Style: Carolina Crispy Style IPA
ABV: 5.4%
Joe’s Take:
We’re back in Tarboro at Tarboro Brewing Company to try the next rendition of the “Small Town” series, and this time we’re crashing a wedding. “Small Town Wedding,” a self-described Carolina crispy-style IPA (which sounds delicious I might add) poured a golden yellow in the TBC branded pint glass. It was hazy but not completely opaque and sported virtually no head.
The nose was mild and hop forward. I had a hard time at first getting a lot of aroma from the beer but was able to pick up some grassy/earthy aromas that seemed to be backed up by a touch of juicy sweetness. There was minimal malt character on the nose and with the toned down aromas was very approachable.
The mouthfeel was true to the intended style…crispy. There was a bright hit of carbonation that gave it a very refreshing character and this is going to be great in the upcoming summer months. The body of the brew was light and easy to sip down. There was a slight drying character as the beer exited the mouth.
Flavor was light and put this beer in a similar grouping to session IPAs. There was not a ton of malt character and hops weren’t overpowering. The brew’s flavor was light and balanced and would be a great session beer for a round of disc golf or a barbecue (or wedding) on a hot summer day.
Overall, I would say this a great mild beer with a lot of potential for sessioning or enjoying on the beach. The bubbling carbonation mixed well with the light flavors and made for a smooth sipper. Not to mention the ABV sits at a nice sessionable level. Cheers and be sure to crash the “Small Town Wedding” next time you find yourself at Tarboro Brewing Company.
Nick’s Take:
The newest iteration in TBC’s “Small Town” series pours a pale gold color with haze. The head wasn’t prominent but the consistent rise of microbubbles was indicating that this should be a pretty crisp IPA (hence their note of the Carolina crispy-style).
The aromas were soft and subtle but quite pleasant. The hop character was coming off as a bit piney yet juicy. The juicy aspect was coming off as something reminding me of when you get a fruit cup with honeydew and cantaloupe.
“Small Town Wedding” boasts a very crisp presence as expected (and advertised). It was medium-bodied and seemed to not be overly drying. The bright carbonation had me going back for more sips constantly.
I think the carbonation was also an ally for bringing out the flavors. It was juicy and a bit resinous on the backend of each sip, which provided a little bitterness to the beer. However, the juicy qualities balanced it out. I couldn’t be sure if what I was tasting was accurate but I got a bit of a melon vibe.
This has a lot of traits that lend it to be sessionable. It’s light and not overly bitter, but has good flavor and an enjoyably crisp mouthfeel that drives you to go back for drink after drink. I’d also be able to pair this with a variety of food options. I hope TBC continues to add to their “Small Town” series, as I’ve enjoyed each one that I’ve tried.
| Notes | Joe | Nick | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Yellow gold, hazy, opaque, minimal head | 4 | 4 |
| Aroma | Mild, piney, juicy, slightly grassy | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Mouthfeel | Crisp carbonation, light to medium-bodied, slightly drying | 4 | 4.5 |
| Taste | Balanced, light, grassy, piney, sweetness, minimal malt character | 4 | 4 |
| Drinkability | Easy drinking, definite session beer, great for hot weather | 4 | 4.5 |
| Total | Out of 25 possible points | 19.5 | 20.5 |
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