Beer Review: Three Virginia India Pale Ales
Posted by Edmond | Beer, Beer Review, General | Posted on October 14th, 2009
Wow have I got a treat for you. 
This past weekend I decided to give three of Virginia’s fine IPAs a try. Before I go any further I am positive that someone will say “Well you didn’t include this or that, so you didn’t try the best” or “Man, I’ve had that one before and it was horrible.’ I am only able to work with what I can find around here.
Before I get into the review I wanted to give you an idea of what is an India Pale Ale (aka IPA). I like to describe an IPA as a pale ale on hoproids. Unlike the Imperial IPA (or Triple) this tends to be bitter, fruity and mildly high in alcohol. One common component for the IPA are the hops are usually high aroma and either added as a late addition or even dry hopped. Just to give you a point of reference the Imperial IPA (double) and Triple IPA tend to cross over to the sweet side with some bitterness. They too are dry hopped (usually) and do so more than once, hence the double and triple name.
Now on to the reviews.
First on the list? The St. George Brewing Co’s India Pale Ale. This beer pours a nice red orange color with about one finger’s worth of head. It quickly disappears after pouring into my glass. There is a little chill haze and very little active carbonation. The aroma to me has some sweet plum with a piney smell. The taste has a card board taste with some grapefruit bitterness. This beer leaves a pine like resin bitterness after taste. It does finish dry with the bitterness lingering. This comes in 5.0% ABV.
Next up, Starr Hill Brewing’s Northern Lights IPA. 
This beer pours a copper color with slight haze and moderate carbonation. The head is about two fingers high with large bubbles and slight off white color. The aroma is a carbonated cirtus character with some pine under tones. Tasting this beer and I get mild grapefruit with malt backbone. It has a mild dry after taste with the bitterness not really lingering. This beer comes in at 6.0% ABV.
Finally, Williamsburg Alewerks Drake Trail IPA. 
This beer pours a light amber reddish gold color. It is hazy with some mild carbonation happening. The head is small less than one fingers worth. The aroma is sweet, yeasty and very much wet hop like. This beer has a sweet bitterness there. The taste has some of a pinewood resin taste there. I am not getting much of a citrus bitterness that I would expect but it is there. It’s very subtle. This does finish dry but with a little more carbonation than I would expect to find. It does finish off at 7.5% ABV.
So there you have it three beers and three reviews. Honestly, each one was a little different from each other. I found myself enjoying the Williamsburg Alewerks one a little more than others. Honestly, I like the fact that this is a higher alcohol beer and I don’t really get that in the beer. Starr Hill is pretty darn close though. The St. George beer to was maybe a little old hence the cardboard taste. In any case, you can’t go wrong with any of these beers.
Next week I am working on bring either three porters or brown ales.
P.S. Remember to click on the images for a better look at each beer.