Old Town Shanghai’d IPA
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What the brewers say
“Its aggressive hops aroma sits well alongside its complex character and distinct balance. Notes of floral, citrus, and grapefruit. Lightly sweet and heavily hopped.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Moderate piney hops, along with a light citrus note, slight sage, a little floral, splash of caramel/treacle, mild fruity esters—maybe a little cherry. Some bready sweetness. The hops are strongest, then the bit of malt, but overall, relatively subdued aroma.”
Flavor: “Light caramel and biscuit notes from the malt as well as some sage and orange from the hops. Some bread like sweetness hits up front followed by some grapefruit light sweetness and grapefruit bitterness. Balance is malt-forward for style with just enough bitterness to cut the malt. The bitterness lingers on the taste through the finish and sits heavily on the tongue. Medium carbonation.”
Overall: “The sage-orange combination is interesting, with the sweet caramelized malt character supporting well. The hops and bitterness came through most. Except for the malt in the nose, it’s more American. You’d never mistake this for a Bass. Maybe Old School American IPA before the hops inflation made things crazier.”
