Carrabassett India Pale Ale
Casco Bay Brewing Co.

This one was a bit of a surprise to me. I tried it at one of my local haunts, MacGrady's, only because I have never tried it before. Not a bad brew. The hoppy aroma is notable and well-used. The color is a good amber, and it is not carbonated all too much. This is one to try, if you can find it.

Prost!

Hazy gold/orange. Lasting off-white head. Aroma is fresh, pungent, hops, very raw, citrusy and oily. With the initial taste, the flavor is big on bitterness, rather unbalanced. The brew mellows as it warms, becoming a bit more balanced, but not entirely. Mouthfeel is light. A little more malt would make this a stellar brew. Hopheads will enjoy this, as I did. A nice IPA.

This beer poured a golden color and formed a bubbly/sudsey head that left a nice circular lace when it subsided. Small amount of carbonation present. An aroma of hops and citrus. The flavor was of malt, citrus and hops, yet the hops was not as overpowering/over the top as in some others. A touch of bitterness in the finish. Not a bad beer.

Presentation: 12 oz brown long neck bottle, freshness date clearly scored on the side of the label. No info on the beer is given on the label.

Appearance: Tiny bubbled three finger off white head foams up real nice after a semi vigorous pouring, very mild chill haze in the orange copper hued brew. Above par head retention.

Smell: Flowery pungent hop aroma, hints of grapefruit and peel with the hop. Faint toasted grain in the nose also that gives off suggestions of bread crust.

Taste: Well-built medium body, moderate carbonation and a grainy smooth mouth feel. Pungent hop is thrust on to the palate but not without the balanced malt profile that does not let the hops totally over take the brew. Hops are all over the place but not like in a killer hop head beer but rather an English meets American hop and malt mix. Hop flavour ranges from a pungent bitterness to a bit of citric rind to a earthy herbal flavour. Fruitiness peaks out for a brief second and the pungent bitterness takes a long time to faded, as it fades more malt is noticeable with a toasted grain flavour that is cracker like. Touch of fruity esters within the alcohol, finish ends up to be semi dry with that lingering pungent hop flavour.

Notes: Characteristically what an American IPA is, bit more body and hops than a regular pale ale usually with a pungent bitterness. If you like Ipswich IPA or similar then give this one a try.