Ex Novo Brewing Eliot IPA

Beer Name: Eliot IPA
Brewery: Ex Novo Brewing (Portland, OR)
ABV: 6.6%
How sold: 4 packs of 16 oz. tallboys
Where bought: Ex Novo Brewing (Portland, OR)
Price: $2.50 for a 16 oz.single ($10 for the 4-pack)

Date Canned: January 8, 2016
Date Purchased: January 9, 2016
Date Opened/Drank: January 9, 2016
When brewed? Year-round beer
IBUs: 65

Where distributed: Ex Novo Brewing just started canning this beer on January 9, 2016. The beer is just found around the Portland area for now. Check the website and social media sites to see if Ex Novo will eventually ship to your area!

What's on the Website: "A tribute to our wonderful neighborhood, this IPA is full of tropical fruit flavors and aroma, and dry hopped with Galaxy, Citra, and Centennial & Simcoe."

What's on the Bottle: "A tribute to our wonderful neighborhood, this IPA is full of citrus and tropical fruit flavors. Aromatic and balanced with a smooth finish, a NW IPA all the way. At Ex Novo, we believe in making things right. We strive to make the best possible beer for you and your friends. We also work hard to help others make things right, both in our city and around the globe. As a non-profit brewery, we craft distinct & enjoyable beers & donate 100% of our net profits to organizations building a better world. So, when you drink this beer, you're helping those in need."

REVIEW:

Appearance (5%): Pours hazy golden into a pint glass. Foamy white head which reduces to a sudsy surface. 4.5/5

Smell (25%): Immediate tropical (pineapple and grapefruit) and pine qualities. 4.5/5

Taste (40%): Immediate pineapple and grapefruit flavors. Hop-forward. Very clean, delicious, and refreshing. Superb. 4.75/5

Mouthfeel (10%): Medium-bodied with good carbonation. Controlled hop-bitterness but does not wreck the palate. 4.5/5

Overall (20%): An excellent IPA. Reminds me of Block 15 Sticky Hands IPA. I also had this on draft last year at the brewpub and hoped that this would be available one day in cans or bottles. Several months later, I got my wish. The big win here is enjoying this a mere ONE day after it was canned. Honestly, I would have gotten this the day of canning, but had other commitments. Still, one day will not significantly change the experience. As more breweries open up in Oregon, the brewmasters have stepped their games up. While I may prefer Dynamic Duo (by a very small margin) over Eliot, Ex Novo has hit another home run here. 4.5/5

Final Weighted Rating: 4.6/5