Signal Watch IPA
Cape May Brewing Company

Best beer I've had from Cape May which is consistently good.
a) Laces like apple sauce, apple sauce colored hazed body.
s) Candy, apple, hoppy.
t) caramel apple but not as sweet, some orchard earth. pine, bitter, complex, a see saw.
f) The finish is clean, bitter, almost peppery.
o) The orchard apple direction of this beer suits me in mid Nov, tastes above its abv.

By its description, it sounds like another boringly over-starched modern American IPA, although the inclusion of Simcoe Hops always adds to the potential character. The entire contents of a pint can were emptied into a clear glass liter mug, for appraisal. The pour went much better than expected, as there was no frothy excess to contend with. There was a perhaps an overly generous stark white head, but not as much as feared by reading the ingredients listed. The liquid below, dully hazy and darkly amber in color. It smells decently hoppy, for the good, but superficially starchy sweet for the not so good. The taste is cleanly hoppy, more in a piney than fruity referenced way. Yet, it's not overly bitter, even without a balancing malt presence. The mouthfeel is very enjoyable, as there's just the right level of oats to make it smoothly well-bodied without becoming sticky and muddling the taste. Whatever wheat is doing in a proper IPA may be argued, but at least here, it does no major damage. Overall, this is a very pleasant double IPA, with just the right combination and level of hops to make it flavorful enough for a hop-head, yet not so bitter to discourage others that like a moderate version of the style. Like the mainstream, the finish is clean and only reasonably bitter. As with many oat/wheat worted brews, the glass lacing is sparse and erratic. No worries, this is nonetheless a very good beer.