Friday after work, I ran over to Heartland Brewery’s Radio City location (1285 Sixth Avenue @ W51st Street) to grab some growlers for the weekend. One was filled with Indian River Light, one of my favorites. It is one of the few brews I’ve found that is marketed as a “light beer” but still has some flavor to speak of. I took down some tasting notes and proudly present Lootcorp.com’s first beer review!
Aroma
The beer has a very inviting aroma – clean with strong orange citrus notes.
Appearance
Brilliantly clear and very light copper in color. Forms a soft white head when poured, which quickly dissipates.
Flavor
Very clean taste – low hop bitterness with a clean and light malt background – perhaps pilsner malt? Orange flavor is noticeable without being overpowering – slight pith bitterness tasted, but balances the flavor instead of detracting from it. No off flavors present. Finishes with a clean, slightly tart aftertaste. Heartland mentions it is brewed with coriander, but I was not able to pick that flavor out.
Mouthfeel
Thin-bodied. Carbonation is on the high side, lending to a crisp bite and accentuating the orange flavor.
Overall
All in all, a refreshing light beer. The orange flavor sets it apart from other light beers – it achieves a good flavor balance while keeping a very light hop and grain profile.
Serving type
Growler, poured into standard pint glass