Blood Orange IPA
Pipe Dream Brewing

 

This is a super intensely orange flavored IPA. The flavor is reminiscent of pungent orange zest. Plenty of citrus flavor and pithy bitterness. I can see why some people don't like this. The taste is more like chewing on an orange peel than drinking an IPA. I think true orange lovers will appreciate this one if they can get over the pithy bitterness.

This was a can so I cannot be sure if all the beers were bad or just my 4 pack but there was a nose of chemical orange on this beer that really left me wary to try it. That same chemical was overpowering the taste as well.

Can given to me by Greg, uhm thanks I think?
I shared this with 4 friends everyone dumped their samples. Hazy lemony yellow in color with a thin white head. Orange and lemony chemicals. Like floor polish or scented windex. There is a point when hop bitterness becomes astringent and then there is this beer that chugs past that to undrinkable. I'm not sure what to be more fearful of, the brewers who tasted this and released it anyways, or the bro's who loved this beer.

Pipe Dream Brewing "Blood Orange IPA"
can, seemingly 16 fl. oz., without production codes or freshness dating
$4.00 @ Candia Road Convenience, Manchester, NH

Notes via stream of consciousness: So this is interesting, this is the second beer I've had from a New Hampshire brewery that doesn't have a volume listed on the label. The other one was from Breakaway Beerworks. And, I'm looking at another can from each brewery right now and neither of those labels list a volume either. That's illegal. If they sell it directly at the brewery it's OK but if it goes into any distribution channel and is sold at retail it's a violation of federal law. Weird. OK... either Pipe Dream likes their beers really carbonated or this has been fermenting in the can. It didn't blow up on me or foam over but I'm having a really hard time pouring it as it's just coming up all head. It's a cloudy dark amber beneath a mousse-like head of off-white. I can smell the blood orange. It's citrusy and floral and somewhat sweet. Perfume-like even. I can't tell if it's real or an extract or a combination of both but it's nice. ... ... ... I still can't get a full glass without at least three inches of foam on top... ... ... That's really disappointing. If I hold it to the light I can see the tiny bubbles racing upwards but it's fairly hard as it's so murky. It looks like a dunkel weizen. OK, it's been about 10 minutes and I'm not going to wait anymore. The flavor tastes as it smells. There's an unusual note to it that seems artificial. The orange is also really strong, to the point of masking the malt. There's some yeast flavor to it as well, and some hops although I can't make them out through the orange. I'm assuming they would probably be citrusy hops, that makes sense right? There's some raspiness to them as well though. OK, I've finally got a full beer with just two inches of head on top. So, it's all blood orange with a thin bit of malt underneath, some raspy happiness, some yeastiness unfortunately, and a very firm bitterness that balances it. The bitterness lingers in the finish with some of the raspiness from the hops and yeast. Maybe I just got a can from the very beginning or end of the run. In the mouth it's medium-light and zesty although I think that's probably not the way it's supposed to be. Not the best beer I've had lately, but I imagine fresh on tap this would be pretty nice. Probably still a bit of a one-trick pony, but enjoyable.
Review# 6,290