Bad Martha Island IPA

It is crazy to me that I’ve been reviewing beers for this blog for well over a year and there are still established local breweries that I haven’t had the opportunity to try. One such brewery is Bad Martha Farmer’s Brewery in Edgartown on scenic Martha’s Vineyard, MA. Bad Martha has been brewing beer on the Vineyard since 2012, and in 2013 they started bottling some of their creations at Ipswich Brewery. Their 7-barrel brewery is open from May to October, serving up to 10 draft selections to the throngs of tourists who vacation in the area every summer. One of Bad Martha’s flagship beers is Island IPA, an American IPA brewed with Cascade and Citra hops. Bad Martha Island IPA is available on draft and in 12 oz. bottles all year long.

Bad Martha Island IPABad Martha Island IPA pours a clear orange tinted yellow with a mild white head. The scent is a solid hit of hops, floral and grassy. The hops also lead the flavor with notes of pine, lemon, grapefruit and orange along with some pleasant bitterness. There is some malt in the backbone, with some cracker and biscuit flavor, but the beer is clearly brewed to showcase the hops. The beer is very drinkable, crisp and clean with a little hoppy bite in the finish. At 5.5% ABV it is on the lighter side for an American IPA, perfect for a summer day on a Vineyard beach (I say this as I review the beer in December). This is a very solid American IPA, definitely worth a shot if you’re a fan of the style. Hoppy Boston score: 4.0/5.

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