Happy Camper IPA (Santa Fe Brewing Company)

Appearance - 13

The beer poured nice.  There was a good thick lingering head that leaves some, but not much, lacing.  The color is an amber honey and the beer is very clear, but kinda bland and boring.

Aroma - 12

Nice, but not perfect for an IPA.  The first tone I picked up on was some pine.  Like the smell of Ponderosa Pines in a high arid desert.  Hops were also very evident, as expected with an IPA.  I think they were actually just piney smelling hops, but floral scents where also there too.  Nice. But unlike many American India Pale Ales (especially from the Western US), the was more malt aroma than usual.  More like an English IPA.

Taste - 42

The taste of Happy Camper IPA was almost exactly like the aroma.  You definitely taste the piney hops and pick up on the floral tones.  But there are some more layers here.  You pick up on the malt more than most American IPAs.  There is also a slight lemon citrus taste that cleans up the finish.  It kind of knocks down overwhelming aftertaste that many India Pale Ales have.

 

Drinkablility - 8

Happy Camper IPA is more "drinkable" than many other IPAs.  The slight hints of the malt and the limited amounts of citrus help the beer to drink easier, but it is still an IPA.  It also seems to have a little bit higher alcohol by volume than other IPAs, so be careful!

 

Hip-Hop - 10

Awesome!  Pure awesome.  The can really caught my eye (as has the style of much of Santa Fe Brewing's beers.)  The availability of cans makes it even better because of the ability to take the beer on the river and have easily recyclable containers.

Total Score - 85

Website: Happy Camper IPA (Santa Fe Brewing Co.)