Southern Tier Brewing Company- IPA India Pale Ale: Unique All On Its Own
Saturday, February 27, 2010 at 6:25PM | by Jason 
Currently this craft brew crew is two for three in my book. Loved the Phin & Matt’s and Jahva Imperial Coffee Stout but the Old Man Winter Ale didn’t have me feeling warm & fuzzy this winter season. I have decided that I would continue my trend and stick with IPA’s for now. So my 4th brew from the folks in Lakewood, NY is going to be Southern Tier Brewing Company’s IPA India Pale Ale. Not to mention the 2010 National IPA Championships are going on and I realize that I need to get to work and try even more IPAs.
Southern Tier Brewing Company classifies this beer as an India Pale Ale (IPA) and their website describes IPA India Pale Ale as, “IPA stands for India Pale Ale and ours is an American version of the classic style. IPA’s namesake lies in its colonial roots. British soldiers on their way to India drank a lot of beer, but found it would go stale on the long voyages. Meanwhile, brewers knew that by adding more hops the beer would stay fresh. Voila! A new style was born and it is one we are proud to brew. Southern Tier IPA is tripled on its journey to your glass for a fully aromatic experience."
This brew pours a Sunset Golden color with a ½” light tan colored head with hoppy/slight grapefruit aroma and come in at 6.9% ABV.
STBC’s IPA makes it 3 for 4 in my book. This is a really good IPA. It is a nicely carbonated, hoppy without being bitter, hint of grapefruit in the finish beer. It is a clean and very crisp IPA. What makes it unique is that it doesn’t taste like any other IPA that I have had at this point. It falls within the style but it stands out and on its own. It reminds me of the band Korn, they are considered new metal but still sound unlike any other band out there. They fall into the category but stand out completely on their own. Korn’s debut Korn in 1994 made me realize that you can fit into a genre and still be completely and utterly unique all on your own…STBC’s IPA reminds me of this. “Got The Life”
Note: Happy 56th Birthday to my Dad "the old man" today!!
ABV: 6.9%
Consumed: New Belgium Globe Glass
Verdict: Buy A Twelve Pack
