Trappist India Pale Ale
The Spencer Brewery
- From:
- The Spencer Brewery
- Massachusetts, United States
- Style:
- American IPA
- ABV:
- 7.2%
- Score:
- 84
- Avg:
- 3.7 | pDev: 12.7%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 46
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jan 16, 2026
- Added:
- Feb 23, 2016
- Wants:
- 8
- Gots:
- 21
SCORE
84
Good
84
Good
Inspired by American brewcraft creativity, Spencer IPA is crisp, fragrant, and golden-hued. Generously hopped, bright, bitter – one of a kind.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by DraftMonger from Denmark
3.72/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
3.72/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Copenhagen 25/1 2018. 35,5 cl bottle from Ølhandleren in Hørning. Serious looking green label making a point of that this is a "American Trappist" beer. Drawing of a Church to get me in the right somber mood.
Pours hazy orange with a dense white head and a lot of small lumps of yeast drifting around. Settles as a 1 cm thick layer of foam. Moderate lacing.
Aroma is intensely sweet and fruity with the alcohol peeking in. Fermented plum, Peach and some lemon and grapefruit.
Soft lightly prickly carbonation and slightly thick palate.
Flavor is rather intense. Medium sweet followed by strong bitterness. Aftertaste is fairly bitter with a little earthy yeast remnants. Finish is semi-dry.
Very fine American Trappist IPA.
Jan 16, 2026Pours hazy orange with a dense white head and a lot of small lumps of yeast drifting around. Settles as a 1 cm thick layer of foam. Moderate lacing.
Aroma is intensely sweet and fruity with the alcohol peeking in. Fermented plum, Peach and some lemon and grapefruit.
Soft lightly prickly carbonation and slightly thick palate.
Flavor is rather intense. Medium sweet followed by strong bitterness. Aftertaste is fairly bitter with a little earthy yeast remnants. Finish is semi-dry.
Very fine American Trappist IPA.
Reviewed by janubio from Spain
3.78/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.78/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bottle at Las Buenas Pulgas, served in a Spencer glass.
Golden colour, medium head with long retention, average lacing.
Aroma of caramel, citrics, resine and tropical fruits.
Medium to full body, thick texture, average carbonation.
Taste follows the aroma.
Good IPA with sweet notes.
Oct 10, 2022Golden colour, medium head with long retention, average lacing.
Aroma of caramel, citrics, resine and tropical fruits.
Medium to full body, thick texture, average carbonation.
Taste follows the aroma.
Good IPA with sweet notes.
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway
3.32/5 rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.32/5 rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Shared 330 ml bottle. Golden colour, white head. The aroma has slightly stale orange marmalade and piney hops. Distinct spicy, piney and bitter hops in the flavour. The malts in the background are a bit too sweet.
Dec 12, 2020
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England
3.39/5 rDev -8.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
3.39/5 rDev -8.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
L- Quite deep amber, it seems pretty well filtered pouring with only the smallest hint of haze and zero sediment left in bottle. Pours with 3mm white head and leaves notable lacing on the way down.
S- A rich and lightly perfumed floral/fruit bouquet, in line with the US east coast IPA style.
T- Good heavens! It's pretty big on the contemporary fruity perfume and hop level. I can safely say I don't recall ever having a Trappist beer with such contemporary notes! Phoo, leaves a notable hoppy-dry lick on my palate in the finish.
F- The above despite being prominent probably just about balance with the 7.2% ABV. Ie strong taste, but I can clearly sense the ABV alongside, which isn't always the case with pungent beers = good recipe + brewing.
O- US IPA isn't my go-to style, I'm more of a fan of solid trad ales. This beer is hoppier than I'd usually wish for, and neither do I wish for fruit and associated perfume notes. BUT, that said, I can see this beer will certainly suit others tastes, and of it's style it's well done. This might just be the first Trappist hipster-style beer I've ever had, worth it for the experience and chuckle!
355ml bottle bought from BeersOfEurope/UK for home delivery. BB: '09.08.21'.
Oct 17, 2020S- A rich and lightly perfumed floral/fruit bouquet, in line with the US east coast IPA style.
