V is for Victory Brewing Company, the maker of the beer in the above photo.
I is for IPA, the top selling Craft Beer style in 2014.
T is for taste. It's why I switched from drinking mass market beer to drinking beer from breweries such as Victory.
A is for awesome. That's how I hope this beer tastes.
L is for local. Victory is headquartered in Downingtown, PA. While it's not quite in my backyard like Flying Fish and Forgotten Boardwalk are, it's still pretty darn close to home.
Put it all together and what does it spell?
Vital is the latest IPA release from Victory Brewing Company. Here's what they have to say about it...
The IPA style can be a powerhouse of flavors and impressions. But what is vital to you? What commands your taste and attention? We packed our Vital IPA full of fresh, crisp and fruity notes driven by whole flower American hops and robust German malts. You'll find it bright, delightfully aromatic and complex, leaving you with dry, spicy satisfaction. Taste Victory in these flavors Vital to your senses.
And now for my impressions...
- Appearance: Golden yellow with oodles of effervescence. The bubbles rise rapidly to form a thick, fluffy head of off-white foam.
- Aroma: This leans towards the citrusy side of the IPA spectrum. Orange, lemon, and a bit of grapefruit. A bit grassy too. There's a touch of honey sweetness coming through on the back end.
- Taste: Medium carbonation. Crisp and citrusy at the start with that herbal or grassy quality that I picked up in the nose also coming through. A slight bitterness appears in the middle but never overwhelms. There's a spicy, tingly note in the finish (white pepper perhaps?). Ends on a dry, mildly bitter note with some residual pepperiness in the aftertaste.
- ABV: 6.5%
I swear, these reviews get more difficult to write every day! Since there are so many great IPAs out there, it's virtually impossible to rank them against each other. That being said, I'm gonna say that Vital IPA is yet another tasty one. While it's not quite as good as Victory's Hop Ranch or even their Anniversary 19 Session IPA, this is still well worth trying.
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Categories: Brew Review, Victory
Tagged as: Beer, Beertography, Craft Beer, Craft Brew, Drinkwire, IPA, Review, Reviews, Victory Brewing Company, Victory Vital IPA