Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Hale's Ales - Mongoose IPA



To catch a Cobra...

Hale's Ales is an "old friend" to folks in the Pacific Northwest, making solid micro brews since the mid-eighties. Their Mongoose IPA is a relative newcomer to their fold and is a nice stand out with a great character. A rusty red brew, it has a healthy, yeasty aroma with a hint of malt. On the tongue, it presents a nice hoppy body without the over-the-top intensity of some IPAs. There's a hint of lemon peel but the overall finish is a long, tart grapefruit thanks to the Centennial and Nugget hops. This one's a great IPA that doesn't pretend to be anything else - not a Cobra, something a bit more "sly" but still with some "bite". A great brew with Italian cured meats, aged cheeses, Kalamata olives and rosemary cracker-bread out on the porch.

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