A taste of… White Hawk I.P.A.

Mendocino Brewing Company
1601 Airport Road
Ukiah, California, 95482
United States
(707) 463-2627

Preface: This 12 oz. bottle of White Hawk I.P.A. was purchased for $2.50(USD) at Peas & Pickles Grocery in Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, NY. There was no “Best by” date on the bottle neck.
The following notes are made after a mouth wash with room temperature sparkling water. These notes have not been influenced by reading promotional material or any other review of this brew.

I am including this preface to inform the reader of any and all circumstances that might be conceived of a creating a biased review or a conflict of interest regarding the choice of words used in the following review. I could go on and on with semi-legal jargon but I guess you will just have to trust me eh?

The following are my tasting notes:

Appearance: The orange-copper, nicely carbonated brew is topped with a fine head of tiny bubbles that form a dense but rocky light orange-copper colored crown. The lace is very noticeable.

Aroma: The first impression is of caramel sugar candy, followed by a toasted grain sensation that culminates in a rich caramel grain impression.

Mouth feel: A full bodied brew but now way near obese.

Flavor: The first impression is roasted grain that is muscled out of the way by a bitter tang that is not unwelcome. The second sip reveals a burnt sugar under current that gets along quite nicely with the hop tang. Finally, there is a run for the finish that is won handily by the not quite metallic spike of the hop flavors.

Finish: That rush to the finish ends in a fairly long, but not obnoxious victory lap by those hops flavors.

Comments: The “I.P.A.” style seems almost as broad as the “Pale Ale” style, of which it is a significant sub-style. That said, I can find little unique about this I.P.A. but since it doesn’t make that almost mandatory dive into the hop sock a deep one I find it refreshing in flavor and body.

Food & Beer: The flavor spikes in this ale would be enjoyed even more when poured as an accompaniment to a grilled beef steak dinner.

The Brewery: http://www.mendobrew.com/

What others say:

BeerAdvocate: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/200/4970

RateBeer: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/mendocino-white-hawk-original-ipa/14940/