020
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
90
Outstanding
90
Outstanding
A nod to traditional New England IPA’s but brewed with a signature Spearhead style, our NEIPA is the flavourful, full bodied refresher that you’ve been waiting for. Met on the nose with bright citrus aromatics, NEIPA bursts with intense tropical fruit notes undercut by a punch of pine, resin and a mild bitterness.
Dry hopped and lightly carbonated, NEIPA boasts a classic New England IPA haze with a light, clean finish on the palate.
Dry hopped and lightly carbonated, NEIPA boasts a classic New England IPA haze with a light, clean finish on the palate.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by thehyperduck from Canada (ON)
3.59/5 rDev -12.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.59/5 rDev -12.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
473 mL can from Metro; dated X/X/2022 (the stamp is too distorted to make out anything other than the year) and served barely chilled. I thought I'd change things up here by posting a real review from an actual consumer, instead of transparently attempting to inflate Spearhead's beer grades with a throwaway account. Cheers!
Pours a clear-ish medium gold colour, its body loaded with flecks of sandy sediment; more than three inches of foamy, fluffy white head rises from the surface, receding within five minutes or so. It cakes the glass with gobs of sticky lace in the process, with a rocky cap and soapy, sudsy collar remaining in place. Mild, citrus-forward aroma that includes hints of lemon, pineapple and pink grapefruit, as well as suggestions of wheat and bubblegum.
It's not bad - fruity flavours are dominant, including grapefruit, pineapple and mango, with hints of passion fruit, bready wheat and lemon peel not far behind. Notes of pine resin and earthy bitterness come through on the back end, with suggestions of coconut, citrus pith and tropical fruit rounding out a weakly boozy aftertaste. Medium in body, with moderately low carbonation that results in a smooth, soft mouthfeel; fair drinkability for its strength, but one can per night is enough for me.
Final Grade: 3.59, a B grade. Spearhead's NEIPA is alright, but it fails to stand out in a marketplace that is already packed to the gills with similar products. Way too much head on the first pour, and perhaps a little more bitter & less juicy than you'd expect from this style - there's a whole host of minor issues that together manage to hold this beer back. I prefer their Hawaiian Style Pale over this one, but this is still a serviceable New England-style IPA that I'd say is worth trying at least once.
Apr 24, 2023Pours a clear-ish medium gold colour, its body loaded with flecks of sandy sediment; more than three inches of foamy, fluffy white head rises from the surface, receding within five minutes or so. It cakes the glass with gobs of sticky lace in the process, with a rocky cap and soapy, sudsy collar remaining in place. Mild, citrus-forward aroma that includes hints of lemon, pineapple and pink grapefruit, as well as suggestions of wheat and bubblegum.
It's not bad - fruity flavours are dominant, including grapefruit, pineapple and mango, with hints of passion fruit, bready wheat and lemon peel not far behind. Notes of pine resin and earthy bitterness come through on the back end, with suggestions of coconut, citrus pith and tropical fruit rounding out a weakly boozy aftertaste. Medium in body, with moderately low carbonation that results in a smooth, soft mouthfeel; fair drinkability for its strength, but one can per night is enough for me.
Final Grade: 3.59, a B grade. Spearhead's NEIPA is alright, but it fails to stand out in a marketplace that is already packed to the gills with similar products. Way too much head on the first pour, and perhaps a little more bitter & less juicy than you'd expect from this style - there's a whole host of minor issues that together manage to hold this beer back. I prefer their Hawaiian Style Pale over this one, but this is still a serviceable New England-style IPA that I'd say is worth trying at least once.
Reviewed by Tnelxric from Canada (ON)
4.68/5 rDev +14.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
4.68/5 rDev +14.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
One of my absolute favorites it's got a citrus flavor with just the right amount of bitterness while being nice and smooth going down. With a dark golden colour and a nice 1 1/2 finger head it looked picture perfect when poured. Highly recommend and I will be getting more asap.
Jul 07, 2022
Rated by CaptObvious from Canada (ON)
5/5 rDev +22%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +22%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Love this beer! Highly recommend!!
Jun 10, 2022
Reviewed by TorontoGoodGuy from Canada (ON)
4.95/5 rDev +20.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
4.95/5 rDev +20.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
I'm not normally a huge IPA fan, but I find this version very tasty and enjoyable.
It's got a citrus hit up front, but it's not overly fruity, and the amount of bitterness is spot on.
Jun 01, 2022It's got a citrus hit up front, but it's not overly fruity, and the amount of bitterness is spot on.
Reviewed by taxandbeerguy from Canada (ON)
3.56/5 rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.56/5 rDev -13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
473 ml can served cold into a pint glass. LCBO purchase for $4 CDN.
Appearance - Fairly hazy dark gold color with honey brown hues. Two fingers of dense fluffy white head with very good staying power. Spotty lacing sticks to the edges of the glass.
Smell - A fairly muted nose, predominantly of pineapple and mango with just a little pine resin thrown in. Some light sweet perfumy aromatics as well.
Taste - Some sweetness initially with pineapple and mango then more bitter flavors of grapefruit. There's a slight passionfruit undercurrent in the beer as well. Finishes fairly bitter with pine resin. Something peppery and hot in the finish.
Mouthfeel - Medium bodied, appropriate carbonation, finish is dry, and astringent. Booze is somewhat well concealed, but other IPA's do it better.
Overall - Decent IPA, but to me seems more West Coast IPA than NEIPA as the pine resin and lack of sweetness are normally not associated with a NEIPA. Serviceable but weird to name this NEIPA and then have it not be a conventional NEIPA.
Feb 06, 2021Appearance - Fairly hazy dark gold color with honey brown hues. Two fingers of dense fluffy white head with very good staying power. Spotty lacing sticks to the edges of the glass.
Smell - A fairly muted nose, predominantly of pineapple and mango with just a little pine resin thrown in. Some light sweet perfumy aromatics as well.
Taste - Some sweetness initially with pineapple and mango then more bitter flavors of grapefruit. There's a slight passionfruit undercurrent in the beer as well. Finishes fairly bitter with pine resin. Something peppery and hot in the finish.
Mouthfeel - Medium bodied, appropriate carbonation, finish is dry, and astringent. Booze is somewhat well concealed, but other IPA's do it better.
Overall - Decent IPA, but to me seems more West Coast IPA than NEIPA as the pine resin and lack of sweetness are normally not associated with a NEIPA. Serviceable but weird to name this NEIPA and then have it not be a conventional NEIPA.
Reviewed by Tony787 from Canada (ON)
3.91/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.91/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I bought a can of this beer at the lcbo in Ontario pours a nice 1 to 2 finger head into glass .
taste is tropical fruits citrus and pine. with very little bitterness .
overall this new England ipa is very good and refreshing to drink
cheers
Nov 20, 2020taste is tropical fruits citrus and pine. with very little bitterness .
overall this new England ipa is very good and refreshing to drink
cheers
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