Mybeerbuzz.com Highlights Coronado Brewing North Island IPA

It’s always a lot of fun to sample a beer coming from the west coast, especially when we’re in the heart of winter on the east coast.  Somehow I always picture myself sitting outside the brewery sipping a beer and not sitting in my snow-bound living room sampling that beer.  I’m not sure why, but somehow the summer seems a little closer and the beer seems a little more satisfying, especially with the word “Island” in the name.  A big thank you to Coronado Brewing for helping to break me out of cabin fever and transport me all the way to Coronado, CA with their North Island IPA.

Of course there’s some seasonal irony here as this beer happens to be a “New England-style IPA,” but somehow we’ll manage to sample a west coast beer with the word “Island” and “New England” in the title…so off we go.

Coronado North Island IPA is a seasonal selection that uses British ale yeast as well as Columbus, Centennial, Citra and Mosaic hops.  The beer pours a really pretty golden hazy color with loads of fruity hops and citrus in the aromas.  We found lots of citrus, mango and pleasant grapefruit hop flavors with a late and bright pineapple flavor we really enjoyed.   As the beer warmed, the tropical fruit flavors pushed up front with a nice balanced bitterness at the end.  North Island IPA hits 7.5%-AbV and 40 IBU and it is available now in 12oz (6-packs) and 22oz bottles.

See if you can figure out how a California brewery puts a “west-coast-spin” on a New England-style beer and wraps it all up in an IPA.  In the end, I for one think it works.   This hazy and juicy beer began life as a pub-only draft release last summer, but now you can try some for yourself….and when you do, be sure to let us know what YOU think.
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