Yankee Clipper IPA
Oregon Trader Brewing Company

Let’s call this an English-style India Pale to account for the flat body and absent lace, though of course, the name suggests something entirely American. Yankee Clipper features little head but offers an enticing radiant rust color – like dried orange peel only clouded and luminous.

Aside from this there’s neither a strong showing of flavor nor an especially charismatic profile in any given dimension. The aroma is modest and yeasty with scarcely a nod towards hops. The flavor has an intriguing seesaw effect as the malts tip to the bitter across the tongue. But the hop profile itself is dull and lacks any floral or crisp expression.

A poetic extrapolation might infer that “Yankee Clipper” is Oregon Trader’s “flagship” ale. Let us hope not.