Oskar Blues IPA, almost a strange choice for what is considered a very hops-aggressive brewery. They already brew Dale's Pale Ale (which borders on an IPA) and the much stronger and bitter Deviant Dale's, G'Knight and Gubna, and to put out an almost tame-by-comparison IPA seems like a brewing retraction if not a poor marketing decision.
Instead, the new IPA is brilliant and distinctive. Oskar Blues turned to all emerging Southern Hemisphere hops from Australia and Tasmania for the brew, some new and barely known in the States (Vic Secret, Topaz, Ella and Enigma). In fact, Oskar Blues becomes only the fourth brewery in the U.S. to obtain Enigma hops in any substantial quantity and the first to use them in a year-round product.
The IPA pours a light gold with a thick white frothy head and a taste of a light toasty malt with bright, floral hops across the board. Tons of hops flavor, more tropical melon and sweet-citrus than piney C-hops or woody resin, with little residual bitterness that makes it quaffable at a relatively gentle 6.43% ABV and 70 IBU. For a pretty complex IPA, it has an almost neutral aftertaste.
