Four Towers IPA
Kelley Brothers Brewing Company

"A sandwich in every bottle" was the commercial tug job/slogan about this beer. Hardly appetizing in any era methinks.

To a degree, they were correct: the beer poured much darker than 99% of ipas I've come across that weren't black ales branded under the more popular ipa moniker. Additionally, there was plenty of solid 'floaties' throughout the beer. I like my ipas chunky could also be their slogan. Aroma was malt. Like, enough to make you think this was an amber ale.

Taste did pack a hefty bittering hop presence, on top of an even bigger malt bill. Kinda surprised this is only 6.2%, would have guessed 7.5% at the lowest. Lots of triple and double ipas that drink easier and with less sting these days. Ultimately, while I found the slogan, the artwork, everything about it in that regard showed promise. Unfortunately, you can't make an ipa that hot and malty and expect to survive, so its of no coincidence that the brewery turned out like the crashing tower on the label.

 

A good dark pour, much darker than typical for an ipa. Floaties. Aroma was yeasty and plentiful alcohol.

Taste was chewy, they wasn't kiddin' "a sandwich in every bottle." Found it to be big in every way, hopping, bitterness, alcohol. Lots of grapefruit type of citrus. Gets better throughout, not for the faint of heart.

Thick and creamy head falls...instantly. Shock! Interesting black cherry booze and sweetness in the nose, but no hop character (IPA what??).

Blast of hops and booze (ah-hah!) with swirling carbonation in the mouth is unpleasant. Carbonation is heavy and thick, too much.

I couldn't stomach this IPA, totally unbalanced and rough. I thought perhaps I could have had a bad bottle, but from other reviews..

An energetic pour got me a nice creamy little head, but it disappeared almost immediately on the almost opaque orange copper color body. The smell is hoppy and citrusy, but quite bland. The taste is worse: totally unbalanced, mouthpuckering, annoying. The lemony aspect is enjoyable and refreshing, but other than that, this beer isn't worth being drunk. The aftertaste gets grassy and chewy, with more of a grapefruit character. I'm not drinking more than 5 oz of this.

4 Tower IPA. Tasted at the 2003 IPA fest at the Bistro. Medium gold color. Small head. Aroma is minimal but it slightly fruity and sweet. A medium bodied IPA. Malts are nutty and fruity. Maps are slightly spicy and piney. Touch of citrus, but NOT in a good way. There is also a hint of wet cardboard. Not very good at all. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

I wanted to like this establishments beer, I read an article in a beer newspaper about them and they seemed committed and enthusiastic. This IPA was the worst of the style I have encountered. I dumped the first bottle out right away. I chalked it up to being off so I cracked open another. This IPA is very dark and cloudy, head is almost nil as was lacing. Aroma is of alcohol, taste had no hops or malt that I could discern. alcohol was way too prominent in the taste profile, mouthfeel was thin and beer was on the flat side. Drinkability is poor. a very disappointing brew. I tried three bottles thinking I may have a bad batch but all were roughly the same. I took the remaining three back.