Dragonmead Crown Jewels: Review

7% abv

12 oz bottle

Dragonmead Microbrewery

Warren, Michigan, USA

$12.00 a four pack
dragonmead.com

My Strength Rating: 6.5

Appearance: a hazy amber color with an off-white head that has some lacing sticking to the side of the glass. 

Aroma: very interesting; I was braced for a citrus explosion but, it is a malty profile on the nose.  Then, there is a floral hoppy note and some herbal type notes. 

Flavors: now I do not know what to expect after smelling this IPA.  Here it goes; yes, some sweet candy sugar on the side with some caramel malty notes, then some meaty flesh of a citrus rind flavor creeps in.  The hops seem to have an earthy tone to them.  There is a peppery style here, a pink peppercorn and black peppercorn mixture. 

Mouthfeel: the hops seem to do the lingering on the palate.  Don’t get me wrong there is that touch of sweetness but, it is the piney prickly feel that dominates.

I would put this in my category of ‘ying and yang’.  The malts and hops mixture.  With this ale you get some clearly defined malts and some clearly defined hops. 

Interesting!  And it is worthy of a try.