For the longest time, the Long Trail Brewing Company of Bridgewater Corners, Vermont has been one of those microbrewers that can be easily overlooked at the beer cooler. I know I have. Long Trail Ale has always been the beer you could pick up without a second thought a lot of the time.

And Long Trail is that kind of brewer. Since their founding in 1989, they have continued to produce an assortment of basic, tasty solid brews that most people generally like. They are the number one beer in Vermont, and Long Trail Ale remains a staple in a lot of dedicated beer fridges across the Northeast.

Their distribution in NJ has been spotty and it has only within the last 2 years that their offerings have been consistently showing up at my beer cooler of choice. And, the price (usually at $6.99), makes them a highly competitive choice with other microbrewers. So I have been rediscovering the brand a bit, and remembering why I have always liked them.

One such offering of theirs that I have been consistently buying when it appears is the Long Trail IPA, especially after 2005, when they reintroduced it as an unfiltered version under a "Brewmaster’s Limited Edition" bottling. They now make it year round in the new version.

Long Trail describes their attempt as “This brew is unfiltered as were the original IPAs of the British Empire.” It uses Two-Row, Crystal, and Wheat Malts, with Nugget and Cascade Hops. Its bitterness units is rated at 56, with a 5.9% alcohol by volume (ABV) rating.

That alcohol rating is under the 6.5% threshold for IPAs as discussed in The Good Beer Book, by Timothy Harper and Garret Oliver, but Long Trail is not marketing this as authentic to the style, only that it is within the style. And, all things being considered, the ale compares well with other IPAs within the region. I’m not certain that the lower alcohol punch is that noticeable.

Long Trail IPA pours to a golden yellow wheat color with a sublimely hopped head of beer lace with strong floral notes and a bit of a grassy effect.

The immediate taste is a pronounced taste of citrus, astringent and full of grapefruit-like flavors. It is a bit of a tart kick to the back of the throat with a degree of dryness that lingers through the finish. There is not a lot of sweetness present. This is a lip smacker, but a quaffable one at that (see Beerfly’s reviews).

And that ”quaffability,” if you will, is the key aspect to Long Trail’s success in my view. Their products are all generally well done within a style, and highly drinkable, giving them broad appeal. There is a reason why they’ve lasted this long. They are not as fad conscious as some other microbrewers, and consequently, they remain focused on high quality ales that taste good first and foremost. They seemingly worry about marketing afterwards. There is no pretense about their ales; they speak (taste) for themselves.

This IPA is one such offering. Considered on its own terms (outside of stylistic quibbles and other nitpicks), it is a well done ale, very drinkable and enjoyable on its own. Which is to say, it remains in my beer fridge for a reason; I like it.

And, here’s the kicker: By switching to an unfiltered offering after 13 years of a filtered IPA, Long Trail has raised the bar a bit, even if stylistic quibbles remain. Their IPA is softer, smoother even, over repeated tastings, even as the flavorful citrus notes remain.

That’s what keeps me interested in this brewer. The little details win out over the long-term, even as trends come and go. Long Trail is worth supporting and Long Trail IPA is worth a pint or two (four stars).

Sources
www.longtrail.com
Harper, Timothy, and Garret Oliver. The Good Beer Book New York: Berkley Books, 1997

Recommended: Yes