Pint-Sized Review: Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA
Posted by brianS on Wednesday, May 28th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Pre-game edition. Today's Paper of Record had a very nice review article on Bitters/English Pale Ales. Which was almost enough to get me to turn around and review the Greene King Abbot Ale I've been eying for about 3 weeks (and one of Eric Asimov's featured ales in today's article). But I couldn't help myself last night.
The key to inner peace is self-knowledge and acceptance. I admit it. I'm a hop-head. I like it when a beer kicks me in the face with over-the-top hop bitterness and aroma. But not always. Sometimes, I'm perfectly happy with a more subtle approach.
American IPAs are in approximately the same place, stylistically, that American Cabernet's were 15-20 years ago: the bigger, the better. IPA isn't enough anymore -- we have to have Imperial IPAs. But it is nice to recall what the style was all about every now and then. Today's selection is another in my continuing tour of the Greene King stable of brands: the Twisted Thistle India Pale Ale from Scots brand Belhaven.
The Twisted Thistle is a beautiful, yet rather unusual take on the style. 16.9 oz. bottle, urr, $3.49 from my grocer (I'll claim; certainly under $4; I can get it for $2.99 on sale). 6.1 ABV. As you can see from the pic, it pours a pretty copper-orange with a medium, white head and moderate lacing. (I had to re-take the pic because my first attempt was fuzzy; hence the half-empty glass). Available locally at Blue Nile (2027 E. Franklin), at least according to twincitiesbeer.com. From the label: "The blend of Cascade and Challenger hops combine to produce an abundance of fresh hop aroma that preludes a bitter-dry taste explosion. blah blah blah". Who writes this cr@p? (rhetorical!)
Cascade is not a hop one expects to see in an English (oops, Scottish) ale. It is the Pacific Northwest trademark hop, medium high on alpha acids, floral, citrusy and grassy. If you've ever had a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, you know what I'm talking about. Challenger is a more typical English ale hop, used throughout the process (bittering, flavoring, aroma) for its fruity character, although it actually tends to be higher in alpha acids than Cascade.
But the flavor profile is what makes this beer such a treat. It's a very malty IPA, with interesting, hard-to-place herbaceous, flowery notes tucked in between the citrus of the Cascade and fruity richness of the Challenger hopping. I was wowed by this beer the first time I tasted it, several years ago. It continues to impress me. The mouthfeel is creamy-soft, rather than bracingly bitter, yet you always know the hops are there. And the balance is great. This is not an "alcoholic" experience, as occasionally happens with strong ales.
As with any import, handling and freshness are concerns. You won't get the kind of consistency of experience that you will get from a (fairly local) domestic. But here, it's part of the charm of the experience. With a very fresh example, the Twisted Thistle emphasizes its floral potential. With a somewhat older example, as I enjoyed this time, the hops are tamer and more of the malty backbone comes through early, with the hops providing a nice twist to the aftertaste. (and, again, like tannin-y Cabs, IPAs tend to age well; certainly they were designed to do so).
This is a beer that seems to befuddle many reviewers.
Is it a faithful rendition of the historical English IPA style? Who knows? But this beer certainly fits well with the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) style guidelines: "A hoppy, moderately strong pale ale that features characteristics consistent with the use of English malt, hops and yeast. Has less hop character and a more pronounced malt flavor than American versions."
I'd be happy drinking this beer regularly if I were stranded on a desert island. Since I am not, I don't. But I could 
Loading ...
I tend to favor IPAs when I drink beer, but I couldn't really tell you why.
well, if you appreciate the English pale ale style, but enjoy a bit more hopping, you should like this one. It's a lot milder than your typical West Coast IPA, but delivers a lot of flavor.