Judge's Review: 90 Rating - Lake King by Big Lake Brewing

Lake King by Big Lake Brewing is a West Coast IPA and is being evaluated as an American IPA (2015 BJCP Category 21A) offering according to BJCP guidelines. For this style expect intense hoppiness supported by malt and showcasing New World hop varieties.

The beers pours a lightly hazy harvest straw color with a thick and somewhat rocky egg shell white head on top. The head subsists for a bit only seeming to drop from its own weight and leaving a light lace. A huge piney, floral, and white grapefruit hop character reaches out, greeting my first whiff. Behind the hops lies a soft, light cracker and bread malt character. My first quaff is heavy pine and pithy citrus hops with a supporting background of light bread malt. The balance is purely on the hops and a lingering bitterness tingles the tongue for a bit and accentuates the dry finish. It is medium bodied with medium-high carbonation.

Secondary aromas suggest faint, volatile apple esters. Oranges and tangerines round out the hop flavor, and a light floral alcohol enters late. The aroma esters are not present in the flavor. The hops provide a light astringency and the alcohol a slight warmth.

Overall this is a bold and assertive IPA, deserving of the West Coast moniker. I would pair this with an equally assertive sharp cheese or an aromatic and spicy Indian dish.