Northbound Brewpub Line Drive IPA. Second in the baseball series, after Small Ball Pale Ale, and before Ground Rule Double IPA. And I did it again. This one came out several weeks ago, maybe a month, actually, and I put off the note-taking, while enjoying growlers at home. This is my last growler, and it just went off tap today. So, no matter what ideas you get after reading these notes on this beer, it would do you no good whatsoever to visit the pub and look for this one. We still have Four Stitches, we always have Big Jim, and look out for that Ground Rule, but Line Drive is done. Now, let me tell you about it….
Clear, copper-y coloring, off-white head, frothy, lace-leaving.
Aroma: pine and citrus aplenty, all the requisite American hop sensations at play. Some spice, some lemon and lime….grapefruit…ah…
Taste: In the mouth, it's IPA all the way. But plenty of malt at hand, lots of good buttress here, significant backbone, without too much sweetness. Just enough to bring on the flavor. Great balance in this one, excellent play between the bitter and the sweet. As an IPA, this has it going on. Long flavor, long finish, medium body, terrific deliciousness.
Here's the official word from the brewer: line drive: The 2nd in our three-part baseball series. This year's Line Drive is a balanced American IPA. The bitterness is scaled back to showcase two hop varieties, Polaris and Chinook. Polaris is a relatively new variety with floral and minty notes. Chinook is one of the original American hops with pine and citrus notes and a slightly harsh bitterness. A few pounds of Centennial hops round out the hops with bright fruity notes. The malt is a combination of Briess Ashburne and Rahr Pale for a solid malt backbone. 6.9% ABV, 70 IBUs.
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