Beer of the Weekend #913: Break a Leg! IPA
March used to be “Motor Oil Month” for me, when I drank a lot of stout. Dark beers don’t agree with me much these days—even a pint or two will give me a headache—but I ventured to Coralville’s ReUnion Brewery to fill my growler with stout. However, I filled it with Break a Leg! IPA instead. D’oh!
The color is cloudy (why do people call it hazy?) deep gold that is leaning amber. It looks like an Orange Julius. A finger of off-white, buttery, bubbly head leaves a skim and frothy collar.
The aroma is light and a blend of earth and citrus. Scents of pineapple, kiwi, cara cara orange, and grapefruit are most prominent, but earthy hops and a hint of pine provide a balance. It smells sticky as it continues to warm.
The mouthfeel is creamy and smooth, and the first sip features a surprising, spicy bite that hits the tonsils; it is very earthy at first, but the spicy punch fades on subsequent sips. There are citrus flavors that mirror those featured in the aroma: pineapple, kiwi, orange, and grapefruit. Though the flavor is light, it lingers on the taste buds long after each sip. Overall, the beer is light but very pleasing and drinkable—which is probably the definition of drinkable.
Fun facts about Break a Leg! IPA:
• Style: ReUnion calls it an IPA, but it’s more like a New England IPA.
• Price: $12 for a 64-ounce growler fill at the ReUnion Brewery in Coralville. I went there a little after 4 p.m. hoping to beat the after-work and dinner crowd, but it was still very busy.
• Alcohol content: 4.8 percent ABV.
• IBU: 35.
• Calories: 144 per 12-ounces (estimate; I drank it in a 16-ounce pint glass, but I think 12-ounces is a better standard to list calories). Since I started counting beer calories, I like these low-ABV beers even more.
• Break a Leg! IPA is a collaboration with Iowa City’s Englert Theater.
• I really like using my growler, but there’s one bad thing about it: waiting 10 or 15 minutes after pouring a pint to let it warm. It’s easy to refrain from cracking open a bottle or can after taking it out of the fridge, but it’s not as easy to let a glass full of beer sit without taking a few whiffs and sips.
The Quiet Mane’s grade: A-.
The color is cloudy (why do people call it hazy?) deep gold that is leaning amber. It looks like an Orange Julius. A finger of off-white, buttery, bubbly head leaves a skim and frothy collar.
The aroma is light and a blend of earth and citrus. Scents of pineapple, kiwi, cara cara orange, and grapefruit are most prominent, but earthy hops and a hint of pine provide a balance. It smells sticky as it continues to warm.
The mouthfeel is creamy and smooth, and the first sip features a surprising, spicy bite that hits the tonsils; it is very earthy at first, but the spicy punch fades on subsequent sips. There are citrus flavors that mirror those featured in the aroma: pineapple, kiwi, orange, and grapefruit. Though the flavor is light, it lingers on the taste buds long after each sip. Overall, the beer is light but very pleasing and drinkable—which is probably the definition of drinkable.
Fun facts about Break a Leg! IPA:
• Style: ReUnion calls it an IPA, but it’s more like a New England IPA.
• Price: $12 for a 64-ounce growler fill at the ReUnion Brewery in Coralville. I went there a little after 4 p.m. hoping to beat the after-work and dinner crowd, but it was still very busy.
• Alcohol content: 4.8 percent ABV.
• IBU: 35.
• Calories: 144 per 12-ounces (estimate; I drank it in a 16-ounce pint glass, but I think 12-ounces is a better standard to list calories). Since I started counting beer calories, I like these low-ABV beers even more.
• Break a Leg! IPA is a collaboration with Iowa City’s Englert Theater.
• I really like using my growler, but there’s one bad thing about it: waiting 10 or 15 minutes after pouring a pint to let it warm. It’s easy to refrain from cracking open a bottle or can after taking it out of the fridge, but it’s not as easy to let a glass full of beer sit without taking a few whiffs and sips.
The Quiet Mane’s grade: A-.
