Here at Barrels and Mash we’ve decided to go back to some of our favorite Oklahoma brews that came out before we started this blog and give them a review. Our one-year anniversary has come and gone and perhaps it makes one think about old friends. Today we have one of my go-to beers, my favorite to drink at concerts at venues like the Opolis and a great choice for burgers, pizza or tacos. I found a fresh-ish 14 day-old can and got to reviewing.

Company: COOP Ale Works

Location: Brewed In Oklahoma City, OK

ABV: 6.8%

IBUs: 100+

Style/Description: India Pale Ale

Price: $2.50 per 16 oz can

Appearance: Lightly cloudy copper pour, with a robust fluffy white head. Lace for days, sticky and clinging to the glass.

Nose: Plenty of piney dank resins, with some bitter citrus peel and orange notes. Mild caramel malts hide behind the hop bitterness.

Taste: Bitter resins are out front, with puckering grapefruit and orange flavors. There is a healthy dose of bitter lemon zest, with some spicy herbaceous tones. The lightly toasted caramel malt is present but pretty far in the back seat, leaving a bit of sweetness for the fruit notes to hang on. Mouth is light and dry, with a moderate carb.

Finish: Crisp with a lingering bitter finish, some orange and pine remaining. Nice dry finish with a pleasant CO2 burn.

Overall: Like I said this is one of my go-to brews, and definitely a pleasant experience to revisit. I was pleased when COOP began date stamping their cans as this one is definitely better fresh. Still an excellent brew, and really set the bar for IPAs in Oklahoma. F5 set the bar pretty high, judging by the excellent IPAs coming out of Roughtail and Prairie these days. Pick up a four pack this weekend if you haven’t in a while.

Rating: 4/5