Relay IPA
Thorn Brewing Company

 

 

A totally crushable West Coast IPA. Not overly malty or bitter.

 

 

 

 

Very grassy beer. I don't like that term but I don't know what else to call it. The taste shifts too quickly in the mouth for my liking. The flavors are fine, but the shift is jarring. Look and mouthfeel are good. Smell is a bit too sharp and grassy for me.

I was glad to have had a chance to drink a great West Coast IPA as recently most of the IPAs that I drank were hazy, NEstyleIPAs - not that they weren’t outstanding, I just felt the need for a “real”, “old fashioned” IPA.
First of all, it IS filtered and smells like an IPA should/used to smell like until a few years ago: hoppy, tropical and piney.
The best thing about it was that it had a kind of hop bitterness that was interesting, not just a simple bitter sensation but also a complex bitterness created by the blend of all the kinds of hops used for the brew (see the notes for more details, also for a description of the feel - they seem to have summed it up quite well).
It is not a beer that punches you in the face but it has depth to it that makes it a really interesting experience. I was 100% pleased with this beer, even to an extent that I would even drink it again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pours golden yellow with a bit of white head. Aroma is very bright and dominated by orange zest with a touch of pine. Taste is mostly citrus and pine with a touch of tropical fruit. Flavors of grapefruit, orange marmalade, lemon, mango, pineapple, and pine. It has a nice malt presence is well. Feel is excellent - medium carbonation and a very light syrupy texture as it warms. Overall, I have enjoyed everything that I have had from Thorn so far and this is no different. This is definitely something that I would pick up again when I'm in the mood for a "San Diego-style IPA."

 

 

Type: 12-oz. can
Glass: Clear 16.5-oz. Belgian ale tulip
From: Bine & Vine Bottle Shop in Normal Heights (San Diego), Calif.
Price: $2.24 with 10 percent off for a variety 6-pack
Purchased: Sept. 1, 2017
Consumed: Sept. 5, 2017
Reviewed as: American IPA
Misc.: Canned on Aug. 17, 2017

Picked this up on a recent trip to Bine & Vine as part of a variety 6-pack (and 10 percent off). Originally thought I had never tried a Thorn beer, but looked on Untappd and realized I gave Foreplay a 3.5 on Jan. 24, 2014 and Blind Lady Ale House and Fornication a 3.75 for a taster on April 21, 2016 at Knotty Barrel. Either way, had heard about this one and had been wanting to try it. Can description read, “This San Diego-style IPA is hop forward and not overly malty or bitter. Simcoe, Centennial, Amarillo, and Citra run a hop relay during the brew. Flavors of citrus, mango, grapefruit, and pine blend to form a deliciously hoppy beverage.” Four hops are usually one too many for me, but Simcoe and Citra! Don’t mind Centennial or Amarillo either. Hoping this one works.

Poured a gold, semi-clear color with four fingers of rocky white head. Could see a few bubble streams coming up from the bottom of the glass. Excellent spiderweb foamy lacing. Excellent foamy retention. (Sight - 4.25)

Initial hop smelled Amarillo, Centennial and Citra in order, while not getting any Simcoe. Also got pine, lime, mango, passion fruit, orange blossom and Juicy Fruit. (Smell - 3.75)

Tasted a garbled mess of hops, in order got Amarillo, Centennial, Simcoe and Citra. Also getting more, maybe Columbus and Nelson? Seems boozier than 7.2 pct. Also got bitter tangerine rind, mango, pineapple, pine and hints of passion fruit. (Taste - 3.50)

Medium body. Oily texture. Average carbonation. Long, bitter finish. Feeling more like a DIPA. (Feel - 3.50)

This was a good IPA, but not sure I’d want to have it again. (Overall - 3.50)

3.61 | 82 | B