Thunderlips
Big Elm Brewing

Had a sample in a 5 ounce class as part of a flight of 4 beers at the brewery. Off white head, with a light amber body. Nice c aroma, somewhat mellow. First sip had some grapefruit and apricot tastes provided by Amarillo and Rakau hops (the second is grown locally by 4 Star Farms in Northfield, MA), followed by a far amount of bitterness. This is a New England style Pale Ale, not the same as a NE IPA, which tends to be hazy and unfiltered.

Reading the description of the beer and the description from other reviewers its like they canned the wrong beer in the one I got. I have a second can which I will have to pour later to double check. To quote my wife, she thought it looked like bile (she's a nurse). To me it looked more like tea than a NE IPA. It does not taste like a NE IPA, it does not even taste like an IPA. I recently reviewed a beer from Relic Brewery which I felt was not a NE IPA either but at least that beer tasted good and tasted like an IPA. This is the first beer I have ever not finished that wasn't due to it being old. I just checked the can and there is no date so its unclear whether its old or not.

I don't think the beer is old since I'm seeing a lot of recent checkins and Big Elm's website shows it as available to go. What is odd is that the ratings are a bit all over the place and the pictures of the beer aren't all the same color. Some pictures show a more brownish color similar to what I had while others show a more dark yellow color. Hoppy Boston rates this beer fairly decently and his picture on his blog is on the more dark yellow side. Perhaps this is more of a quality control problem or consistency problem. If I was closer to their brewery I would bring in the other can for them to check, perhaps I will send them a picture of the beer when I open the second one and they can track down whether there's a consistency issue.

 

 

 

Poured a cloudy golden color with a 4F head in a Spiegelau glass. Good head retention.

Pine, very floral aroma.

Very spicy,hoppy, tart.

Excellent hop combos, citrus,tropical pine, grape.

The can says the beer is a NE Ale. It's 6%, but it tastes like an DIPA. I really enjoyed Fat Boy and this beer equally as well.

From a 16 ounce can purchased at the brewery. Attractive pale cloudy look but head less than a finger in spite of vigorous pour. The smell is inviting but it is the taste that got me- so full and bitter- a little like a pale ale from Treehouse I had. Mouthfeel like that too. Easily the best beer I've had from this brewery and very promising for their future

Very cloudy (as a New England IPA typically is) which creates a whitish yellow color. Thick, frothy head which leaves a continuous blanket of lace.

Strong citrus hop aroma. Very little pale malt for a base.

The bittering hop is very strong. Only the initial sip produces anything like a pale malt base. It is brief and dominated by bitterness quickly. Lingering aftertaste of white pepper. Solid body with ample carbonation.