Hales Mongoose IPA

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

Gifted by my friend Nate following his trip to Seattle, and laid down in my cellars for about a year. Perhaps too long... an excessively heady pour, even with my usual light touch. Cloudy, coppery-orange body over a dense, billowy head, with, needless to say, persistent lacing. Unremarkable nose, but a good flavor, with notes of tea as observed by Eaglefan (first time I've ever picked up on that particular trait in a beer, and it's not altogether bad). The beer has mellowed over time, the hops have backed off the nose and palate, and the maltiness has moved forward. I wouldn't call this a bad beer, honestly, and would like to try it a little younger.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Sampled on cask at the Horse Brass, Portland, 05/06. Pours clear copper/orange with a minimal head. Apple & berry aroma followed by a spicy, floral hop flavor. Nice malt backbone. Medium-boded. Pretty pedestrian for the style.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

From Haagen (Burlington, WA) in a bomber. Poured a rocky white head over a body of cloudy orange. Aroma was really nice, hops and pine needles here. Flavour was likewise, with a good bitter bite' to the mouthfeel. Bitterness eases off at the finish. Slightly better than the 'standard' IPA from Hales.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

Bomber bottle. Poured a slightly cloudy copper color with a light white head. Nice lacing. Aroma is hoppy but kind of off. Not a normal IPA hoppy aroma. Mouthfeel is nice. Flavor is very bitter and not much else. Heavy in grapefruit, but none of the floral hoppiness of the good IPAs. I was excited that this was available in Kansas, but this really let me down.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

Poured was a cloudy orangeish color with good head and lacing. Aroma was nasty tea bags. Flavor was very tea bags and floral hops. bad bad IPA missed the boat for me.

Aroma: 5 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

Bottle from Tops in Tempe I think. The pour was deep hazy, cloudy, murky, amber-orange, nice initial head, good lacing, thinning over time. The aroma was tea bags, floral hops. The flavor was hearty, fully bodied, strong caramel, teabags, floral hops. The mouthfeel was only moderately carbonated and as mentioned, fully bodied. Not my favorite IPA for sure.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

This IPA pours an orange gold color from a 12oz bottle. Medium sized white foamy head. Aroma is piney and floral hops with some malts. A medium bodied India Pale Ale. Malts are fruity and sweet. Hops are citrusy and piney. Medium bitterness. The hops have some staying power. Good example of a PNW IPA. Mouthfeel is full Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 5 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

12oz bottle. Pours a honey color with a decent head but not much lace. Scent if faint, but definately of floral hops. Flavor is hoppy with a metalic taste to it which becomes more pronounced as the beer warms. I want to like this but it’s not letting me. Mouthfeel is average. Overall it’s okay, but drink it while its cold for your best enjoyment. Admittedly, I may have picked up a bad sixpack as I don’t remember the bomber having the metalic thing going on, so I’m likely to revisit this.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 6

Light straw and maze color under latte froth head (bottle). Had this one at beer fest in MT and was not terribly impressed. Forgettable IPA: hoppy, but unfortunately balanced. Palate/mouthfeel is nice and full, sort of mealy but bright citrus refreshes. Fine IPA.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

This beer pours cloudy reddish amber color with a very thin soapy white head and a hint of islandy lacing, but nothing worth mentioning. The aroma is floral hops with citrus, caramel, breadiness and malt. The flavor is medium bodied and to some extents almost unbearably dry from the bittering hops. Some syrupy sticky caramel mid-taste, but that atypical cottonmouth finish that we’ve become used to. Mild carbonation, rugged mouthfeel...not really enjoying the finish all too much..i find the caramel and hops don’t complement each other as well as I thought they would.