Lakes Brew Co West Coast IPA is a beer based in Kendal, in the Lake District. I purchased this apart of the gift set I bought which included the schooner glass. When I travel I love to check out local spots and breweries and this was one on my radar. So for this review of this West Coast IPA, I will cover the history, the pour, the taste and aroma, and finally, my verdict. Cheers
A brewery formed by former colleagues
Lakes Brew Co is a craft brewery based in Kendal, in the Lake District. The brewery was founded by Matt Clarke, Michelle Gay, Steve Ricketts and Paul Sheldon. They came to form the Lakes Brew Co due to being made redundant by Hawkshead Brewery.
In 2021, the first brew by the Lakes Brew co was born. This brewed in the Mintsfeet Industrial Estate which is 16hl brew kit alongside their own canning lineup. Sustainability and quality are important to them: they emphasise freshness, consistency, and controlling their production from brewing right through to canning. Their branding is performed by Scratch Creative which utilise the Lake District’s beautiful landscape.
Their West Coast IPA contains a decent 5.6% ABV which utilises a mixture of Simcoe, Mosaic, Amarillo and Cascade hops. In 2021, this beer finished 2nd in the SIBA North West Bottle/Can IPA competition. This beer is vegan friendly, unfiltered and unfined. This is an interesting which sticks to the sustainable roots of the Lakes Brew Co.
A golden west coast pour
The Lakes Brew Co West Coast IPA presents a golden coloured and slightly amber glow. A foamy head forms which left a decent amount of lacing down the glass. There is a steady stream of carbonation which helped lift the aromatics of this beverage. Overall, this is exactly what you would expect from a West Coast IPA.
A citrusy taste and aroma
Aroma
When it comes to the aromatics of this beer, there is splash of citrus bitterness which gives you a pleasant introduction to this beer. This followed by layers pine and tropical fruits which could be from the mosaic and simcoe hops. This has a biscuity maltiness which helps keep everything balanced and vibrant. This was a very fresh and lively aroma.
Taste
The taste really follows on from the aroma. This has a citrus rise in taste when it comes to the first sip. This is followed by pine and tropical fruit notes and maybe a splash of stone fruit. This is a particularly hop forward beer which presents a brilliant rendition of a typical West Coast brightness. This has a malt backbone which similar to the aroma, rounds everything off. The finish a dry and bitter which adds to the refreshing nature of this beer. Overall, Lakes Brew Co West Coast IPA is a delicious IPA that leaves you wanting more.
Time for my verdict
Overall, on my brief visit to the Lakes Brew Co, the brewing staff were immensely friendly and kind. I had ordered the set and went in to collect. I also spoke to Michelle over the phone and via email and the customer service was flawless. When it comes to the beer, this was one of the better West Coast IPA I have drunk in a while, very crispy, bitter and refreshing. Well done on this one and keep up the good work. Overall, I rate this beer a solid 4.5 out of 5. Cheers
Where did I purchase this beer?
I bought this directly from the Lakes Brew Co website and collected it from the brewery itself. Top notch customer service and so far they have themselves a new fan.
If you enjoyed reading this review you will love reading my review of Fell Brewery Lawyers, Guns and Money. Another lakes based brewery.
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