[Locally Available] Sierra Nevada Flipside Red IPA

It seems that fall might finally be upon us, along with changing leaves, flannels and crushing loads of homework.  To help ease brief transition from "even-my-sweat-is-sweating" summer to "why-do-we-even-live-here" winter, we have some wonderful autumn beer releases.  Among them is this beer, Flipside Red IPA from Sierra Nevada.  As America's seventh biggest brewery, Sierra Nevada has a wide reach across the nation, making even the staunchest macro-brew loyalists familiar with the name. Their Pale Ale is an absolute classic, but they certainly don't rest on their laurels, even for a brewery of their size.  Many of their seasonal offerings and special releases are quite tasty and affordable, and this Red IPA is no exception.

Style: Red IPA
ABV: 6.2%
IBUs: 60
Availability: Fall, through October.  I picked up a 12-pack, I'm not sure if it comes in 6ers though.

[Quick Notes] This ruby/copper color beer is capped with a massively fluffy head of light tan foam.  The aroma is well balanced between malt and hops, starting with caramel and toffee malts with a touch of rustic bitterness. This is followed by a burst of grapefruit, orange rind, peach, mango and pineapple, finishing with a nice dry pine aroma. The flavor follows well, nice and balanced and easy to drink. Leads with caramel and toffee malts, just a bit sweet but not overly so.  This leads into a slightly creamy note with some nice berry sweetness, then into the slightly bitter grapefruit, orange, mango, pineapple and pine hop character.  The mouthfeel is moderately full, note a light summer beer but not too rich.  This slightly rustic ale balances hops and malts and is perfectly suited to the coming of fall.

[Appearance] This red IPA pours a gorgeous, clear, deep copper with ruby highlights, capped with a giant, fluffy, light tan head whose very fine bubbles leave some insanely nice lacing on the glass. This beer really looks like it belongs in your hand right as the leaves are changing color.

[Aroma] Flipside doesn't jump out of the glass too much, remaining subtle and balanced.  The balance between malts and hops really scream Sierra Nevada, reminding me of many of their brews, in a very good way.  The malt aromas are caramel and toffee, with a touch of almost rustic toastiness. The hop profile blends tropical fruits with slightly more bitter, earthy aromas.  There's mango and pineapple as well as slightly bitter orange rind and grapefruit, finally ending with dry pine and earthy, grassy hops that blend well with the autumnal malt bill.

[Flavor] The flavor follows the aroma well, but is slightly more assertive than the aroma, yet not too hearty.  The malts provide a solid base of caramel and toffee sweetness as well as a little toasty, bready character.  This is followed up by a bit of creaminess as well as some wonderful berry ester flavors, like blueberry and strawberry.  Then the hops take over, starting with mango, pineapple, and some bitter peach, like inner peach flesh.  This moves into slightly more bitter fruits, like orange rind and lots of grapefruit, finally finishing with a combination of piney, earthy, and grassy hops, with a nice dry finish.

[Mouthfeel] The body of this beer is medium to medium full, a little fuller and creamier than most IPAs, fitting for the fall season, yet the moderate carbonation keeps it lively.  There's sort of a rustic dryness in the mouth during the finish.

[Overall] With the coming of fall, a heartier, maltier IPA is just right while still being refreshing enough for the warm afternoons.  Without seeing the label, I could tell you this is a Sierra Nevada beer, the balance of malts and hops is so characteristic of their beers, making them a great choice for a simple, tasty drink.  This beer is simple and straightforward yet not boring, perfect for taking your mind off the craziness that comes with the end of summer.  Combine this with a price that definitely won't break the bank, and you have another winner of a seasonal beer from the always wonderful Sierra Nevada.

Happy fall, flannels and Flipside everyone!

Ahhhhhh, finally flannel season.