Note: This is a series I call Caveman Beer Reviews, because I like to drink beer but am a caveman when it comes to beer knowledge. I know only the basics, and do not have a refined palate. I’ll review the beers on price and what they look, smell, and taste like to me.
Beer: Full Sail Classic IPA (India Pale Ale)
Bottom Line: A sharply bitter brew that’s quite good, though too sour to be truly great.
Price: About $7.99 for a 6-pack of 12 ounce bottles.
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Details
I had no idea that this beer even existed before my wife brought it home for me to try. It’s from a relatively young company (born in 1987), from the always-interesting state of Oregon. It’s also an IPA, which made me eager to try it because I usually like IPAs (even though I don’t really know what being an IPA means, I just know I normally like them). It also says on the label that it’s “ridiculously tasty”, so I was ridiculously hopeful.
Can you tell who this is?
Origin: Oregon
Alcohol: 6.0%
Looks: A dark glass standard beer bottle with some cool blue labeling featuring some mountains, trees, and a sail. I can’t make out a boat, though. The side of the label has some geographic coordinates, which I couldn’t resist looking up:
It’s the brewery, in Oregon!
The beer itself is light brown.
Smell: Light malt smell.
Taste: The Full Sail is indeed ridiculously tasty, but not necessarily a great kind of tasty. Don’t get me wrong; it’s good. It’s got a sharply bitter taste which will appeal to those that like bitter beer.
However, it also has a sour taste, which I thought was taken to an extreme. It’s so sour as to feel like somebody put a huge orange peel or some grapefruit extract in there. Once you swallow it, the sourness lingers for a long time on the roof of your mouth.
Other than that, it’s extremely gaseous. It’s also refreshing, but hard to drink if you don’t like the pronounced sourness.
Ah, Oregon
Hangover Factor: Nothing unusual. I’m a male in reasonably good health born in 1983.
Final Thoughts
This is a good beer that I would have called excellent if not for the excessive sourness. It’s also expensive. If you’re drawn to brews with extremely strong taste, give it a try. Otherwise, don’t.
Credit: GIF from Giphy.
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