From the Brewery: 

“Hops of Wrath – a tribute to the strong willed, gritty people of the Dust Bowl and Great Depression era. Inspired by the families who came west in search of a new start as well as those who stayed behind to weather the storm. This is a great beer born of hard times.” 6.6% India Pale Ale

Purchased from The Fort in Fresno, California.

The Pour: 

Poured from a 22 oz bomber into my stemmed ale glass. A pretty clear beer, amber orange in color, very similar to apple juice. An off-white bubbly head is poured, which leaves good lacing. Moderate carbonation is visible.

The Nose: 

Light tropical fruit citrus and floral hops, mixed with candied sweet malts. Nothing overpowering, but it smells pretty good.

The Mouth: 

Medium thin body with a good amount of carbonation noticeable in the mouthfeel. The initial flavor is a combination of the floral/citrus hops and sweet malts from the nose. It finishes modestly dry, with multiple flavors going on in the aftertaste. I get bready grains, sweet malts, and lingering citrus hop bitterness on the tongue.

Final Thoughts: 

Hops of Wrath is a pretty enjoyable IPA. I wouldn’t really call the amount of hops “Wrathful”, due to a pretty good malt backbone in the beer. The pleasant aroma is followed by good flavor. It’s balanced profile makes this one of the more drinkable/sessionable IPA’s I’ve had. It accomplishes this while offering very solid flavors, which would make me assume this beer is bigger than its 6.6% ABV. Definitely worth picking up a bottle if you want to dry a “starter” IPA, or if you’re a fan of the style who doesn’t want a palate-crusher. 8.5/10.

Dust Bowl Brewing Company – Turlock, California