Billings IPA
Montana Brewing Company

 

Appearance: Medium golden in color, rather clear, with a large white head, slight carbonation, and excellent lacing.

Aroma: Strong citrus, particularly orange notes, lesser sweet, light malt.

Taste: Opens with a balanced grapfruit, orange, and lesser pine hops, these dominate the taste without becoming overpowering. The underlying light and sweet malt backbone is quite present and plays a proper secondary role throughout, as it should for this style. Finishes with moderate, lingering grapefruit rind bitterness.

Mouth feel: Smooth and soft, fairly full.

Drinkability/notes: A really exemplary example of the style, quite superb. I am not a particular fan of this style, but this is a beer I would certainly like to have again.

Many thanks to Aaron for generously sharing this rare and superb example.

Should be labeled 'Hops Head IPA.'

Into a pint glass, poured a good copper with ok head coming out, settled to a thin foam, with escellent white lacing all over the place. Deep floral hop aroma, piney with grapefruit. Taste is a heavy does of west coast style hopping, very floral with nice caramel malt backing that isn't really present, kind of like the guiding hand of capitalism, felt but not seen. Hop oil lends a velvet-like texture, with just a slight carbonation front to middle. Ends slightly bitter, easing away. Nice. A solid IPA, maybe just maybe a little above average (ie slightly above 'good')

Bottle Inspection: Growler brought back from MBC two days ago. Thanks Aaron for bringing back the goods!

Aroma: Fresh cascade hop tea! Hops really are fresh and yummy. Some mild sugar malt in there, but hops take the stage.

Appearance: Nice red glass with a half finger of creamy white head that laced nicely. Very easy on the eyes.

Flavor: Just a touch of hop burn with grapefruit and a bit of pine coming through, but then balanced out with an invisible malt presence to keep it from going too far. Again, fresh hop flavors really pop out, but never go too far.

Mouthfeel: Very odd given all stated before; the mouthfeel is really light, a bit watery actually, with no hop oily to leave a linger in the finish.

Overall Impression: A very drinkable, almost slamable beer. Great hop presence but backed by sufficient malt. Quality brew, I’m glad to have sampled it.

Had on tap at the MBC. Poured a cloudy light amber color with light carbonation and lots of lacing up the glass. Smells of pears and grapefruit, also piney scent is observed. Tastes real sweet/fruity at first with a nice hoppy/pine flavored aftertaste. One of the better balanced IPA's I've had in a long time. This beer goes down very easy. Overall an excellent IPA.