Beer Tasting: Hayburner American IPA

To kick off National Craft Beer Week, I decided to review one of my favorite local beers, Big Ditch Brewing Company's Hayburner American IPA.  Hayburner American IPA is one of the best local beers being produced.  And I'm not just saying that because co-founder and president Matt Kahn led my microbiology students on a brewery tour a couple weeks ago (although that was very cool).  Hayburner American IPA is one of the best local beers because that's the way co-founder and head brewer Corey Catalano want it to be.  As with all Big Ditch Brewing Company beers, both Matt and Corey spend considerable time and effort to ensure that Hayburner American IPA is produced with consistency and quality.  As a result, Hayburner American IPA has quickly become a favorite local IPA by Buffalo beer drinkers.

So where does the name Hayburner American IPA come from?  The description provided by Big Ditch Brewing Company reads:

Mules, known long ago as "Hayburners", were the workhorses behind the construction of the Erie Canal.  This IPA is equally dependable, and is extremely satisfying at the end of a hard day's work.

So we have these "long-eared robins" to thank for the name given to this Big Ditch creation.  Here is a picture of my Hayburner American IPA:

Big Ditch Brewing Company: Hayburner American IPA

ABV: 7.0%

Style: American IPA

Rating: 89/100 and 21 ratings on Beeradvocate.com

Hayburner American IPA pours a clear to ever-so-slightly hazy pale gold, with a one-finger retentive head that survives the pint.  The aroma of Hayburner American IPA is predominantly citrus with a backdrop of pine.  The taste of Hayburner American IPA is not as citrus up-front as the aroma suggests.  Instead, Hayburner American IPA is a nice balance of strong hop bitterness, caramel malt sweetness, and grapefruit and orange.  The Warrior hops used to create Hayburner American IPA add a clean hop bitterness, the Falconer's flight hops add a Northwest pine touch, and the glacier hops add a gentle fruit aroma.  Carapils malt provide just the right amount of sweetness but don't overpower the hops flavors.  The mouthfeel of Hayburner American IPA is moderate and the carbonation is right.  The alcohol level of Hayburner American IPA is fairly high, but concealed by crisp clean hops.

Overall, Hayburner American IPA is a well-balanced and refreshing American IPA packed with structured flavor.  Hayburner American IPA is on the stronger side but very drinkable and balanced.  Order a pint of Hayburner American IPA and you will quickly taste why this beer has become a Buffalo favorite.

Remember to drink local this week to celebrate American Craft Beer Week.  And remember to stop by Big Ditch Brewing Company in the very near future as they open their doors and unveil their new tap room to the public!