Gavel Banger IPA
Taft's Brewing Co.

 

Drinking out of s pint glass.
Pours a clear bronze with a moderate head.
Smells some of malt and caramel.
Fair mouth feel.
Moderately bitter. Some hints of pine.

Nothing wrong with it, but nothing stands out either. Kind of a typical IPA.

12oz can into a pint glass.
L: Pours light yeast hazed medium caramel color w/a 3/4" white soft head, decent retention staying creamy, moderate sticky random lacing, medium carbonation.
S: Sweet caramelized malts, light cocoa, light plastic, caramel candy.
T: Rich caramel malts, light resin, toasted grains, lightly sweet, gently pale, light bread dough, citrus zest, a hint of berries, honey, resin is in linger.
F: Soft & smooth w/a med-bodied mouthfeel and a soft, kind of juicy medium long finish that lingers.
O: A well hopped American IPA that drinks very easily for it's 7% ABV. It has a lovely wave of malt taste that returns in the finish to round out it's bitterness. It is very good in it's style.

I love the smell of it gives me a warm fuzzy filling thinking I’m bout to drink a great IPA and then at first taste it’s just ahhh

 

 

 

Purchased as a single can from Kroger for $1.69. Poured into a nonic pint glass.

L - Bronze with a two-finger yeasty, pale yellow head. Slight haze.
S - Floral citron with a bright caramel-malt base. Some spice is present, though I can't pin down what. Little bit of a sweetness here.
T - Spicy caramel malt backs up a wonderfully juicy citron leading into grapefruit and pine sap. Well-balanced [leaning sweet] with a wheat and white pepper finish. Honey and a bit of beet syrup throughout.
F - Full-bodied, medium carbonation. Easy to drink, but I probably couldn't have more than one. You definitely feel the 7% by the end of the glass.
O - A pretty good IPA by all means! Probably won't buy it again, but I do recommend trying it out. It's funny, but this is the sort of beer I could enjoy with both hot wings and a plate of pancakes. Try it and you'll see what I mean!

 

 

 

 

Getting right for the mid-summer stint, Taft's Ale House puts together a seasonable but assertive IPA that gives those with a bitter palate something to celebrate for those dog days that are upon us.

Pouring from the American "by god" starred and striped can, Gavel Banger hits the glass with a burnish gold hue and a standard hoppy haze. Honey-like in its hues, the beer first caps with an off white cap then teases the senses with stone fruit, citrus, tropical aromas and a spicy, herbal blend. Caramel, honey and poundcake sweetness carry the tongue through the early palate.

But as the ale graces the middle palate, its sweetness slowly begins to lift and the the hops build in. A strong taste of red grapefruit soon leads to a marmalade rifeness of peach, apricot and mango. A fairly quick dive into a grippingly bitter hop spice and a fully resinous late palate comes with the added taste of pine, pepper, citrus peels and cedar.

Medium full in body, the drying nature of alcohol and hops help to lighten the taste, but its added malt influence of being an imperial status beer helps it achieve balance and heft, finishing spicy with a vodka-like punch and then trailing into a long and bitter aftertaste that's highlighted by woodsiness and grassiness.

This is my first taste of a Taft's product, and it seems to be an aptly priced AIPA. It's good to see some decent brewers making their home in the queen city.

It pours a golden color with some medium sized bubbles. Nice lacing. The aroma is a classic American malt and hop IPA with more bitters than sweets in the taste and little or no yeast taste. It all sits on the tongue well and goes down easy.

Recommended. It's nothing to write home about, but it is a well made AIPA that is easy to drink and aptly priced.