Scuttlebutt Gale Force IPA

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Hard to say with this one. It's better than the average IPA for sure, but sort of on the weaker side.....somewhat lacking malt and strength. On the other hand, it's really smooth, tastes great, and has some good bitter hop to it. Has the flavor of a good 6-7% West Coast IPA, even though it's closer to 5%. Could be the hoppiest 5% IPA that I've had. A little bit more malt here would make this in the top tier. Same price as Torpedo ($6.99-7.99/six-pack), so I may be alternating between the two for a while.

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

i get more pine than citrus in this one, though both are present. i was a little alarmed at the low abv, but it turns out it doesn't matter. the beer seems at least relatively fresh, and has quite a bit of flavor...pine, oak, quite malty too with some honey-esque sweetness. aroma tends a little malt heavy for an ipa imo, but it still works. a pleasant all around beer, well balanced.

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

Aroma is not strong, but it does have a firm hoppy component and just a hint of grapefruit. It pours a pretty clear golden amber with a pale orangy-tan head that leaves some decent lacing. Flavor is typically hoppy and fairly bitter with a woody undertone and citrus hints, as well as just a whisper of honey sweetness. Texture is fairly fizzy, leaving a woody finish and a subtle tingle.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 6

A bright amber, orange tinged colored beer. Big creamy textured off white head rises above. This one has fantastic hang time. Settles into thick film aside the glass and clouds atop the body. The nose is faint. Perhaps some earthy hops. The tasting is a balance of hops greater in presence as this one warms. Floral and grassy hints predominate. Light in body, but for the style a real thirst quencher.

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

Pours a dull orange with a large frothy head. Noticeable pine and floral notes immediately. Fresh hops are in abundance. Almost a little honey as well. Taste is well hopped with some pungent grass and herbal notes. a battle of sweet and bitterness near the end. Really nice!

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

Another beer from Scuttlebut which I quite enjoyed. The body was an orangey-sort of mix, not a usual IPA hue, underneath a short-lived thin, off-white head. Aroma was better, showing off some hop. The taste however, was better, with hops in play but not so much as be a detriment. Mouthfeel and finish were both above average.

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

A friend of mine brought me back several IPA's to sample from his recent trip to Seattle. This was not my favorite of the lot, but defintly not a bad beer. Appearance was unique for me at least, with a nice orange/brown color. Poured with a small head. Could distinctly smell the hops in this beer. Nice somewhat sweet initial flavor, could defintly distinguish the hopiness. However it seemed to leave somewhat of a bitter after tatse. I would defintly like to try this beer again to see if my opinion changes on it.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Good, just not really good. Pours a light amber color with a good head and decent lace. Aroma is the first thing that caught my attention: I could smell the hops when I first popped the top. Very citric. Flavor is almost entirely hops with a little bit of malt, but not enough to balance it out. - and this is from a certified hophead. It’s sweet, but even that comes from the grapefruit/hops. Palate is very crisp. Other than that it’s average. Overall it’s just okay. I really wanted to like this one better, too. I’ll definately try others from this brewery.

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

12oz bottle. Orange gold color. Medium sized white foamy head. Aroma is citrus and orange. A medium bodied IPA. Malts are orange and fruity. Hops are grapefruity, floral and piney. A big citrusy IPA. A touch harsh and crisp perhaps. Solid. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and crisp. Aftertaste is bitter.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

I travel to Everett a few times a year, to work on one or more of the Navy ships stationed at the Naval base there. And each time I stay at the Howard Johnson, and live in the Grand Roast and Ale House hotel bar. And it's there that I always make it a point to support the local brew -- Scuttlebutt most of all, and their most interesting IPA.

It's hard to be objective about PacNW IPA's, since they often tend to overlap in their various flavor profiles. After all, there are only so many different hop combinations that really work. But a few do stand out amongst the sea of massively hopped beers. And a member of this most elite PacNW IPA club would have to be Scuttlebutt's IPA.

Ok appearence, but things get rolling early with this one right from the get-go, with a nice pine-and-oak aroma. Hoppy, yes..., but with so much more, too. Nice things are coming with this IPA, that's for sure.

For flavor-profile, things continue on their merry way quite nicely. More pineyness, with the nut-sack shrivelling bitterness that forces you to sit up straight and pay attention to what's going on! Both the mouthfeel and drinkability of this are also very nice.

Overall, one of the many fine beers that I can only get by going up to the Puget Sound area. Recommended.
//TB