Confluence Des Moines India Pale Ale

Confluence Des Moines India Pale Ale. "Where good things come together."
 6.9 % ABV. 75 IBU.
Confluence Brewing Company, Des Moines, Iowa.

Clear, brilliant, amber-hued, large white head, leaving lace.

In the nose: Aggressively hopped in the loveliest way. Bursting with citrus and pine. grapefruit and tangerine. Delivers all the goods, in the classic style. Loving this.

In the mouth: Pow! Hop bitterness blasts the palate from the start. Citrus zest attack, then smooth, but the hop flavors forever linger. Lean body, lighter malt component. Nothing but hoppy and delicious.

A note-perfect rendition of an ideal American IPA.

Alas, once again, we have the final can of a 4-pack purchased in Iowa, last month, the first three consumed with alacrity and gusto. Now, I'm wishing and wanted for more. Again, another trip must happen to raid Iowa again of it's fine beers.

As the capital of Iowa, Des Moines constantly surprises first-time visitors with its mix of expected agrarian heritage and influences and unanticipated cosmopolitan flare. So too, with Des Moines IPA, an American take on a world beer: India Pale Ale (IPA). Iowa’s steady, well balanced nature is reflected in this IPA with its mix of medium body, lighter color and plenty of malt flavor to balance the massive hop impact. Citrusy and piney hops from the Pacific Northwest offset the robust malt flavor of the two-row barley and medium crystal malts. Des Moines IPA proudly represents the Hawkeye State in the category of American IPA, a favorite of beer connoisseurs all across the country.

Confluence Ash Tree ESB

Confluence Ash Tree ESB.
6.3 % ABV. 40 IBU.
Confluence Brewing, Des Moines, Iowa. "Where good things come together."

Clear, copper-toned, slim beige-ish head.

In the nose: herbal, earthy, slightly fruity, just a brief whiff of hops. Mostly malty.

In the mouth: A brief blast of bitter, then along comes the malt and the smooth. Sweetness takes over the palate, and bitter comes swinging back, for a brief cameo. A citrus twist resides among the bready/biscuity malt baseline. Medium bodied, and easy drinking.



This is a tasty little treat. There oughta be more beers like this.

The ash tree has long been a staple of the Iowa and England landscape. In fact, the tree’s common name comes from Old English aesc. Today Iowa loves its ash trees so much it’s waging war on the emerald ash bore, a beetle which has decimating ash populations elsewhere.

Don’t be misled by “bitter” in the name. Extra Special Bitters are not really all that bitter, but a good balance of hop and malt. The interplay between the crystal malts and the noble English hops delivers a sweet, yet slightly bitter tingly taste sensation. We used traditional base malts from Great Britain (Maris Otter and Golden Promise). The English yeast imparts a slight mineral character and some fruity notes, giving an overall flavor that reminds some of biscuits and marmalade.