Friday 5 December 2014

Twisted Manzanita: Iron Mountain IPA


Twisted Manzanita: Iron Mountain IPA

SoCal beers are becoming something of an obsession with me. San Diego's Twisted Manzanita is just one brewery among many in the region pumping out weapons-grade hop bombs, including this gem of a beer.

The Twisted Manzanita IPA pours a deep ocre; not pale by any means. The colour tells no lies of the bold tropical fruit and ramped up hop impact that eventually follow. Its head dissipates to virtually nothing from the can however this was a half-pour (the other half being shared with a friend). Mouthfeel is smooth with medium carbonation.

The aroma is all spring florals, pine and tropical fruit. What follows is a dogfight between bold pine resin and tropical fruit. Strangely with all this fruitiness Twisted Manzanita's Iron Mountain IPA is in no way sugary sweet; a dryish savoury malt backbone rumbles beneath. There is even a hint of salted, burnt caramel as well (indicative of the caramel malts included in the brew).

Finishing off this delightfully confusing experience is a burst of rollicking, astringent, piny and resinous hop bitterness.

I am suitably impressed by this truly unique IPA.

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