Welcome drinkers to another 'Brews Review'. For this beer I want to celebrate spring and all the goodness of sunshine. So what could be better than an IPA? A Mikkeller IPA! Going back through my notes to Greece last year and finding a bottle of Mikkeller Stateside in a local beer store. Was crazy excited to try it, so let us get going.
Details
Name: Stateside IPA
Style: IPA
Brewery: Mikkeller (website)
Country: Denmark (but likely brewed in Belgium)
Price: 3.40 euros for 330ml bottle
ABV: 6.9%
Commercial Fluff:
''A love of American microbrews is the inspiration behind this IPA, brewed with generous amounts of aromatic, American hops, which provide the significant freshness and bitterness with lots of citrus notes. The taste sensations are nicely balanced by the sweetness from the caramel malt.''Own Opinion
Sight: Pours a reddish golden colour, with surprisingly little head and the head soon disappears.
Aroma: Bit of a strange one to me. It's flowery, grassy but with big grapefruit aromas to. Very interesting.
Taste: Starts out with a strong sweetness like caramel and fruits, but then the hops push through with grapefruit and again a grass comes into play. It leaves the tongue with a hoppy bitterness and zing of grapefruit which makes you thirsty for more.
Would I buy it again? Most likely yes, but it wouldn't be my first choice. Rereading my notes it is quite clear that I found the drink too sweet for palette. But it is Mikkeller so I'm sure I would buy it again.
As far as the inspiration for this beer goes, I can see what he was trying to attempt, with his nod to American beers. It does remind me of Stone Brewing's beers, with a sweet caramel base that then hits you the hoppy notes. But for me a bit to sweet.
Have you tried this beer? Is it impossible to find in Ontario? Let me know what you think.