Swing Tree White IPA
Rusty Rail Brewing Company

 

Picked this up at Gary's recently, as I never had anything from Rusty Rail and wanted to take a crack at something new, as I've been doing a lot during this pandemic. Sure, this was another IPA but unlike so many that I've had, this one claimed to be "white". While that's not a category on here, this could almost be placed into one of it's own as it wasn't quite the majority of them and was drier and more balanced than those I was usually accustomed to.

Can't say that I've seen a beer that pours like this, as this was golden, topped off with frothy head, and full of *tons* of flakes that made me feeling like I was having a bottle of Orbitz from the 90's. The sediment never settled but just stayed in a state of suspended animation as this almost had me thinking that this was a "malt beverage" rather than a legitimate beer. Thankfully, the aroma was full of enough wheat, peach, white peach, and stone fruit sweetness to ensure that this wasn't a gimmick or an imposter. The bit of apricot that I felt in the nose was more noticeable in the taste with some floral notes underneath that but darned if I could pick out the Mosaic in this.

There were hints of it in the aftertaste as a bit of swamp water and dewy dankness took hold in the back and and aftertaste but by no means was it smooth, or growing in stature as I worked my way through this. The stone fruit complemented the hops as this somehow got darker, heavier, and danker as it warmed up and I got closer to finishing it off. This felt stronger than it was as it should have almost been categorized as an American Pale Ale based on it's alcoholic content. With doughy malt and a decent amount of carbonation, the rough edges of this beer were softened but unfortunately, there wasn't anything written on the bottom of the can. Even though there was too much dark and heavy sediment at the bottom once I poured the can's contents out and tangy orange Gatorade in the aftertaste, this was worth a go once to kick back with. It's a shame as this beer had the potential to be so much more than just another IPA that deserved to stand out from the crowd...

Clear with hint of apricot and nice bitterness at the end.

 

Gold hazy look with pulp flakes all throughout.. poured 12 oz can into glass. Almost has that soda refreshing feel. Low bitterness. My girlfriend likes it so it and she usually doesnt like beer or ipas. Floral citrus tones. Not much apricot flavor. Floral and grassy. Semi dry finish and definite mosaic hops

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pours a pretty pale whitish yellow. Aroma and taste are heavy on some citrus / tropical notes with lots of lemon, grapefruit and orange. Boarders on being a little too much but the base pulls it all in nicely. Hops are more grassy / floral and marry well with the brighter flavors. Malt is crisp and provides a good backbone. Nothing exceptional but a good easy-to-drink beer.

 

 

 

I recently picked this bottle up at the Friendly Greek Bottle Shop (FGBS) here in Lancaster, PA to keep current with the Rusty Rail bottle offerings. I visited about a year ago & have been reviewing whichever of their beers make it down our way ever since.

From the bottle: "Just like other small towns across America, an iconic rope swing is located not far from our brewery. This small slice of the countryside is perfect for celebrating the return of warmer weather. Our White IPA celebrates this treasured pastime with bold, Mosaic hop character and refreshing apricot. Hold on tight, and swing into spring!"; "India Pale Ale with Apricot".

As soon as I Pop!ped the cap on this one, I could smell a sweet fruitiness emanating from the bottle. Mmmm. I went with a gentle pour, hoping for clarity, but without holding out much hope. It looked hazy in the bottle, which is too bad, since the AIPA style includes clearness as its description. Color was a cloudy Golden-Amber (SRM = > 5, < 7). Nose was clearly Mosaic hops-driven with a lot of tropical fruit sweetness, like mango, guava, papaya & peach. Mouthfeel was medium. The taste was very tropical fruity with a light bitterness from the apricot. I might not have been able to readily identify it as apricot, but there was no other obvious source for the bitterness. Finish was semi-dry & if it is still available in a couple/few weeks when spring arrives, it will make for a nice drink once the cold weather breaks.

 

 

Poured into a narrow pint glass: color is straw, hazy, opaque; head is bright white with fine bubbles, some lacing on the glass and lingering top - definitely a white ipa presence.

Smell is reliant on the mosaic hops: large citrus presence, subtle floral notes, not much apricot.

Taste has more malt presence, but pretty neutral, a bit of wheat or biscuit, then mosaic hop notes and lighter bitterness, a bit dry.

Mouthfeel is crisp, sharp, moderate high carbonation.

Overall a good beer, but the finish and mouthfeel are a bit sharp for a brew at only 6% abv, and one that incorporates wheat into the malt bill.