Merchant's Keep IPA
State of Brewing

 

 

From the shoulder of the bottle, in ink: "BEST BY 05.23.23"

Appearance: The body of the beer is a medium shade of gold that trends on the lighter side. It has a light bit of haze. The head is large, white, and foamy which looks a lot like a meringue. It has excellent retention and very nice lacing.

Aroma: There is a light aroma which smells like the zest of lemon and limes. It starts smelling a bit more like a lemon but as it rests under the nose it takes on a bit more of a lime scent.

Taste: There is a light touch of lemon up front along with a caramel flavor. As it passes over the tongue it takes on a bit of lime flavor and a touch of grain. A light touch of grapefruit with more lemon and lime on the finish.

Mouthfeel: It is on the upper edge of light-bodied with a nice mild hop bitterness. It is very easy to drink.

Overall: It is a pretty solid IPA with some good lemon and lime zest aromas and flavors. It would pair well with most soups, salads, and sandwiches. Bitterness and hop presence-wise it straddles the line between some of the more hoppier American Pale Ales and the lower-end IPAs. As a whole it is good enough to recommend and while it wouldn't be the first IPA I would pick up, I could drink it again.

On a side-note I was looking for beers that might only be carried by specific stores. This was carried in Aldi.

As an IPA, I would say a session. As a pale ale, pretty bomb! At 6% It's kind of light, but great hops taste and smell. No bitterness. So I would lean more as a pale, because I know it's not a cryo. But if in that mood would definitely pick up again.

Slightly hazy gold color with a modest white head that does produce some decent lacing. The aroma is light caramel malt and citrus.
The taste is likewise light malt, hint of caramel, grapefruit, a hint of orange zest and a bit of fresh cut grass. The finish is dry with grapefruit and hints of grass.
The body is light/medium, mild carbonation, fairly smooth and drinkable.
Altogether this is a decent but not exceptional IPA, Actually,this seems midway between a Pale Ale and an IPA but a pretty good value for summer cookout.

Appearance – The body is a rich, cloudy, orange with a modest white head.

Smell – The citrus and grain are well-balanced with a lingering orange rind.

Taste – The grain fades just a bit at the taste and the rindy orange picks it up a notch.

Mouthfeel – This is light-medium in body with a cheap carbonation and slight drying at the finish.

Drinkability – I enjoyed the flavor profile but the carbonation was annoying.

 

Smooth. Subtle fruity hints. Very drinkable.

Picked up from Aldi and no offense I therefore did not have the highest expectations. Has the bitterness of a good IPA but it lacks in body and flavor. No need to pick it up again

Merchants Keep IPA was at an Aldi's in nearby Ohio, so I decided to try it. I really liked it. Pleasant smell and no bitter aftertaste. Went down smooth with a defined citrus overtone. I would buy it again.

L- Deep gold color, slightly hazy, but not a murk bomb. Thin white top that leaves a surprising amount of lace on the glass.
S- Citrus on the nose, pleasant and inviting.
T- Centennial hops is what I am getting, reminds me of Founders Centennial, but watered down.
F- Somewhat thin for an IPA, more like a pale ale.
O- Interesting pick up from Aldi. Most likely not a revisit.

Pours a hazy golden red. Mouthfeel is a little on the light side for the style. Found it at ALDI. over all one of their better beers but only slightly better than average. I would buy this one again.

Found a six pack of bottles at a central Illinois Aldi, January 2022. Pours a mostly clear gold with 2-3 fingers foam in a pint glass. Decent lacing. Hoppy fresh aroma, nothing astounding. Taste/mouth is medium body, hard to pinpoint. Crisp and dry, but still juicy. Heavy on the bitterness, grapefruit, citrus rind, not resinous, not much pine. Not an extreme IPA in any regard except perhaps the bitter hops. Could go head to head with Two Hearted, IMHO.