Crooked Tree IPA

Available: MI, IN

Dry-hopped, you say? Unfiltered, you say? Big enough to knock over a Bud drinker at forty paces, you say? Yup, yup and yup. There’s nothing subtle about this Dark Horse, from the massive, spicy-leafy hop aroma to the big, chewy, citrusy hop in the body and the bitter, almost astringent finish. There’s also some fruity malt hanging in the background, although my hops-besieged palate would appreciate a little more. Steadfastly in the hophead camp and a candidate for my next plate of chicken vindaloo.
- Stephen Beaumont

(Reviewed by K. Florian Klemp) Pastel-orange and hazy, glinting pink and yellow. Authoritative hop nose, with grapefruit, spruce and a whispering watermelon ester. Classic American hop flavors dominate the palate without overwhelming the supple malt backdrop. The finish is an earthy citrus: warm, dry, and lingering. White lacing hugs the glass. This brew stokes my appetite, and is what I want in an American IPA. I’m thinking musty mushroom and blue-veined cheese burger right now.
- Charlie Papazian

This amber beer is hazy to the point of opacity, raising a good rocky head. The robust hop aroma shows notes of mint and sweet oranges. The palate shows a quick flash of malt sweetness followed by a thin loud shriek of hop bitterness, which runs through the center and drops into a very dry finish. Bitterness lingers. I’d prefer more malt backbone to hold up that malt — the whole affair is rather one-dimensional. If you’re all about the bitterness, then step right up with some stuffed jalapenos.
- Garrett Oliver

Stephen Beaumont
Stephen Beaumont boarded his first plane at the age of 15 and hasn’t looked back since, obsessing about travel to the point that he gets nervous if he doesn’t have a ticket or two stacked on the corner of his desk. When he’s not running around in search of new taste experiences, he makes his home in Toronto, where a new cultural experience is only as far away as the next neighborhood.

Charlie Papazian
Author of the New Complete Joy of Homebrewing, founder of the Great American Beer Festival and a Beer Examiner at www.examiner.com, Papazian is a leading voice in beer and brewing.

Garrett Oliver
Internationally recognized brewer and expert on traditional beer, Garrett Oliver is the brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery and the author of The Brewmaster's Table.

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