Snappy IPA
Hillsboro Brewing Co.

 

 

 

Poured from a can into a pint glass. Pours orange yellow with a small white head. Smells of citrus and earthy hops. Tastes of sweet grain with citrus and floral notes. Beer is light bodied and easy drinking, good carbonation. Overall, a very good beer.

 

I got a can of this beer off the single shelf from a beer store in LaCrosse, WI. It poured a slightly hazy orangish with white head that is leaving some lace. The scent had subtle bitter hop notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with malt forward start and slight pine hop bitter finish. It was old school FO SHO! The mouthfeel was medium in body and had good carbonation. Overall it is a solid beer.

12 oz can poured into Smokestack snifter.

Gorgeous burnt orange pumpkin color with a massive egg foam yellow head of 3 fingers. Recedes gradually to 1 finger, leaving tons of lace on the glass.

Ripe tropical fruits on the nose, with white and red grapefruit also, some tangerine, oranges, lemon, and clementine. Slight honey malt sweetness.

Begins with palate scrubbing dank bitterness which then takes a turn into sloppy red grapefruit and honey malt, some sweet mandarin orange and veiny clementine; heavy sappy caramel malt and pine; and finally more earthy notes like tea and tree nuts. Toasted malts and hop oils seem to linger forever.

Feel is resiny all the way through, with tons of oils; moderate and exciting carbonation; mild perceptible alcohol heat; and finally more slickness on the finish with creeping alcohol heat.

Overall a really solid old school IPA and any hop head should be happy to try this one.

 

Getting back to basics, the brewers of Hillsboro Brewing Company use the can't-miss Citra hops to fuel a crisp, clean and pleasantly bitter IPA with balance, character and comfort.

Pale amber and with a delicate hop haze, the frothy ale kicks off with a bright bouquet of tangerine heavy citrus along with a grassy twinge underneath. Caramel, nutty flavors and a toasty sweetness greets the tongue first with notions of graham crackers looming.

With the sweetness trailing swiftly on the palate, its the Citra hops that take center stage with a mix of mandarin orange, tangerine and nectarine. Its radiant taste trends herbal and verbena-like with a component of chive, sassafras and green tea shining through a light and toasty sweetness that lingers on the late palate.

Bitter but balanced, the finish is sharp and supported. A medium long aftertaste has the hop bitterness leaving lasting impressions, past a vodka spice and a nutty earthiness.