India Brown Ale
Nighthawk Brewery

 

this is a style that seemed to be all the rage several years back and has really fizzled out, the brown ipa. its a style that i think really works when done well, and this is a nice take on it here. it doesnt look like much, without a lot of head and a pretty sediment laden appearance. medium brown in color, medium bodied. it smells real hoppy, like pine needles, and the earthy dark malt is a solid base for it. less of the cocoa thing going on the the flavor, more of a dark toast thing, bready but dry, and healthy feeling. the hops have a little oil to them, and maintain that pine forest thing, especially in the finish. its quite bitter, but its fitting here. northwestern C type hops i would guess, woody and woodsy both, and pungent, especially as it warms up. overall this is a very tasty beer, it could stand a little cleaning up and a little more carbonation, but the foundation for something really awesome is there. i wish more american brewers would revisit this style, i dont think it had quite enough time in the sun...