The Hops Of America

Devils Backbone IPA Review

So here we are, it’s not often you get a craft beer sold on tap at a cheap price, so going into this I really wasn’t expecting much from the initial signs. But hay what do I know, it might be a breakthrough to sell it cheap, get everyone hooked then ramp it back up to the crafty prices we’re used to seeing. Devils Backbone is an american brewing company in Virginia, a family run place which started on a craft beer exploration in 1992 when they went on a trip to Italy and found their first ‘craft’. Their website is pretty cool, tells you a lot of information and makes the brand look really approachable and homely http://dbbrewingcompany.com/ which I like. You really get a sense that craft beer really is their passion and they brew it to enjoy with family and friends, to introduce people through innovative approach. That being said, obviously has no impact at all on the overall taste, but everything points towards a good beer, a innovative approach based on passion not money. So that’s the origin of this beer, for convenience it’s actually brewed over here by Wolverhampton based ‘Marstons’ but it’s a Devils backbone recipe just brewed here for convenience really. Before it came over here the Devil guys actually tweaked it slightly to accommodate ‘English pallets’ which again really confirms how much they are passionate about serving a good beer for all their customers or “Friends”.

The Background

Devils backbone IPA is a 5.2% ABV so basically smack bang in the middle of the IPA scale making it a bog standard IPA in every sense. It’s a pretty cool Amber colour almost a red which makes it stand out a bit which is always a good thing in a competitive market.

The smell

The smell is incredibly fruity, smells almost like a fragrance of some kind, which is really nice, it’s not overpowering, it’s not smack in the face, it really gives the impression of a social beer. As you would expect from an insanely fruity smelling beer most the hops involved are on the citrus side with Admiral making a huge part of it closely followed by EK Goldings and West coast american hops to give it that crafty finish. This is really cool actually because what they’ve done to limit on costs of setting up an English centre of beer is they’ve sourced UK based hops which taste similar (if not the same for the most part) to the true american hops used in the ‘real’ batch. I won’t say much about the hops as it’s obvious, just citrus taste and smell it’s actually the yeast that really gives the unique taste to this beer. But a lovely smell none the less, won't overpower you or your mates.

The pour

As already mentioned it comes at a beautiful amber colour, almost red. It looks almost like a fruity larger which isn’t a bad way of describing almost every element of this beer. When poured well you’re left with a decent finger of head (giggity) which is frothy and thicker than most heads but that’s the Belgian yeast involved. So if you’re a bearded gentleman (or woman) then it gets all sorts of stuck in your moustache, which depending on how you view this is either embarrassing or incredibly funny EVERY SINGLE TIME. The beer makes you look really cool too as it’s so dark, so you get the best of both worlds 1) you look awesome 2) you get a decent beer, what more could you want?

The taste

It’s a Belgian yeast  that really makes the beer stand out and the reason for that is it works better at ‘standard ale temperature’ which obviously there is still a place in the UK’s heart for ‘old man ales’ as I call them. But no, this doesn’t mean it’s meant to be warm, like the age old stereotype our friends over the pond have of us. Taste an ‘Old man ale’ and then a Lager, they’re both cold but generally lagers are meant to be served ice cold, hence the frosted glasses etc. So what Belgian yeast actually gives us is an insanely drinkable beer straight away, downing a larger generally leaves you with a mouth full of bubbles, a belly full of gas and a brain freeze whereas this is enjoyable and refreshing without the pain. Now I’m a fast beer drinker, I saviour the first taste with a good manageable 2 or 3 gulps to really get the beer into me, so this benefits me no end. If I’m honest it’s just a really good all round beer, nothing to blow your mind but I’ve had it several times and it’s my go-to draught beer in spoons now.

Conclusion

Is this a beer that will knock your socks off? Not at all

BUT

Is this a beer to enjoy with family and friends? 100% yes

Is this a beer that’s manageable ABV and incredibly nice? YES

Is this a beer I could see myself drinking a lot of? I already have…

A really good beer all round, Devils Backbone pride themselves on a family approach with clear principles that revolve around innovation and spending time with the people you love. This a beer for that, it’s not insanely strong so you have 4 and you’re dribbling on the table with your parents disdain stares burning the back of your head. Overall it’s a solid 3.5, nothing to write home about but a great social beer which I will be enjoying many many more of.

Would recommend for:

- Anyone really, it’s a good beer.

- For a social occasion to remember.

- A hipster who wants to look even cooler.