Style: IPA (Cold)

ABV: 6.4 IBU: 55.0

99/100

Aroma:	12
Appearance:	3
Flavor:	20
Mouthfeel:	5

Snowbank Brewing Cowboy Peak Cold IPA

What the brewers say

“Cold IPA hopped with Luminosa, Nectaron, Comet.”

What our panel thought

“Dank, woody pine notes in the aroma give you a preview of what is to come. Gloriously bitter resiny pine hits the tongue directly and unapologetically, with a bit of herbal skunkiness and some light crystal malt to balance, but not distract you from the star of the show: hops. Bright bitterness passes off the tongue quickly. Exactly what cold IPA should be.”

What our editors thought

“Deeply layered nose with tree bark, yellow flowers, yuzu, a bit of eucalyptus, orange zest. These continue as echoes more than obvious notes in the sip, subtle and underplayed in the interest of cohesion, along with a downplayed and sneaky tropical bitterness. Circumspect and quiet, but deeply engaging, it’s a fascinating model for the style that nods to the past while taking steps toward what’s next.”

Review printed in: IPA: Bold, Cold & Controlled (Spring 2023) (View All Issues)

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REVIEWS FOR YOU >

Wayfinder Beer Chronokinetic Cold IPA

“Bright and fresh orange, melon, and tropical fruit, backed with subtle cracker malt, overlay a distant pine note. Hints at a juicy-leaning version, but the assertive, pleasurable bitterness is convincingly Western. Light dankness creeps in at the finish. Clean and crisp, it hits all the notes, even if they’re fleeting.”

Ecliptic Brewing Cryo Frozen Fresh Hop Double IPA

“Fruit cocktail, sweet bright red cherries, mango, grapes, Fruity Pebbles. Sweet and fruity flavor really shines. The sweet graininess with warming alcohol is quickly dissipated by the hop bitterness and ends well-balanced.”

Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits Sculpin IPA

**Aroma:** “Super piney and resinous with a very light caramel sweetness. A basic tension between candy-like citrus and floral notes set against green, dank, and white-wine aromas.” **Flavor:** “Very bright with aggressive piney hops flavors, moderate malt, a slight garlic flavor, and grapefruit and pine notes. Dialed-in bitterness hits the mark. Lots of hoppy goodness with lemon candy, green, and floral notes. Delicious. Juicy hops notes with hints of tangerine, lemon candy, green and floral notes, plus balancing pine and dankness.” **Overall:** “Lovely resinous character well-balanced by the malt sweetness. Drinks like the stronger side of IPA, bordering on double IPA. A well-crafted blend of malt, hops, and alcohol—exactly what an IPA should be. Complex hops character with an exciting blend of classic and contemporary hops character. A full-bodied, full-flavored IPA with tons of nuance with each sip. This is extremely well executed—a great beer.”

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