Having met my quota for fantastic beer over the weekend, I felt like I needed to start fresh with something slightly more “normal” than 12% ABV quads. So I turned to Brooklyn Brewery East India Pale Ale. Sent to me by The Vice Blogger, it’s the last in my bunch of uniquely East Coast brews I am unable to easily procure around these parts. You may recall Dogfish Head 60 and 90 Minute IPAs, and of course Ommegang Hennepin and Unibroue La Fin Du Monde. All great stuff. And Brooklyn’s IPA isn’t any different.
Before I begin…let me just start off by saying that going into tonight’s Monday Night Football contest, I am 50 points behind my fantasy opponent this week. However, Mr. Donovan “The Knee” McNabb, Brian “North-South” Westbrook, and Felix “I’m Just Glad to Have a Job” Jones are starting for me tonight. So, between the three of them, they better come through.
Back to Brooklyn IPA…this is a nice smooth beer. Nice white head with a pumpkin orange coloring to the beer. The hop aroma reminds me of Dogfish Head 60 Minute, but not quite as ethereal. Pretty citrusy and grassy. It tastes like a good English IPA, with sweet malt that doesn’t overpower the hops. The two play well together, and overall culminate in a very drinkable, slightly muted IPA. I enjoyed this with a nice curried chicken, and it only added to the experience. Makes me curious to try some other offerings from Brooklyn. Maybe when I’m in NY next week for work I can track some down.
Rating: B+
September 15, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Glad you liked it. Beer Advocate gives it absolutely shit reviews, as do most NYers, but I think it is stellar. I thought I was crazy. I honestly have never had it bottled, but I drink it on tap like it’s my job. I still don’t understand why no one seems to like it except…well, I guess just us now.
Brooklyn’s got tons of great brews. Their lager’s the most ubiquitous on tap and is decent for getting loaded. Their Brewmasters series is particularly good too.
And so glad to hear you have Westbrook…I was absolutely cringing thinking about McNabb owners tossing their remotes through the TV on that bonehead celebration fumble by the rookie.
September 15, 2008 at 10:46 pm
I was one of those owners…but thankfully Westbrooke made up for it. But then he had to go and fumble in the 4th, which may still cost me the game considering I’m two down now. Come on McNabb…do something on the last drive…
September 15, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Don’s a Syracuse boy like me–he’ll bail you out!
(This is why I don’t play fantasy football–I would break my possessions every single weekend in anger.)
September 15, 2008 at 10:54 pm
OK, so I was wrong…
I feel your pain though–I hate the Boys.
September 15, 2008 at 11:07 pm
I lose on a technicality…tied up at 88 for the week, and my overtime player scored less than my opponent’s. Razzle dazzle BS.
September 16, 2008 at 4:01 pm
That beer has a beautiful color. I’ll have to see if my local microbrew shop has it. I’ve tried the Brooklyn Lager and it is a pretty good beer. What a good football game last night. The only thing that could have made it better would be if the Cowboys have lost.
September 16, 2008 at 4:27 pm
I really enjoyed the beer, it does have a nice color. I think Aaron’s comment earlier about how New Yorkers generally don’t like it is interesting, guess sometimes you don’t appreciate what you have. Kind of like how everyone freaks out about the Mall of America when they come to the Twin Cities.
It was a good game, I’ve always liked McNabb, wish he could have pulled it out.
September 23, 2008 at 8:09 pm
[...] upper Midwest’s version of Leinenkugel’s (not undrinkable, but not great). I did enjoy Brooklyn’s East India Pale Ale recently, and saw a number of other offerings from them that looked interesting, including their [...]
June 11, 2009 at 11:52 am
[...] from Brooklyn Brewery before, mainly through my brief work trips out to The Big Apple. Their East India Pale Ale? Yeah, serviceable. Pennant Ale ‘55? A little gimmicky in the naming and a pretty average [...]