Favorable Conditions - Real Ale Review
Some styles of beer are so deeply rooted you simply have to try it anytime you see a new one. That obviously goes for (arguably) the most iconic style of craft beer: the West Coast IPA. Just the sound of those three utterances together gets an old school beer lover excited, especially when brewed and canned by one of your favorites.
Favorable Conditions IPA from Real Ale out of Blanco, Texas, offers deep promises considering the clout associated with Real Ale and the traditional West Coast IPA, and they start by delivering a strong 6.5% ABV and 60 IBU. That’s right in line with traditional West Coast IPAs, but we’re also anticipating strong hop aroma, bitterness, clarity, and a crisp finish with a malt backbone to hold it all together.
Real Ale has some great IPAs and Pale Ales on tap, so we’re eager to see how this one fits into the line-up and if it has broad enough shoulders to support the West Coast IPA moniker.
First Impressions:
On the Eyes--Golden, slightly hazy with the traditional Real Ale unfiltered-look (it woke up this way), and topped with a shiny cream-colored head. The shine gives us a sneak peek into the hop oils maintained in this beer.
On the Nose--Sweet and juicy with tropical (papaya and pineapple) notes and a touch of bitter citrus zest.
On the Palate--Like the aroma, Favorable Conditions is quite juicy. Papaya is the most dominant flavor, followed by a sweet pineapple and enough grapefruit bitterness to wipe it away through the dry and decently clean finish. Favorable Conditions is rich and full-bodied, signifying a healthy malt presence, but it’s not so heavy as to be overly filling, and after a few sips it becomes more citrus dominant, giving the tropical notes a well-deserved rest.
Food Pairings: You know, IPAs go great with pub foods like burgers, pizzas, fries, nachos, and fish and chips. But really they go great with anything fatty and rich.
Final Thoughts:
Complexity is key nowadays for a brewer venturing into the world of IPAs. We’ve had all the greats, plus ten thousand more, and the palate is fatigued. But thankfully, the brewer is not.
Favorable Conditions falls into the right place for newer IPAs, which (in our opinion) is where sweet, citrusy, dry, and a perfect 6.5% ABV collide. I will admit, I was worried after smelling the tropical aroma of the beer. I myself am quite skeptical of flamboyantly tropical beers and their future ahead, particularly when called West Coast IPAs, but the sweetness is toned down by the citrus, the rich malty backbone, and the dry finish that shove it enough into the West Coast world.
Favorable Conditions is a beach-worthy IPA worth a summer try.
Cheers!
Mr. Brew