Saint Louis Brewing, Schlafly Export IPA & World Brews Four In Hand IPA

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Tasting: May 31, 2012
Style: IPA

Schafly IPA & Four in Hand IPA

My fellow pop John gave me this bottle of Four In Hand IPA. There wasn’t any endorsement when he gave it to me. I think it went like this:

John: have you tried this?
Me: no
John: well here you go.

I suspect this was a six pack purchase that went awry. We’ve all had those regrets. I also suspect that being the creative designer; he was suckered in by the cool packaging. But, hey I don’t mind, he might have saved me from the same mistake. This one is from a brewery that I haven’t heard of out of Rochester, NY, World Brews. It doesn’t take me long to see why John didn’t wholeheartedly endorse this IPA. It isn’t much of an IPA. Not much in the way of hops and even the malt is demure and moderately bready and some earthiness lurking. I’d put this one more like a pale ale and even at that, it isn’t enjoyable at all. I’ll put it at 69 points. Next conversation with John should go like this…

Me: “John, I tried that Four in Hand”
John: “what did you think?”
Me: “I thought enough of it to buy you a six pack of it”

Let’s put that one down the drain. I mean behind me and move on to the next subject from St. Louis brewer, Saint Louis Brewing’s Schlafly brand.

I’ve heard good things about Schlafly, but here again, I’ve walked past their offerings countless times. So, with nothing new or exciting on a recent trip to the beer store, I finally pulled the trigger on a single bottle. I know, I’m a real risk taker.

This brewery is located in St. Louis, Missouri. This one is an annual release that hits shelves in March and April. My bottle says it was bottled on March 20th. It also says to keep refrigerated. Of course, this one was warm on the shelf. It checks in at a respectable 7.2% alcohol by volume (ABV) and a moderate international bittering unit (IBU) of 65. Need definitions?Check out my beer glossary

Quick impression of Schlafly Export IPA is that it is probably a notch or two ahead of the Four in Hand. Again, not much in the way of hops, very breadish with some flat and earthy undertone. Really, two duds? Schlafly Export IPA gets 71 points.

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