T- Good heavens! It's pretty big on the contemporary fruity perfume and hop level. I can safely say I don't recall ever having a Trappist beer with such contemporary notes! Phoo, leaves a notable hoppy-dry lick on my palate in the finish.
F- The above despite being prominent probably just about balance with the 7.2% ABV. Ie strong taste, but I can clearly sense the ABV alongside, which isn't always the case with pungent beers = good recipe + brewing.
O- US IPA isn't my go-to style, I'm more of a fan of solid trad ales. This beer is hoppier than I'd usually wish for, and neither do I wish for fruit and associated perfume notes. BUT, that said, I can see this beer will certainly suit others tastes, and of it's style it's well done. This might just be the first Trappist hipster-style beer I've ever had, worth it for the experience and chuckle!
355ml bottle bought from BeersOfEurope/UK for home delivery. BB: '09.08.21'.
Reviewed by Bierschenker from Belgium
3.59/5 rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
3.59/5 rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
I never shop at Carrefour, but needed something urgent. Checked the beer section while I was there and picked this sixer up for about €20.
Ambient odour: sweet malts.
Served in my winthered "Seef" tumbler.
Hazy golden with rich carbonation. Dence white head that persists at about 1cm thick.
Scent is really malty sweet: ripe pear, strawberry and pineapple with milk soaked breakfast cereal.
Taste is milk creamy, so is the initial mouthfeel. Malt and milk slowly give way to stronger bitterness. The milk and cream are suppressed by sour strawberry, apricot and astringent bitterness as we go into the aftertaste. Ends on orange peel and peppery bitterness.
I like the description under the "SCORE", "Good". Nothing more, nothing less. I have nothing negative to say really.
Jul 14, 2020Ambient odour: sweet malts.
Served in my winthered "Seef" tumbler.
Hazy golden with rich carbonation. Dence white head that persists at about 1cm thick.
Scent is really malty sweet: ripe pear, strawberry and pineapple with milk soaked breakfast cereal.
Taste is milk creamy, so is the initial mouthfeel. Malt and milk slowly give way to stronger bitterness. The milk and cream are suppressed by sour strawberry, apricot and astringent bitterness as we go into the aftertaste. Ends on orange peel and peppery bitterness.
I like the description under the "SCORE", "Good". Nothing more, nothing less. I have nothing negative to say really.
Reviewed by p025757 from New York
4.22/5 rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.22/5 rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Deep golden yellow (mostly clear). Aroma of thick, syrupy, stone fruit - taste follows suite. Very thick mouth feel. Solid bitter background too. Great lingering juiciness.
Jun 25, 2020
Reviewed by Wubufatoto from New Hampshire
4.17/5 rDev +12.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev +12.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
I'm an IPA guy with Belgians being my favorite alternate. So I'd had some of the Trappist trappist-style ales before. When I saw a six of this, I thought I'd give it a try. I like nice light colored mostly crystal malt brews, and this was lighter than I had any reason to expect. So a big plus right from the pour. But its the taste that really grabbed me. This has a rather unique taste that I can only compare to Dog Fish 90 Minute. It must be one of the malts that their using, but it doesn't have that toasted look that 90 Minute has. If you want something a bit different from the fantastic but same old/same old juicy hoppy citrusy of the other great IPAs, give this a try.
Mar 29, 2019
Reviewed by eric5bellies from Australia
3.49/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.49/5 rDev -5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Ok The first of the Spencer Monastery beers that I have tried so here goes
A - Pours the classic cloudy dark honey coloured AIPA with a White head that retains well
S - Plenty of citrus, marshmallow, sherbet and a little malt
T- Quite nicely rounded malts and hop, the back end is malty and bitter
M-Medium body and carbonation
O- Not a bad brew and to be honest what do you expect from a Trappist AIPA ? Worth seeking out
Jan 11, 2019A - Pours the classic cloudy dark honey coloured AIPA with a White head that retains well
S - Plenty of citrus, marshmallow, sherbet and a little malt
T- Quite nicely rounded malts and hop, the back end is malty and bitter
M-Medium body and carbonation
O- Not a bad brew and to be honest what do you expect from a Trappist AIPA ? Worth seeking out
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