Don’t let the name of this one fool you. The Terrapin Beer Company Hop Karma IPA isn’t just an ordinary India Pale Ale. Formerly known as the “India Style Brown Ale” this American take combines a West Coast IPA-style and a complex Brown Ale to created a unique and interesting brew. And it’s a sessionable one at that, at 6% ABV with an IBU rating of 65.

It should be no surprise that this beer pours like a Brown Ale. The dark and roasted malt are apparent in the appearance. It’s a rich, deep mahogany color in body with a creamy and fluffy light brown/cream-colored head. The bright red hues of the beer really shined through in the light. The lacing was good, present but not heavy.

The nose on this follows suit with what you’d expect from a concoction of an IPA and Brown Ale. Dry and bitter hops are fully present up front, but that is quickly followed by a nice balance of dark roasted malt. Some sweet caramel malt esters come through on the back end, giving the overall nose a really pleasant scent.

The Brown Ale and dark malt dominate the mouth on this one. The body is medium and mildly carbonated. Immediately you get the bitter hops of the IPA profile but they’re suddenly dominated by the sweet roasted malt. Sticky caramel and honey come through mid-mouthful. The backbone is roasted with coffee beans overwhelmingly present. I also get a really subtle hint of chocolate bark, too.

Balanced greatly by the hops, this is a great example of combining an IPA and a Brown Ale. While the profile of the IPA is submissive to the overwhelmingly powerful profile of the Brown Ale, it still serves as a nice balance. The bitterness though, in my opinion, could be intensified a bit to add a more noticeable balance.

Overall: 8/10