Napa Smith - Organic IPA

Tonight's beer comes from a brewery that I haven't seen before - Napa Smith Brewery.  This is a small shop based out in California - according to their website their goal is to brew beers with food pairings in mind, and tailor the brews accordingly.  For some reason, my computer doesn't like their website and certain sections refuse to load, so I'm not sure what their intended food pairing is for this beer.  Oh well!

The label design is very stately and professional-looking, it almost looks like a wine label.  It depicts a drawing of the brewery, and it notes on the bottom "certified organic by CCOF".  Lord Wikipedia tells me that this is the California Certified Organic Farmers, a certification and trade association.  The beer pours a dark, hazy orange with a billowing. clingy inch+ of white froth.  The aroma is musky and earthy, with sour oranges playing the primary role.  There is also a harsh smell in there, maybe from the 7% alcohol? 

The flavor is sharp and doesn't match exactly with the nose.  There are some harsh pangs of Pine Sol - the bitterness is tolerable but the flavor is somewhat chemical...ly.  Also, some tart lemon and pepper mixes in with the Pine Sol to create a very strange hop profile.  There is a burnt caramel malt backbone that also has a harshness to it.  The finish and general mouthfeel is oily and resiny, and carbonation is champagne-bubbly. 

Overall Rating:  (2.5 out of 6.0)  This beer did not go down well.  There was a chemical, medicinal quality to it that was entirely unpleasant.  I could easily sacrifice this to the drain-gods, but I think I'll finish it and pretend I'm still in college.