Is Garret Oliver a comic book fan? If not, maybe Steve Hindy is. Either way, their Brooklyn Defender IPA is proof positive that discerning beer drinkers, like most people in life, are rarely defined by a single hobby. Brooklyn Defender is a beer, but it’s a beer with a comic book theme, a year-round treat that carries the logo of New York’s Comicon. It’s the official beer of that convention.

There have been a number of comic-book themes beers produced since the craft bee renaissance begins. One that was released in the 90s escaped me (based on Valiant Comics and brewed by Capital), but more recently Rogue released Right Hand of Doom Red Ale based on Dark Horse’s Hellboy character, and Georgia’s Terrapin released a Walking Dead Blood Orange IPA.  Colorado’s Odd13 brewery does an entire line of beers themed on their own fictional comic book pantheon.

Oh, and then there’s me. I’ve been reading comic books since the age of 13, and drinking beer since I was 18. So, Brooklyn Defender IPA was right up my alley.

From the label:

Whenever an artist sketches, or a brewer stirs, the Defender is there to guard against the creeping blandness, armed only with daring red malts and explosively juicy hops. Ours is of light, fury and song. This is Defender.

Ingredients from the website:

Malts: British Pale, Carared, Crisp, Roasted Barley, Melanoidin

Hops: Summit, Cascade, Mosaic, Amarillo

Yeast: Our House Ale Yeast

Brooklyn Defender IPA has an alcohol content of 6.7% by volume and runs $9.99 a six-pack here in Georgia. The label says “Best before date printed on bottle”; there was no date printed on my bottle.

Brooklyn Defender IPA pours to a hazy orange amber color with a moderate head of foam and that on a vigorous pour and a pronounced melon and passion fruit hop nose. The beer has a medium caramel maltiness up front followed by more of the same tropical fruit notes I got in the nose, a bit of citrus and pine and an herbal grassy bitter hop finish.

They call this a “West Coast IPA”, and the fruit loopy tropical hops certainly support that. It’s balanced, though I’d like more malt, and overall a great example of that style. Zif! Pow! Bam! Brooklyn Defender IPA saves the day.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

 

 



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