Photo: J.T. Wampler
This week’s beer: Hoptimistic India Pale Ale from Charleville Vineyard Brewery in Saint Genevieve, Missouri.
This 6.5% abv ale pours a deep, honey color with a dense, white head.
Its aroma is of intense, floral hops and citrus. The taste is earthy hops and grapefruit. Bitterness stays with you well after each sip and mellows nicely.
This is a nice, hoppy IPA without pretention or modesty. With a nice aroma and following up with a solid hop backbone, it delivers as advertised. It’s a solid beer that should appeal to the most hardcore hopheads.
This is a beer I will work into my regular rotation. It’s available in bottles in Northwest Arkansas, but I recently spoke to a representative from the brewery and it should be available on tap in late July 2012. I’m really looking forward to trying the draft version.
Pair with curry, spicy Mexican food or chocolate chip cookies.
Rating: 4.8
Last week’s beer: Bud Light Golden Wheat
J.T Wampler
J.T. is a contributor for the Fayetteville Flyer. He is also the owner and brewer at the Tanglewood Branch Beer Co., located at 1431 S. School Ave. in Fayetteville.
For more beer reviews from J.T., see his author page.
