Prior to its release, I had my eye on the Mint Milkshake IPA from ROAK Brewing Co. The social media ads caught my attention and the beer intrigued me as a milkshake IPA with mint. I thought it might be an odd combination and kind of resemble the taste you get after you brush your teeth and then drink orange juice.
Photo Credit – ROAK Brewing Co
I was able to get my hands on the beer on Episode 210 of Better on Draft when John Leone and Adam Lambert from ROAK Brewing Co. were guests in March. The episode covered the ROAK/Dark Horse deal, the new direction Dark Horse Brewing Company is going in, and what’s coming up for ROAK, including their Milkshake IPA series. It is an excellent episode that you should listen to if you’re a fan of the Michigan craft beer scene and its future.
When I gave my first few sips of the beer on the show, I was impressed. Surprisingly, I found the mint blended well with the citrus and hops and made it an approachable milkshake IPA. The mint acted like a yo-yo by being present on the nose, giving way to the IPA characteristics, and returning on the backend. It is a very unique Milkshake IPA.
The Mint Milkshake IPA is the first installment of the Milkshake IPA series ROAK is putting together in 2020. On the show, John Leone revealed the beers in the lineup and the seasonal releases: Mint Milkshake IPA (St. Patrick’s Day/Spring) Pink Guava Milkshake IPA (4th of July/Summer), Pumpkin Milkshake IPA (Halloween/Fall), and Eggnog Milkshake IPA (Christmas/Winter). He said that each one will offer a new spin on the traditional flavors associated with each as a Milkshake IPA.
I’m sure all of the beers in the Milkshake IPA series are going to polarize beer drinkers near and far, but I applaud ROAK Brewing Co. for willing to push the envelope and innovate. I’m looking forward to trying the other beers as well!
Cheers!
Disclaimer: Thank you to John and Adam of ROAK Brewing Co. for providing Ed with a handful of cans of the Mint Milkshake IPA for review.
0 Comments