Karl Strauss Tower 10 IPA

From Karl Strauss Brewing – Mission Beach, the late 1980s. Amid a sea of neon bikinis, Tower 10 marked the spot where two college grads and a 75 year-old master brewer drew up plans for the first local craft brewery in San Diego since Prohibition. Named in honor of our first good idea, Tower 10 IPA is brewed to inspire the next one. 6.5% abv.

Karl Strauss Brewing – Tower 10 IPA – 12 oz. bottle poured into a pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a copper red with a dense, sudsy 1/2 inch white head.  The body is rather clear, and has a modest level of visible carbonation.  The beer leaves webby lacy rings all the way down the pint glass.

Aroma: Grapefruit rind, pine (pine needles and pine sap), a small, almost hidden level of bready malt, and sugary sweetness. Comes across very perfumy and floral, rather than citrusy.

Taste: A nice mouthful of bitter and citrusy hops in the beginning, and a finish of bready and caramel layer of malt.  The bitter hops linger on my tongue well past the sip.

Mouthfeel: Thick, heavy.

Overall: A solid, full flavored, balanced IPA, showcasing some of the great qualities of a West Coast IPA, without going extreme.  This beer has lots of body, lots of hops, and the right amount of malt.  This is the best beer in the Karl Strauss lineup.