Samuel Adams Rebel Grapefruit IPA

Beer Name: Rebel Grapefruit IPA
Brewery: Boston Beer Company (Boston, MA)
ABV: 6.3%
How sold: 12 oz. bottles (usually 6-packs)
Where bought: Johns Marketplace (Portland, OR)
Price: $1.79 for a 12 oz.single

Date Purchased: January 22, 2016
Date Opened/Drank: January 23, 2016
"Best By" Date: April 2016
When brewed? Year-round.
IBUs: 52

****This beer debuted nationally in bottles around early January 2016.

Where distributed: Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Company) ships nationwide and to foreign countries. Check to see if Samuel Adams ships to your area!

What's on the Bottle: "Brewed with real grapefruit for a punch of citrusy goodness that amplifies the tropical fruit and citrus notes from the hops and delivers a refreshing finish."

What's on the Website: "Samuel Adams Rebel Grapefruit IPA is the newest addition to the Rebel family of IPAs, which are brewed to showcase a wide range of hop intensities and characteristics. Rebel Grapefruit is brewed with real grapefruit for a big punch of citrus that amplifies the tropical fruit and citrus notes of one of the Sam Adams brewers' favorite West Coast hops, Mosaic." Read more here!

REVIEW:

Appearance (5%): Pours a hazy golden into a pint glass. Not much head here, likely due to still being very cold and just out of the refrigerator. Slightly sudsy surface. 4/5

Smell (25%): Instant grapefruit aroma -- and only that. 4.25/5

Taste (40%): A pleasurable grapefruit experience from start to finish. Nothing overpowering and not too bitter. Aftertaste does leave a bit to be desired; the flavor almost tails off too abruptly before the grapefruit bitterness (likely more so from brewing with the peel) reminds one that this is a grapefruit IPA. At times, I get a pilsner-like aftertaste. Still, it's solid overall. 4/5

Mouthfeel (10%): Medium-bodied and carbonated, with bitterness lingering on the tongue. 4/5

Overall (20%): A solid IPA. I looked forward to trying this since initially hearing about it in late 2015. Of course, I cannot help but compare it to the likes of Grapefruit Sculpin and Citrus Mistress, both of which I have enjoyed. While this is a couple of notches below both, in my book, Rebel Grapefruit IPA is a very respectable choice. 4/5

Final Weighted Rating: 4.063/5