For this installment of Tasting Notes, we continue to steer our recent IPA-fueled adventure westward as we get into a pour of Outta Line IPA from Rogue Ales (Newport, Oregon).

Brewed to be a celebration of “those who have the courage to do their own thing”, Outta Line is a West Coast-style India Pale Ale “that opens with tangerine and mango, balanced by malt sweetness and a crisp hop bite.” Clocking in at 6.9% ABV and 66 IBUs, Outta Line is a perfect go-to beer “for those who live outside the lines.”

Outta Line IPA is available now in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft.  You can expect to find this new Year-Round offering at craft beer-friendly retailers, bars and restaurants located in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Rogue’s nationwide distribution area.

Ok . . . now that we are all caught up on this brew’s background info, what do say we get a little Outta Line in some Tasting Notes?

Tasting Notes for Outta Line IPA from Rogue Ales

Appearance: Outta Line is a deep, honey-like orange in color with bright yellow hues bursting at its sides and capped with two fingers of slightly off-white foam.  When held to direct light, the orange hues brighten and the yellows radiate with vibrancy.  The beer is pristine in clarity and displays a steady carbonation presence streaming within.  Head retention is decent, falling to a fine ring that scatters foamy patterns of sticky lace across the glass throughout the experience.

Aroma: Coy at the start, the hop presence builds slowly with notes of mango, orange, peach, blueberry and grapefruit. The hops gain confidence and open further to reveal a soft pine note, a firm floral character, and a super enticing presence of spicy dankness.  The malts hang back here, lurking in the background with notes of caramel and lightly toasted grain. The aromatics close with a gentle waft of alcohol. Nicely reserved but filled with complexity.

Taste: Tangerine peel gets the flavor profile off to a tangy, hoppy citrus start.  The fruitiness then blooms to offer tropical notes of mango, pineapple and grapefruit.  The hop presence then shifts as resinous pine and straight dank herb settle in to create that classic, in-your-face West Coast-style goodness.  The malts sneak in near the end to lend a touch of balance with some lightly sweet, crackery and earthy (wet grain) tones.

Mouthfeel: On the heavier side of medium in body with a medium carbonation level, this IPA has a soft, silken texture but still dries out nicely.  It leans to the hoppy/bitter side, but that is kept in check with a stealthy and balancing malt presence.  Only really present in the aroma at times, the ABV is well tempered and gives off very little heat.  Pine resin and citrus zest are left behind in the aftertaste.

Final Thoughts:  Outta Line is a solid nod back to the good ol’ days when West Coast IPAs ruled the craft beer scene, but it is one that is still willing to adopt an aspect or two of the IPA trends of today.  Sure . . . it has a good deal of that resiny, ultra-dank hop bite, but the hops’ juicy characteristics get equal billing, the IBUs feel as though they have been dialed down a bit, and the bitterness does not come close to approaching anything that hit during the IBU wars of yore.  Is that a bad thing? No. This West Coast IPA avoids shock value and palate wrecking so that it can embrace supreme drinkability while still holding on to a satisfying amount of hop flavor, aroma and bitterness.  It aims to reach daily drinker/go-to status, and it hits that mark squarely.  Be sure to grab a sixer of Outta Line IPA the next time you find yourself roaming the beer aisle in search of something new and incredibly easy-drinking.  Prost!