Review: Shaddock IPA, Widmer Brothers

Shaddock IPA
Widmer Brothers Brewing Co. — Portland, OR

Stats:

• Style:  IPA
• Bitterness:  50 IBU
• ABV:  6.2%  
• Malts:  2- Row Pale, Caramel 10L, Carapils
• Hops:  Alchemy for bittering Citra for aroma
• Special Ingredient:  Grapefruit peels
• Sampled:  12 oz. bottle  (full disclosure: sample provided by brewery)

Description:  "When Captain Shaddock introduced the grapefruit to the West Indies, he probably never thought they’d be used in beer. Our brewers did exactly that, adding grapefruit peel to our popular X-114 IPA. The result is a refreshing new brew that blends the sweet aroma and unmistakable flavor of grapefruit with the tropical notes found in Citra hops." — Widmer Brothers Brewing

Random thoughts:  The first IPA I ever tasted was BridgePort IPA. I was blown away by it's distinctive grapefruit flavor. I was never crazy about grapefruit in general, but from some reason, I loved it in beer. As I learned more, I was shocked to learn that BridgePort IPA (and the vast majority of beer with grapefruit-like bitterness) contains no form of grapefruit and the flavor comes entirely from hops! With Shaddock IPA, Widmer Bros. has brewed a beer that actually contains grapefruit—in this case, the peel.

The tasting:  Golden orange in color, clear, with a white head that dissipates slowly. Aroma is full of tropical fruit—guava, pineapple, and tangerine. Caramel and grapefruit are also prominent in the nose. Flavor also contains caramel and grapefruit, but the grapefruit is more complex than it is in the typical "grapefruity" IPA. The flavor of bitter rind complements the hop bitterness nicely. However, the strong tropical fruit notes from the aroma don't come through in flavor. Shaddock IPA is medium bodied, moderately carbonated, and finishes with lingering grapefruit hop bitterness.

Rating:   4 star.  Really Good! I want this again.  I was a big fan of X-114 IPA, so the fact it serves as the base for Shaddock makes it a winner in my book. On its own, the grapefruit peels add a nice twist that keep Shaddock interesting. As a homebrewer, I was curious about how the grapefruit was used in the brewing process. I contacted Widmer Brothers Brewing, and they told me they added the grapefruit peel at the end of the boil. I may have to try that the next time I brew an IPA!  Shaddock IPA is a limited summer release, so if you want to taste it, try it soon.

Have you tasted X-114 IPA or Shaddock IPA?

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