Brewery Bhavana “Grove”

Style: Double IPA
ABV: 8%

A quick trip from Greenville, Brewery Bhavana in Raleigh, NC is a place neither of us have had the chance to visit. Luckily, Tapped, one of our favorite taprooms/bottle shops in Greenville, had one of their selections on draft. This double IPA called to us on their draft list and was one of the first beers we spotted. Curious to see what the brewery offered, we gave “Grove” a try.

Joe’s Take

“Grove.” The name reminds me of a tranquil forest oasis, somewhere you can get away and enjoy the serenity of beer. I was excited to try “Grove” and was not disappointed when the server at Tapped handed me the beer in a curvy tulip glass. It was a golden yellow color and, while taking full advantage of the nice weather, noticed the beer really lit up when brought out into the sunlight. It was crystal clear and even a touch more yellow than portrayed in the photos. There was a thin foamy white head that dissipated quickly and left a small ring around the edge of the glass.

The aroma of “Grove” was like a blossoming citrus grove. The aroma was hop forward and loaded with floral, resinous, and citrus characters. The aroma was bright and reminiscent of summer. I enjoyed the hop aroma and am always amazed how hop varieties can display so many different characteristics.

Mouthfeel was smooth with hits of bright carbonation. The beer was medium-bodied with a slight viscosity. It wasn’t overly heavy and the carbonation level helped clear the beer from the palate. “Grove” had a nice finish and did not leave the mouth feeling dry.

“Grove” was well balanced and managed to match the strong hop aroma with a subtly sweet malt character. Immediately on tasting, I was hit with strong hop flavors similar in profile to the aroma of the beer. There were notes of floral hops, citrus, and some piney resin that pulled through on each sip. The bitterness of the beer was subtle and contributed to the overall flavor profile. It tied the sweetness of the malt and floral characteristics of “Grove” and, combined with the mouthfeel, made this a very drinkable beer.

“Grove” was an easy drinker and made me do a double take to check the menu board to make sure it was a double IPA. The overall balance of the beer made it seem much lighter than it was. After trying “Grove” I’ll be sure to put Brewery Bhavana on the list of places to visit the next time I’m in Raleigh. Cheers!

Nick’s Take

For a double IPA, “Grove” poured a much lighter gold color than I expected, and was especially bright when outside in the natural light. My pour yielded less foam than Joe’s at the onset, but the few microbubbles that remained sat nicely on the sides of the glass. This DIPA looked very clean and bright and made for an enticing prospect.

On the nose, prominent hop character stole the show. A mix of some floral, citrus, and slightly piney/vegetal hop aromas played off of each other in “Grove.” As intoxicating as this hop profile smelled, I also picked up on the sweet alcohol notes that promised to intoxicate me if I had too many of these to drink. Later I was able to pick up some good malt aromas that were also relatively sweet, giving a nice contrast to the hops.

“Grove” drank very smoothly for a DIPA (or for any beer, for that matter), with just a bit of crisp carbonation at the forefront. The bubbles subsided into a rather soft mouthfeel that I’d characterize as medium-bodied. Not much mouthcoat to speak of for me, but I did note a minor drying feeling at points throughout my tasting.

As good as this DIPA smelled, I think it is rivaled by the taste. The hop character was immense, producing resinous, floral, and slight citrus flavors in the beer. As Joe also noted, “Grove” was also a bit malty in flavor, which was a welcome profile to add in with the abundant hop taste. A slightly sweet finish for me was likely a product of the malt and the alcohol. Balanced is a great identifier for the flavor profile of this beer.

Besides being a bit high on the ABV measurement, Brewery Bhavana created an entirely drinkable double IPA that evolves in aroma and taste throughout the drinking process. Very smooth – maybe surprisingly so – and delicious, and something that I would enjoy having again as a patio beer.