Beer Review: Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA

Dark Horse Brewing Company: Crooked Tree IPA
Michigan, U.S.
Style: American IPA
ABV: 6.0%
Beeradvocate Rating: A
Serving type: Bottle
Purchased at: The Foodery

Look: Copper orange body, Creamy head

Smell: West Coast-like, Citrusy & Piney

Taste: Sweet, Grapefruit, Orange, Subtle Pine.

Feel: Medium carbonation, Crisp

Drinkability: High

The crooked tree IPA is a year round beer and is “Inspired by West Coast I.P.A.'s, but brewed with Michigan style.” It really goes in on the dry hops. I’ve seen this beer on tap at a few places around Philly, but when I go to the bar I like to get drunk. Drinking a 6% will take me all night.

This pours into a deeper copper color than I expect from IPA’s with a 6% ABV. There’s a creamy head that remains until the last sip. When I cracked this one I noticed it smelled strongly of pine and citrus, which is how West Coast IPAs tend to smell. You can definitely taste the grapefruit in this brew with a touch of piney hops. I expected it to have more of a pine taste based on the smell, but overall it has a well balanced taste with a light hop bite. It is sweet and smooth with a very crisp mouth feel. It’s smooth taste and low ABV for an IPA makes this one very drinkable. I believe I had this beer on tap a few months back at Swift Half Pub (before it closed) in Northern Liberties. Its unfiltered style and presentation remind me of a Racer 5 IPA.

My Rating: B. Nothing special here, but a solid IPA