Adirondack Brewery - Iroquois Pale Ale

This bold, in-your-face IPA pours an attractive bright orange-copper topped by a cap of sticky foam which laces as it recedes. We were immediately taken in by the super-aromatic nose; there's a cavalcade of inviting hop notes thanks to Adirondack's generous use of a half-dozen different hop varieties. Look for juicy grapefruit citrus notes, tropical fruit, melon, pine, and fragrant floral and spice tones. Thankfully, the story repeats on the palate, with big citrus and pine notes taking center stage along with a big herbal punch. The malt backbone is solid, offering moderate toastiness and plenty of structure and support for the hoppy flavors and the big 70 IBUs. For food pairings, as we recommend with most big IPAs, you'll want to choose a dish that can stand up to the bitterness while also complementing the hop aromatics. Spicy and fragrant Thai and Vietnamese cuisine is always a go-to, but spicy sausages are often delicious, as well. The acidic bitterness is able to cut through fatty dishes much like wine. Additionally, certain sweet desserts featuring fruit and spice can make a good match too, with the bitterness and sweetness playing off each other. Cheers!

John Carr, a Vermont native, did what many Americans do when young: he went backpacking through Europe. What a fateful trip it ended up being. Along the way, amidst all the great sights there were to see, he picked up a love for European beers – which, we’ll add, is very hard NOT to do. The brewing renaissance hadn’t yet gotten up to full steam yet in the U.S., so upon his return to the States, John experienced quite the let-down at the lack of quality European-style beer available here across the pond. Not to be deterred, he decided that if he couldn’t find much good beer to drink locally, he’d simply make it himself. His love of quality beer soon became a full-blown passion.

Fast forward ten years. John had become quite a skilled and accomplished home brewer whose beers were always popular and in demand with his friends. He decided to go pro, and opened his brewpub in 1999 in Lake George Village, at the southern end of the vast lake of the same name. It turned out to be a very smart move, as the pub soon became a favorite watering hole for locals and vacationing tourists alike. In 2011, additional brewing equipment was brought in, including a bottling line, allowing the Adirondack Pub & Brewery to quadruple their previously miniscule production while making their beers available in retail establishments across upstate New York. They’re eyeing another expansion in the future, to enable them to meet demand across the whole state and beyond.

The brewery is very much dedicated to the Lake George community, purchasing ingredients from local producers whenever possible and donating their spent grain to local farmers every day. To learn more about the brewery, the pub, and brewery tours, contact them at 518-668-0002 or visit them at www.adkbrewery.com.