I was just at Destihl in Normal, IL on Monday with my friend Joe, where I tried their Strawberry Blonde ale, Downstate Pale Ale, and St. Dekkera Reserve Bela Imperial Pilsner Sour Ale. On Wednesday evening, I found myself at Destihl’s Champaign location. My friend Fred, the head brewer here, recommended I give it a try if I was feeling like something a bit hoppy.
Location: On tap and poured into a tulip shaped glass at Destihl Restaurant & Brew Works in Champaign, Illinois.
Numbers: 6.3% ABV, 76 IBU, 9 SRM, ~ 179 Calories
Appearance & Aroma: It was fairly clear and was amber in color. It had almost no head on it, with just a thin ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass. It had a light malty aroma with some citrusy hop aromas as well.
Taste & Feel: The body was somewhat light and the mouthfeel was a bit crisp from carbonation and hops. The flavors up front were a bit malty with some hints of caramel malts. A citrusy hop flavor kicked in quickly, carrying through the finish and lasting for a little bit in the aftertaste. the finish was slightly dry from the bitterness of the hops.
Food Pairing: I had the chorizo and mushroom stone oven pizza, and it went nicely with this beer. The bready and caramel flavors up front went well with the crispy crust and spicy chorizo flavors, and the citrusy hop flavors and dry finish prepped my mouth for another slice of pizza.
Overall Impression: I was a bit surprised by the somewhat light body on this IPA, but it made it somewhat drinkable beer. The citrusy hop flavors were a bit sharp and citrusy. Overall, I thought it was a bit sharp on the citrusy bitterness. It wasn’t too big, or too small, just a middle of road IPA.
My Rating: 
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