Claremont Jacaranda Rye IPA

Beer Name: Jacaranda Rye IPA
Brewery: Claremont Craft Ales (Claremont, CA)
ABV: 6.7%
How sold: 16 oz tallboy cans; on draft
Where bought: Craft Shack (San Diego, CA) ****bought online
Price: $3.99(!) for 16 oz. tallboy can

Date Purchased: September 28, 2016
Date Opened/Drank: October 10, 2016
Best Enjoyed By: November 22, 2016
When brewed? Year-round beer. Claremont's flagship IPA.
IBUs: 64

Awards: Gold Medal, 2013 Los Angeles International Beer Competition; Silver Medal, 2015 Los Angeles International Beer Competition.

What's on the Can: "JACARANDA is our gold-medal-winning flagship beer. Wonderful citrus and floral aromas from the hops complement complex peppery flavors from the rye malt, resulting in a smooth and balanced brew."

What's on the Website: "Jacaranda is the flagship beer of Claremont Craft Ales. This wonderfully balanced beer appeals to drinkers of all stripes thanks to the complex malt character of the rye. The copious amounts of Centennial hops balance perfectly with the spiciness and pepperiness of the rye malt." Read more here!

Where distributed: As of October 2016, Claremont beers are only found in Southern California. Click here to see if Claremont beers are found near you!

REVIEW:

Appearance (5%): Poured slightly hazy dark golden into a pint glass. Off-white head. 4/5

Smell (25%): Mostly tropical and berry-like aroma, slight floral notes. 4.25/5

Taste (40%): A combination of tropical, berry, floral, and rye/peppery flavors. Aftertaste gets a bit more citrusy, which was a plus. Fairly solid and balanced overall. 3.75/5

Mouthfeel (10%): Medium-bodied, some carbonation. Dry on the tongue, not overly bitter. 3.75/5

Overall (20%): A solid IPA. Claremont proclaims this as their flagship IPA. While I thought it was decent (especially for a rye IPA), I've had a handful of beers that I would honestly grab before getting this one again. Nothing bad, it's more the preference I have these days for having the tropical stand out in the IPA and the other components play the strong supporting role. At four bucks for a tallboy, it's on the pricey side. 3.75/5

Final Weighted Rating: 3.888/5