Name: Mountain King
Brewer: Turning Wheels (Philippines)
Style: American IPA
ABV: 7%
Review Year: 2020
Mountain King is the flagship “West Coast IPA” of Turning Wheels, a craft brewery from Cebu, Philippines headed by brewmaster and passionate cyclist, Michael Nikkel.
STYLE GUIDELINES
This beer is being evaluated as an American IPA (21A) in the context of the 2015 Beer Style Guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). The most current version of the guidelines can be found on the BJCP website.
TASTING NOTES
Clear pale gold with a medium-sized white head. Passion fruit, guava, and grapefruit on the nose albeit being light. Style-appropriate medium body and moderate carbonation. As expected, the flavor profile is tilted towards the hops, unveiling moderately-high piney hoppy bitterness with a very slight earthy undertone; tangerine citrus with a hint of lychee. Supportive caramel-like malt backbone with light sweetness; broadly clean fermentation character. Mountain King leaves the palate slightly dry with lingering yet light impressions of lychee and hop bitterness. Nothing yeasty, harsh, or astringent.
THE VERDICT
Mountain King by Turning Wheels is a very good interpretation of a “West Coast IPA” that is primarily hop-centric. The aroma mix is spot on, but we think a more intense one would be more enticing. In addition, a good flavor balance was noted as the pine melded well with citrus and the caramel malt backbone. All these with its bitterness intact, reminding its drinkers that this is a classic American IPA. Mountain King is a beer for the “West Coast IPA” aficionados and is best enjoyed outdoors.
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