We haven't talked much about Iron Goat, have we? That just doesn't seem right, as the brewery is doing some nice things. Their Impaler, an imperial IPA, might be the best example of their current batch of beers, and it's one you probably want to check out, be it at their taproom or any other spot around town that carries it.
It pours a deep copper color, with about a finger's worth of head. A sniff reveals a gentle, sweet scent of hops, with just a bit of citrus toward the back. It's straightforward in that sense, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe "focused" is a better word? Either way...
Flavor wise it is very good. Some might even say excellent, though as IPA doesn't tend to be my favorite style, I'm probably not one of those some. Not entirely, at least. The hops hit early on, and while they're certainly very noticeable, they don't overpower the supporting flavors. There's a bit of citrus here, flanked by malts that linger for quite a while.
Some breweries will add something special to their imperial IPAs, probably to make them stand out or whatever. I don't feel Iron Goat did that with the Impaler, and that's just fine. In a sense this reminds me of Nøgne Ø's imperial IPA -- straightforward, but very good.
I like the Impaler a lot. It's a well crafted beer. Those of you who like IPAs more than me might just end up loving it, and I'd respect you for it. Good one, Iron Goat.