A Happy, Hoppy Discovery
Cottrell Brewing Mystic Bridge IPA
4.43/5
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
I received this bottle as part of a mystery 6 pick my wife picked up at a local Whole Foods; included were some Brooklyn, Dogfish and Mission Street beers, plus this one, the only one in the pack I had never tried. The bottle has been chilling in my cellar. It is marked best by April (I’ll assume in 2012).
The beer is translucent and colored dark copper. A large off white foam head fills the top portion of my pint glass. As it settles, lots of lacing is left behind. There is some visible carbonation within the glass, but it is hard to see.
The beer has a big, earthy hop aroma. I could smell the hops as soon as I opened the bottle; it only became more strong as I poured. The hops come across as somewhat oily. The are notes of grass and forests, but there isn’t a strong pine presence.
This is a tasty IPA. Hops are strong and present throughout each sip, but they aren’t overpowering. This is a hoppy IPA, but nowhere near DIPA levels. Some sweetness is also present, but it works well with the hops. Lots of earthy flavors are present, mirroring the aroma.
The beer isn’t very sticky. The hops are a little oily and provide a lot of tingling sensations. Coating is small, but does have some good hop flavors.
I like this IPA. Since it was a beer I was unfamiliar with, I will say that I am both surprised and impressed. I will have to drink this one again.
