Four Peaks Brewing - Hop Knot

Thanks again to BeerAdvocate member AzDBack for this one!

From Four Peaks:

"Our Hop Knot IPA is made only from American malt and lots of American hops, which produce a big, broad-shouldered, hoppy beer backed up by a character as warm as, well, Mom and apple pie... 

Hop Knot IPA get its peculiar name from the weaving of four different hops added at four separate times during the brewing process. Including our cavernous hop-back, which gets so stuffed with whole leaf hops that we feel genuine guilt for its excess. Hop Knot is an ale that is to be enjoyed with friends, spicy food or any time you need a good hop fix without the harsh bitterness. We hope you enjoy this pioneering beer made in the bold spirit of Americans everywhere. 

Let's jump right in, shall we!

Pour is a vibrant golden orange.  Maybe it is just the light in the room but it seems to be glowing a little bit as well! Really nice looking 2 finger head made up of tight, soapy looking bubbles.  Once the head dissipated it left soapy looking bubbles around the edges of the glass and a light film over the top of the beer.  It looks really nice laying over a bed of orange!

I get a nice note of tropical fruit in this mixed with bit of pine and a big punch of grapefruit! I wasn't expecting to get a tropical fruit character on this beer so that was a pleasant surprise! I also get a little bit of sweet malt in there as well that mixes nicely with the fruity aroma.  Doesn't smell like a big hop bomb but more of a perfectly balanced IPA judging by the aroma.  The aroma kind of reminds me of Marble Brewing's IPA with that nice juicy aroma to it. I would have to say this has more sweet malt aroma than Marble IPA had however.  Smells really nice and I am hoping the taste matches the aroma.

I'm getting a lot of grapefruit on the palate but not too much of the bitterness that usually follows.  In the middle I get some of that pine I was getting on the nose but I am not tasting any of that tropical fruit like mango or peach pineapple.  Back end is a nice subtle sweetness and bready malt.  This is a very basic IPA, but it is extremely nice.  The flavors all play well together and counteract each other.  The grapefruit and pine are well balanced in themselves but they lead into the slightly bitter and and sweet bready finish so well.  After the finish there is a lingering juicy grapefruit note that is welcoming.  It doesn't leave a big bitter punch but rather a really nice juicy grapefruit and orange note.  

Was this a mind blowing IPA? No, it was not.  Is it incredibly easy to drink and well balanced? That it is!  Not every beer is going to be worldly experience.  This is a perfect example of an American IPA.  Hop Knot is light on the palate and doesn't lack in the aroma or the taste.  If you are looking for a Pliny Killer then this is not that.  If you are looking for a nice switch from a beer like Bells Two Hearted, which is something that is easy to drink and also packs a well balanced punch, then this is that beer!

Cheers ladies and gentlemen!