Leavenworth IPA

Product Reviewed: Leavenworth IPA
Brewed by: The Leavenworth Brewery, Leavenworth, WA
Reviewed By: David Brockington
Original Posted to Usenet: June 27, 1994

Initial Impressions:

The Leavenworth Brewery is a relatively new brewpub located in the touristy municipality of Leavenworth, WA. Leavenworth has a decidedly (and determined) Bavarian motif about it, and when the Leavenworth Brewery started up they concentrated largely on German lagers. Lately, they have branched out a bit, and I was blessed with the opportunity to try their IPA at the Herbfarm Microbrew Fest on June 18. If you have read my review of the Red Hook IPA which was posted last week, you understand what I expect out of an IPA.

The beer which was poured into the tasting glass was pale, almost straw in color, and quite cloudy. It displayed wonderful head retention and beautiful lacework down the side of the glass.

Nose:

The nose hops were unrestrained in their spiciness. Sniffing this beer was truly a wonderful, almost religious experience. I could also pick out a hint of malt in the bouquet.

Flavor:

A veritable flavor explosion. A healthy addition of flavor hops commenced the taste experience, followed by the requisite aggressive hop bitterness, which lingered through a return to hop flavor and a slight hint of maltiness. This beer was out of balance to the hop side of things, but being an IPA, this is exactly what I would demand.

Final Analysis:

It is too bad that this beer doesn't get out very far. One can find it at the brewpub in Leavenworth, and occasionally Leavenworth products will be on tap in Seattle pubs. However, you folks not in the Northwest will have to come to the source, but this makes up for my not being able to quaff Old Dominion or Great Lakes products at will. The only change I would make in this beer is possibly the addition of a bit more malt, but that was a negligible concern.

**** (out of 5)

Next Up:

Pike Place IPA
Fish Eye IPA

David Brockington, Seattle, USA
bronyaur@u.washington.edu