Elk Lake IPA
Bend Brewing Company

Draft at brewery. Malts make themselves known in the aroma and taste, more so than usual for the style. Hops carry the back end through to a long lingering bitter finish. Hazy medium amber with small head. Not your typical big hoppy NW IPA.

fresh and delicious beer, but very much from the old school, its malty all the way through, copper in color and all, and at least as bitter as flavorful on the hops, but real well made, nicely balanced, and drinkable if you like bitter beer. ipa has evolved away from this sort of thing, to the extent that outside of the northwest it almost seems like a novelty now, but i still enjoy this sort of drink, like an extra bitter pale ale or something. some medium bodied bready crystal malts in here, a little pine and citrus pith to the hops, feels wintery to me, more hearty than the style has trended, and thats nice on a crisp fall day. i like the smoothness here, and the way all the hops come on really late. i also like it being a little richer and sweeter through most of it, but then finishing dry and without any real yeast character, its clean and professionally fermented for sure. some orange notes at the end, a toasted warmth as well, and bracing bitterness that seems high compared to what is fashionable today, but its supremely satisfying each sip. sometimes a classic flavor profile like this is all you need, i dug it, even if it tastes like a relic of a bygone era...

Intense hop! Beautiful amber color, that I wasn't expecting. Art night in Bend, Oregon on the patio with my dear! Awesome day at Crater Lake... Awesome ending!

 

 

Copper pour, average clarity, 1/2" white head on the top, decent retention. Aroma smacked of some CTZ and Chinook hops I would guess.

Taste, pretty standard, getting some citrus notes that aren't all grapefruit. A little bit of unsweetened orange is perceptible. Malt body is a little bit of caramel, once you get into Oregon or Washington, they don't do the west coast dry pale malt all that often, they stick to a heavier crystal malt usually to some larger degree than everyone else. The bitterness is in that 65ibu range I would guess.

Simcoe usage as a bittering hop seems most likely. Slightly brassy, but also drops some fruity in midget like proportions, possibly Chico yeast, possibly something hop related I can't put my finger on right now. Mild weed like feels from it as well. Would bang again, but also not world class seek it out stuff either.

 

 

 

 

 

Had this on 2015-05-04 in Bend, OR at the brewery on tap