REVIEW: Iron Patriot (India Pale Lager / American Pilsner)

Take the Classic American Pils, Mostly 6 row Barley Malt, Flaked Corn, moderate noble like hopping, bitter finish, and then twist hard off course.  Leave the base alone, but swap out all those old school noble type hops for some new school bold, fruity, aromatic hops.  What do you get?  A fairly tasty beer.  Seeing that IPL (India Pale Lager) is becoming the new trend, looks like I'm not too far off course with this one.

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Look:  Pours a super clear pale yellow with gold highlights, a thick, creamy, bleached white head sits atop and fades slow to a thick cap leaving ample lace all the way down.

Aroma:  Smells of fruit, peach, mango, pineapple, slightly sweaty (think Amarillo like), over ripe fruits, light dank note in the back ground, sweet.

Flavor:  Very fruity, mango, pears, resin, malt sweetness, light graininess, more over ripe peach.  It is always amazing how a beer can taste like a fruit salad without any fruits added.

Mouthfeel:  Light, crisp, dry finish, refreshing, with an assertive bitterness washing on the back-end, lingers and cleanses the palate for another sip.

Overall:  Brilliantly clear, beautiful to look at, it looks like a Pils, bitterness and light malt like a Pils, grainy and sweet like a Pils, but the aroma and flavor of a bold IPA.  Hit the nail on the head.  When it was a little younger the Calypso was a little overpowering (it can do that) with lots of pear and sweat, but it has dropped to the background during the lager for a rounder hop profile.  Much more enjoyable than the CAP I brewed the same day.