Minion India Pale Ale
Rush River Brewing Company

Appearance: Pours a light orange, clear color with a spotted and foamy head. SRM of 7-8. (3.75)

Aroma: Mild aromas of lemon citrus, lemon tea, cream, and mild but light onion and herbs. (3.25)

Flavor: Flavor follows with more lemon citrus, lemon tea. Some cream in the middle. Followed by a light onion and herbal bitterness. Not too much herbs. Finishes appropriately with herbs to balance the lemon. (3.25)

Feel: A nice creamy body. Finishes smooth with a herbal astringency on the backend. (3.75)

Compared to Surly's Direct Current IPA 11/20/20: Pours a clearer and lighter color with a more spotted head. Aromas more of lemon and herbs. Less juicy grapefruit. More bitter and less juicy overall.

Overall: A sort of disappointment of an IPA. It has some lemon citrus/tea, cream, and herb flavors. As @Maximum12 had said, "if you like onions go forth". That would describe this beer. I don't get much apricot or caramel here as noted on their website. Maybe the citrus and onion are supposed to combine to form apricot? Strong in the herbs. A nice creamy body. I don't have the date so not sure how old this beer is, but most IPAs are better than this. (Final Rating: 3.33... repeating of course)

 

 

 

 

Citra! Everybody is brewing with it now days, including me. This is a pretty good version. Body is maybe slightly sweet and could be slightly dryer. Good beer and I'll definitely buy it again.

 

 

 

Pours a standard strawish yellow/golden into a tulip. Tons of floaters and hop debris in suspension (I guess they weren't kidding about the "unfiltered" thing!). 1/4" head that quickly recedes - perhaps undercarbed slightly. Smells like a malt bomb. Taste is very malt-forward and mildly hoppy. Not my ideal type of IPA but then again, who knows how old this is? Maybe it is better super fresh.

Pours a clear, copper color. 1/4 inch head of an off-white color. Good retention and decent lacing. Smells of slight sweet malt, slight caramel malt, hint of yeast, and a hint of hops. Fits the style of an American IPA. Mouth feel is smooth and crisp, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of sweet malt, caramel malt, slight yeast, slight hop, hint of grass, and a hint of floral hops. Overall, average appearance, muted aroma, but good body and blend.

 

 

Aroma is citrus/fruit, light pine and floral. The flavor is citrus, biscuit/English malts, mild hop resin and a medium/very bitter/dry finish.

 

Pours a hazy yellow slight orange juice it ha one finger white head with good carbonation. Smell good malty and piney smell, light citrus. Taste balanced with malt and piney resin. Good finish with not a ton of bite. Overall a good iPA.

 

I used to drink a ton of Rush River (had a keg of Bubblejack at a summer party years ago) but haven’t walked this way in a while. Fairly new beer in their stable, 22 oz. bomber split with my wife. No bottle dating…tsk, tsk.

Pours a pulpy orange with quick-dry carbonation. Some nice fresh fruits in the nose with lemon, citrus, oranges. Or maybe that’s just the color playing Jedi mind-tricks on me.

Minion breaks new ground in fresh-squeezed onion beers. Fresh orange juice stuck in a blender with some skunky hops, then dry-hopped with leeks. What’s amazing is that I don’t hate it, because I’m a fan of onions neither in my beer nor in my food…it’s a weed, people. Bittering is hard-hitting in the middle, leavened with mild citrus. All onion on the finish. Easy to drink despite the side of shallots, but I’m happy with half a bomber.

I’m wondering if the beer in here is several months old, because I’m not dancing to the same beat everyone else hears. If you like onions, go forth & stockpile. Pretty good brew.