Generally, I am not a big reviewer of beers, however, I do like to share my tasting experiences. We all have different tasting capacities, so of course we all have different favorite styles and brands. I am in no way ranking Schlafly Tasmanian IPA (7.2% ABV, IBUs 60) against other India Pale Ales, however, after my recent experience, I highly recommend this beer to other hop heads.
My first taste, I must admit, was a complete blind tasting, and it was on draft. I had not read any reviews, and until that particular moment, did not even know that this beer existed. Although, I do have a certain respect for Schlafly Brewing Company, so on some level I did have some expectations. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. In fact, I did not get much, if any of the hop profile that I was expecting (ok, I guess I did have some expectations somewhere in my beer mind). Tasmanian IPA had very little impact on my taste buds , and I decided that I probably would not order this beer again.
Later, I did read up on this beer, and found that it got great reviews, and many of my hop head friends had found this to be a really great tasting beer. So, were my taste buds skewed, or did I just have a bad experience? After talking with someone who had enjoyed it much more out of the bottle, I decided to give it a second chance.
I am very glad that I did. Last night I opened one of the bottles that I had purchased, and it was a completely different beer in my mind. The pale yellow color was a bit surprising to me, but it had a nice foamy head. Immediately, the hop aromas that I had missed the first time, began wafting into my nose. There was plenty of citrus aroma.
This beer is brewed with 100% Austrailian hops – Galaxy. My past experiences with this hop are more grassy and earthy than what my taste buds picked up in this beer. There were plenty of great citrus, pine, and even peach flavors that I picked up with a dry bitter finish.
Often times our enjoyment of a specific beer can change from experience to experience. So if you have ever disliked a beer after just one try, you might consider giving it a second chance. I’m sure glad I did with Schlafly Tasmanian IPA.
You should still be able to find bottles of Tasmanian IPA at Chalet Party Shoppe (CR 17 location), City Wide Liquor (downtown location) and at the Goshen Martin’s Supermarket.
Ever had Flat 12′s Walkabout Pale Ale? It also is hopped exclusively with galaxy, and extremely tasty with nice aromatics. As far as I know it is not in bottles yet, but Bar Louie in Mishawaka has it on tap regularly and I think I’ve had it at Constant Spring before, too. T-IPA is great from my experience, which is only from the bottle.
I have had Flat 12′ Walkabout Pale Ale at the Fat Tomato in Elkhart and enjoyed it very much. Wish I could remember the pale ale that introduced me to galaxy which was much more grassy and less citrusy. I thought that Walkabout, like Tasmanian, was much more citrusy and less grassy.
I wonder what their Hop schedules are? That time would change the way the hops are presented in the beer.
The Schlafly I think is all 30 min and under. Hop Bursting can be a wonderful thing.
Troegs makes a beer called Perpetual IPA. It too is done like these two beers are.
Thanks to a wonderful friend who went to PA over the holidays, I just happen to have some Troegs Perpetual IPA in my beer frig, but I did not know that it was hopped with galaxy. I will have to crack another now that I know that.
Eric, the Troeg’s Perpetiual is Hopped sort of same way as the others. the Hops in this one according to Troeg’s are
Bravo, Chinook, Mt. Hood and…..
Hopback Hops: Mt. Hood, Nugget.
Dry Hops: Citra, Cascade
this is a cut from their page.
In our constant evolution as a brewery, we’ve developed an undying drive to meld the organic and the mechanical. Perpetual IPA utilizes our hopback and dry-hopping to engineer a bold Imperial Pale Ale. It features Bravo, Chinook and Mt. Hood hops in the boil, Mt. Hood and Nugget hops in the hopback, and is further dry-hopped with Citra and Cascade hops.
MMMMMM tassty
Living in St Louis, I have had many chances to enjoy the Schlafly TIPA. I am surprised by the comment that it was grassy, because I have found it to be delightfully citrussy. Notes of grapefruit pith and apricot pit are really pronounced in aroma and flavor. It’s a fine beer, if not quite in the same league as Schlafly’s AIPA (American IPA, voted best craft beer in St Louis several years running)
The great thing about craft beer is that we all have different palates and we all taste beer in different ways. I agree that Schlafly Tasmanian IPA is a really great beer, and I think that it’s terrific that both of us taste different nuances in it. Thanks for reading and for your comments. I welcome any other thoughts that you might have to offer from St. Louis beer or any other beer that you love.