I’m in Boulder, Colorado for work and wanted to try to hit a few breweries while here. After an unsuccessful stop at Upslope Brewing, we headed out for dinner. Before heading to our dinner location, I asked the group if we could stop at Twisted Pine Brewing for a couple of beers, since I haven’t been able to have any of their beers.
According to them, “Hoppy Boy India Pale Ale is the flagship beer of Twisted Pine. It pours a hazy pale orange and has a dry, tart taste with an earthy bitterness. Pleasant grapefruit and citrus notes are provided by the addition of Cascade hops. This classic American IPA is brewed with medium caramel malts that play off the citrus and orange rind hop flavors to make this beer most enjoyable.” So, I decided to start out with this beer, since it’s considered to be their flagship brew.
Location: Enjoyed a pint at Twisted Pine Ale House in Boulder, CO.
Numbers: 6.2% ABV, 65 IBU’s, ~ 135 Calories
Ingredients: Hops: Cascade, Northern Brewer, Chinook
Appearance & Aroma: It was a fairly clear orange-amber color with a thin, creamy white head on it. The aroma was dominated by piney and citrusy hops, with a bit of maltiness in the background.
Taste & Feel: It had a light-medium body and a crisp mouthfeel. There was a nice light caramel malty flavor up front, right before a decent piney-resin and citrus hop flavor kicked in. The hop flavor continued through the finish, but seemed to lose its flavors in the somewhat watery aftertaste.
Food Pairing: I would pair this with a pepper jack chicken sandwich. The caramel malt and hoppy flavors would contrast nicely with the spicy pepper jack flavors, and the watery finish would help to wash it all down.
Overall Impression: I was really looking forward to stopping by this brewery, as I had heard good things – so I had to try their flagship IPA. It had a nice color, aroma, and flavor, however, it seemed like it may have been on tap for a bit and may not necessarily have been at its freshest. While I was also slightly disappointed by the watery finish, it was a fairly average IPA.
My Rating: 
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