Lil' IPA
Barrels & Bottles Brewery

weird to call this an ipa, more of a balanced pale, even english in its grain character, so definitely a new twist on the style. no tropical hops at all to it, which i kind of like, a nice change of pace here. this is for those seeking more than just an irrelevant pale two row base malt. some deeper copper to the color, a nice tall white head, and all the carbonation a session beer should have to keep it light and refreshing. its real success is its grain flavor without the sweetness and body that usually accompanies a bolder grain bill. notes of caramel, toasted bread crusts, and seeded crackers all come out of this, and the hops seems to be the simple part, quite the opposite of what we are used to in the style. bitterness is moderate, more grassy than fruity, less citrusy than most, and still really clean on the way down. overall a tasty brew, maybe a stretch calling it ipa, but i like it a lot, a nice alternative in nice weather to the throngs of citrusy watery session brews.