West Sixth IPA - A Kentucky born IPA

[Chadwick]

Yep, it is. An IPA brewed in Kentucky. I got my first taste this evening. I bought a six'er of this stuff for the first time tonight.

Initial impression: Cat piss

I'm not sure what hops they used for this, but I want to know. I want to know because I want to be sure I never use these hops like they did. This is terrible. This is exactly what I don't want my IPA's to taste like. This is cat piss.

After I settled down and allowed the initial impression to reside. I thought that a clean pallet would have me reconsider my initial impression. I drank some water, ate a bit of cheese, had a cracker. I was ready to try this again.

Cat piss. That is all I can smell or taste from this. Cat piss.

I'm sorry. I can't say anything nice about this beer. I breaks my heart too. I want a Kentucky born IPA to be good. But this beer fails. I make better IPA's without trying to make a great IPA. Why is it that this beer is being mass produced and it is so bad? Is it trends? I cannot say for sure. Because I don't know what hops they are using. But whatever the combination is, it sucks. It needs to stop and desist. Good beer does not taste like cat piss. And a good IPA does not taste like piss of a cat. Anyone that makes that connection has never had a good IPA. This beer is damaging the validity of the style by simply being available on the market. People that know nothing about IPA style beers will drink this and be forever turned against it. And I wouldn't blame them. It's awful.

As much as I support craft breweries. Somebody really needs to be taking charge of the decisions to make beers like this available to the public.

Who in the hell gave a green light to this? Seriously, somebody that knows nothing about beer accepted the opinion of someone else that knows nothing about beer to put this beer into production. Now honest people that make beer are going to lose their jobs because dumb-assess that don't know Budweiser from the piss-of-a-horse is telling them how to make an IPA.

It breaks my heart. It really does.

I had hoped the brewers at a local brewery would do better. Apparently, this is the best I can hope for from local breweries? It breaks my heart.

Once again, I'm so glad I can brew my own. This stuff available in stores is terrible.

Come on Kentucky breweries, you can do better.

 

[Calichusetts]

They will.

Fantastic breweries here in Mass and New England that have had some tough starts and turned it around. Even some of the "safer" and more tame breweries have turned out world class beers over the last few years. They just need to get their bearings and get the kinks out. Then again, there are a few breweries that have made it around here that are consistently horrible. I have no idea how they survive.

 

[bdknuc2]

Here is what is listed on their website.


ABV: 7%
Malts: 2 row, Honey, Cara, Dextrin, Flaked Barley
Hops: Cascade, Centennial, Columbus, Citra
Yeast: House Ale

I agree I am not a big West Sixth fan but their amber is much better than their IPA. Its sad I enjoy all of those hops but it does have a strange taste to it. I havnt tried one in a long time but it does not bring back great memories.

 

[Chadwick]

If I could make suggestion for them, it would be to back off on the Citra and the early hop additions. I'd probably cross out the honey malt, Dextrin, and Flaked Barley as well and go with more base grains instead. Flaked Barley, seriously...what is the point? Better base grains can be put in there instead.

Based on the information that bdknuc2 provided, I'm going to guess that they bittered with the Columbus and Citra, did a mid addition with the Centennial, and just threw in the Cascade as a late addition. It would have been better if they did all that in reverse. The honey malt isn't noticeable at all. They could do without it. Dextrin can be omitted. Keep the Carapils for head retention. And the flaked barley must only be there for the purpose of adding a malt flavor? But what malt flavor? You can only taste cat piss. This is an example of poor utilization of hops. In fact, this is a prime example of poor utilization of hops.

I've been told repeatedly that their Amber is pretty good. I need to go buy a sixer of it to try out. I haven't yet. But seriously, this IPA needs to be completely reworked. Yeah, everyone is a critic....but yet. I haven't found one person, not one, that thinks their IPA is worth a damn. I'm rarely so critical of craft beers. However, being a Kentuckian, I expect better from my fellow statesmen. Hell, if joe-blow Chadwick can brew an IPA that everyone loves, why can't my brothers that have invested dearly into a brewery do the same?

 

[drainbamage]

I'll be the dissenting voice; I like it. It definitely isn't a world-class IPA, but considering Kentucky's still limited beer scene, it's decent. I do agree that considering the hops they list, they could probably be better utilized.

I will say, I had the same visceral reaction when I tried their Lemongrass Wheat earlier this year. It just smelled like sweaty, funky feet, and didn't taste much better. No lemongrass whatsoever. Quality control problems maybe?

 

[Chadwick]

Because I want to support local breweries, I'm again giving offerings from West Sixth a try.

They have something called a Cocoa Porter they are making now.

I bought a sixer of the stuff and I have to admit. It isn't bad. Which is good, because most everything they have made so-far has been pretty bad. Granted that dark beers are generally easy to make, still... it is a milestone for this company. They have finally made a beer that isn't terrible in the face of their peers.

I want to see a local brewery excel at making great beers. Unfortunately, I'm tortured to witness mediocrity of an adolescent level in my local breweries. Why are there so many breweries opening without anyone that knows how to make a great beer involved?

 

[Grap4moe]

Wow....really have to disagree here. First time on this forum and an avid craft beer fan. I absolutely love West Sixth beers. Especially the IPA. I live in Cincy and could choose from Rhinegeist Truth, Madtree Psycopathy or other local IPAs....and I most often grab West Sixth. I like the malt backbone. A much more balance beer for my taste.