Great Divide Brewing Company, out of Denver, CO, was founded in 1994. They won their first award at the Great American Brew Fest just three months after brewing their first batch of beer, and the awards and accolades have been coming strong ever since. I’ve had a couple of their beers in the past and was excited to see the Rumble, an oak-aged IPA, on tap at the South Philly Tap Room when I stopped in the other day.

As you would expect from this type of beer, the pour was a hazy orange. Great Divide describes the Rumble as being brewed with “heavy handed additions of Pacific Northwest hops”, and this comes through in the smell and taste. The aroma was that of pine and citrus hops, along with some caramel malts and hints of vanilla. I like it when the smell of the beer makes me excited to try it, which was exactly the case here. I’m happy to say I wasn’t disappointed – the taste followed the nose, with a big hoppy upfront, just the way I like it. The caramel and vanilla flavors were there, too, never overwhelming the hops but complimenting them in a very tasty way. ABV comes in at 7.1%.

Rumble is a seasonal offering from Great Divide, so now is the time to try one. It’s currently on tap at a few bars in the Philly area and is well worth trying!

11.16.10

Helene is a craft beer enthusiast who aims to educate women (and men) about the wonderful world of craft beer. In addition to reviewing beers and bars on Drink Philly, she writes beer-related musings on her blog, Philly Beer Girl. You can also follow Helene on Twitter, where she tweets way too often - and at odd times - about what she's drinking.