Brooklyn Brewery East IPA

BROOKLYN BREWERY EAST INDIA PALE ALE

Origin: USA

Type: East IPA

Color: Amber

Alcohol content: 6.9%

Recommended serving temperature: 10ºC/50ºF

Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery

Webpage: http://brooklynbrewery.com/brooklyn-beers/perennial-brews/brooklyln-east-india-pale-ale

For my second post on American style IPAs, I have decided to write on one from the East Coast, and specifically from one of the Five Boroughs of New York, the Brooklyn Brewery East India Pale Ale. The aim of this is mainly to contrast the East Coast American IPAs to the West Coast ones already described in my first post on American IPAs, dedicated to the Anderson Valley Hop Ottin'.

This beer differs little in color and appearance when served in comiparison to the Anderson Valley Hop Ottin'. It has a rather deep and strong amber tone, distinctive of IPAs in general. The foam is not excessive, it does not last too long either and has a soft texture.

However, it is in the smell and the taste that more differences can be found between this beer and West Coast American style IPAs.

It has a grassy, malty, slightly toasted and resiny smell with a bit of a citrusy aroma. This smell is less fruity and sweet than in the Anderson Valley and most West Coast style IPAs, and more malty. This is because the East Coast IPAs tend to have hops which are less aromatic and more bitter. However, this is not as exaggerated in this particular beer as it could be, as none of the hops used in its brewing (according to Brooklyn Brewery's webpage, East Kent Golding, Williamette, Centennial and Northdown) are particularly bittering, but at most a mix of both aroma and bitterness.

The taste is also herby, resiny and malty, like the smell, but also a little bit flowery. It is also of course, as is the characteristic of IPAs, bitter and dry at the outcome. However, it is not bitter in a way which might make it not enjoyable or hard to drink for those who have not acquired the taste of a nice IPA. In fact, not at all. 

East Coast style American IPAs tend to be (or tend to be thunk as) more balanced between bitter and malty, while West Coast IPAs are more bitter (in spite of the aromatic hops which give them fruitiness) and less malty. I do not know if it is because of this general trait or for some other reason, but when I have shared this beer with friends who are not big IPA fans, they tend to enjoy it more than other West Coast styled ones. I have to confess this theory needs more testing on my part to be upheld. Meeting with the same person who does not really love IPAs several times, in a place with a wide enough variety of East and West Coast IPAs, and convincing him to try several of them, sounds like an interplanetary alignment or something equally bizarre which human-kind has only seldom seen.

I do of course encourage you to try with your own friends and let me know the results.

PS: The above encouragement should in no way be construed as making me responsible for any pernicious consequences to your social perception.... Nor your sense of perception.