Hop Stomper IPA
Stomping Ground Brewing Co.

Received as a birthday present in August 2022 and drunk a few days later.

A crystal clear, almost AAL-style light yellow with robust carbonation and an enduring, bright-white head. There's lacing left down the glass. The beer almost looks too clear, like a filtered cider. I'm going to assume it's been filtered, but I have no evidence to back that up other than what I'm looking at.

The can is just under three months old, but I can pick up no aroma beyond a yeasty, vinous note. It's not at all what I expect from an IPA.

The beer is bitter, with a bready malt background. There are clear resin and dank notes but none of the tropical fruit basket expected of IPAs today. There's no mark down for that because IPAs don't have to have that taste profile, but it's rare enough these days to be cause for comment. That said, for an IPA that's more traditional west coast, there's not an abundance of dankness, resin or bitterness.

The beer feels a little sharp in the mouth, but the evident carbonation noted earlier means that's expected and appropriate.

Overall, this is a nice but safe beer. It doesn't go for mouth-numbing hoploads, nor does it bash you over the head with bitterness. But in trying to tread a safe line it comes across as a little uninspired, a little pedestrian. That's a pity because in a world dominated by NEIPAs, an old-school IPA could really shine.

Cheers!