Wolf Creek IPA
North Country Brewing

Wolf Creek IPA from North Country Brewing. Received on 16/3/21 from Franklin Beer, Franklin, PA. $4.00 (Including tax) per 16 oz can ($ 0.250/oz). In reefer at store, stored at home at 42 degrees. Reviewed 6/7/21. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Bottom of can stamped “CANNED ON ??/??/??” (? = illegible number). Served at 52.7 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. Final temperature 59.9 degrees.
Appearance – 3.5.
First pour – Pale Gold (SRM 4), murky.
Body – Deep Gold (SRM 6), murky and opaque. When rear-lite, there is enough light penetration to shift it back to Pale Gold (SRM 4).
Head – Large (Maximum five cm, aggressive center pour), antique white, high density, average retention, diminishing to a four to seven mm undulating crown constantly being replenished by rapid carbonation and a creamy complete cap. Second pour produces a dense 1.5 cm head and large lumps of precipitate.
Lacing – Poor - just a couple of trees silhouetted against the sky.
Aroma – 3 – Begins with a perfumy floral stench with a single short-lived burst of pine - no malt, no yeast.
Flavor – 3.25 – Begins sweet and slightly oily with floral perfume - no malt, no yeast. Fortunately, the sweetness is quickly replaced by an average bitterness. No ethanol (7 % ABV, as marked on container) taste. Gastric burning initially does occur, but this quickly ameliorates to a dull glow. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 4 – Medium, oily, lively carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 3 Distinctly unpleasant perfume stench overall, despite the short burst of pine goodness which all too quickly disappears. Kind of has a Simcoe hop taste but not as good. When the palate is the highlight …