STLIPA 8% ABV
Double IPA / Imperial IPA
Urban Chestnut Brewing Company
What’s that gorgeous pigmentation I see? Is it true that I am seeing the same coloration that results from photosynthesis? Yes, It’s really there! Oh how I missed green, green of every stripe. The bright pop of green grass, the depth of dark green produced by certain bushes, and the lush green seen amidst numerous trees sprouting leaves. I didn’t realize how much I missed green.
First off, who are you talking to? Second, we are in the beer aisle, you aren’t in the forest.
Oh sorry, did I say that outloud? I was just staring at the Urban Chestnut STLIPA. Doesn’t this label grab your eyeballs and make you think of Spring? The aroma and flavor is like they bottled Spring, well maybe that’s a bit of a stretch, but damn if it doesn’t taste great on a Spring afternoon.
Okay, sure that green label is enticing, but you are kind of weirding me out. I shouldn’t have gotten involved. Why do I always end up speaking with crazy people who are just talking to themselves…uh, I’m gonna go.
This was the first Urban Chestnut beer I drank after my recent stockpiling of their brews, when I found myself within their distribution area, some 90 miles away from my home. Sadly it will be the last of their beers I review, at least for now. As with most beer stockpiles, before you know it they are gone.
“We pronounce it “sta-leep-ah”, you pronounce it how you like. STLIPA, which is the acronym for St. Louis India Pale Ale, is actually a DIPA or Double India Pale Ale – an IPA with approximately double the stats of a traditional IPA.” -STLIPA label
This DIPA, or Imperial IPA, is not as daring as say the Chillwave Double IPA. It is not as dark and menacing as the Archnemesis Midnight. It is not as dank as the Enjoy By 04.20.15.
It is well balanced. Providing just the right amount of hop flavor, so as not to destroy your palate, but to make you aware of it’s DIPA status. The ABV is hearty but not over the top sitting safely below double digits. The aroma is enticing and guides you into the taste of the brew. This is not the best DIPA I’ve ever had, but it is a DIPA I have more than happily enjoyed four times now and hope to enjoy time and time again.
In the coming Spring afternoons and evenings this is a beer to experience on tap or share a few bottles of with friends. Ideal to sip on while soaking up the beautiful blossoming foliage. It is very much like the city it’s name is derived from. Not flashy, not overcrowded, but incredibly well made, full of flavor and character. A place you want to go back to and enjoy, over and over.
365 Brew 