Chill Theory - Real Ale Review
While great defenders and lovers of the old and classic styles, some new varieties do appeal to us. One of those is the Cold IPA. Having a forward hoppiness and a clean lager finish sets the modern drinker up for their favorite beer. But balance is required to make any beer great, and even more so when seeking clean and dry finishes with fruity, juicy and bitter hops.
Yet we’re hoping for great things from one of our favorite brewers out of the Texas Hill Country: Real Ale, and their Cold IPA Chill Theory. They brew this modern revelation with house ale yeast at lower temperatures, and supplement the crisp lager feel with Vienna malt. These with a whole load of hops brings this beer to 6.5% ABV and 40 IBU.
Real Ale says to expect a whole lot of fruity flavors and a bready backbone from the Vienna malt, but I must say, the use of ale yeast has us cautious. Let’s relieve those fears by pouring a glass and drinking down.
First Impressions:
On the Eyes--Golden, slightly hazy with an unfiltered swirl of hop goodness, and topped with a cream-colored and tight-pored head that maintains well.
On the Nose--Fruit forward, almost in a juicy IPA way, with notes of citrus, pineapple, and peach.
On the Palate--Really expressive beer with fruit notes flying like a summer food fight. Notes of pineapple, peach, and berry carve a sweet path to a grapefruit finish that is moderately bitter and quite dry. The citrus lingers pleasantly with the sweeter fruit flavors floating back in the finish. Chill Theory has a medium body and a crisp malt presence.
Final Thoughts:
It can be hard to pin down what’s right and what’s wrong in new styles of beer where ideas are still rubbing together. With a Cold IPA, we consider two things above all else, the hoppiness and the lager qualities. Chill Theory has both, but to varying degrees.
As far as the hops go, Real Ale nailed it. Chill Theory tastes very much like a modern IPA and the hops taste modern as well with grapefruit, pineapple, peach, and berry. I’d say they are maybe southern hemisphere hops like Galaxy, with possibly Mosaic and/or Comet hops mixed in, and they are balanced nicely for a pleasant drink that keeps you coming back.
When considering the lager crispness in Chill Theory, it starts out with crisp malt character and finishes quite dry, but it comes up just short on full lager crispness. This may be from the use of ale yeast, or it may be a little wildness from the modern hops. I don’t really know. What I do know is that this is a great IPA, and it’s a great IPA for an old-school bitter-chaser to sink their teeth into the modern scene. The lack of crispness is small, and one drinker’s opinion, but it takes very little away from this fun to drink beer.
Cheers!
Mr. Brew
If you’re looking for more hops, check out Real Ale’s Favorable Conditions. And if it’s a crisp lager you need, give their Hill Country Bock a chance.