Devils backbone eight point ipa8/27/2023 ![]() Because this beer is substantially malty and bready, almost like a red IPA. And really, the hops seem more like they’re just playing along to keep the malt bill in check, as opposed to the inverse scenario that most brewers seem to employ with their IPAs. The hops are there (DB uses a pretty standard mix of Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Columbus and Simcoe) but come through as a layer of sticky pine and peppery spice, all of which finishes pretty dry. Eight Point is far more balanced and subtle than that, with a strong malt bill that delivers heavy biscuit notes and just a little bit of caramel sweetness. If you’re looking for another citrus bomb, move along, there’s nothing to see here. At least, not your standard modern take on the IPA. The head is thin, but sticks around long after I start digging into the beer, forming a kind of slick, almost impermeable coating. ![]() The beer pours a shiny, copper orange and smells spicy and slightly yeasty. ![]() What I found was beer that strays from any modern IPA expectations. But given DB’s lager-heavy pedigree, I didn’t know what to expect when I took my first sip of Eight Point, their year-round IPA. Devils Backbone Eight Point IPA 12oz Can 6 Pk click image to zoom Producer: Alesmith Brewing Company Website: Price: 12.99 SOLD OUT Country: United States Massively popular, beer is produced by over 2,800 recognized breweries in the United States. They also produce a Bavarian Dark Lager, a Black Lager, a Gold Leaf Lager…DB’s mastery of lagers helped earn the team Mid-Size Brewing Company of the year at GABF in 2014 (mad props). The beer even pulled gold at this year’s GABF (props), and that’s just their flagship. Their flagship is a Vienna style lager with a list of competition wins that makes Bill Russell’s ring finger look like child’s play (Russell won 11 championships with the Celtics, by the way). Just a tad too aggressively bitter/drying, this was still really enjoyable.Devils Backbone, out of Roseland, Virginia, kicks ass at brewing lagers. Great vibrant hop flavors, with a solid malt backbone with minimal residual sweetness. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/tropical/pine hops and moderate bready malt flavors very smooth and easy to drink despite the increasingly bitter/drying finish. Medium carbonation and body with a very smooth, moderately sticky/resinous/rindy, and fairly bready/grainy balanced mouthfeel that is nice. Moderate dryness from lingering bitterness, increasing through the glass. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/tropical/pine hops and moderate bready malt flavors with a nice malt bitterness balance slight lingering hop astringency, but not overwhelming. Moderate pine/citrus rind/grassy/spicy bitterness on the finish with lingering notes of grapefruit, pineapple, peach, mango, papaya, lemon/orange rind, pepper, pine, toasted biscuit, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Taste of big tangerine, grapefruit, pineapple, peach, mango, papaya, lemon zest, orange peel, citrus rind, light pepper, pine, light honey, toasted biscuit, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/tropical/pine hops and moderate bready malt notes with great strength. Aromas of big tangerine, grapefruit, pineapple, peach, mango, papaya, lemon zest, orange peel, citrus rind, light pepper, pine, light honey, toasted biscuit, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Dense soapy lacing clings around the glass. Pours crystal clear golden/amber color with a 2 finger dense and rocky off white head with awesome retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Eight Point IPA from Devils Backbone Brewing Companyġ2 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on.
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