Thursday 10 May 2007

Review: Steelhead Double IPA

Steelhead Double IPA from Mad River Brewing Company
Rating: B-


Appearance: Darker orange/amber in color with a decent head. Yeast floaties, despite having been in the refrigerator for a while. Not much lace.

Smell: Aroma is unsurprisingly heavy on hops, citrus, assertive...

Taste: Dominated by aggressive hops. Not a well-balanced double IPA, in my opinion - and same for the friend I was tasting with. The hops are there for the sake of being obnoxiously bitter rather than for flavor, which is fairly indistinct. Some malt sweetness, but it's easily overwhelmed. Need a significant pause between sips before you feel like taking another. This from two regular IPA drinkers. Disappointing.

Mouthfeel: About medium in body, carbonation seemed fine.

Drinkability: Struggled to finish one bottle. After reading some other reviews, I wonder whether the brewery is having problems with consistency: some say barely any hops, others say vinegar, others (like me) are astonished by the lack of balance.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 05-10-2007 16:50:55

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