After reading an article on the Aleheads blog about the Founders All Day IPA, I just knew that I had to track down this beer ASAP…

During a quick dinner at The Pour House last Tuesday night, I tried one of these beers as I enjoyed a very tasty burger and fries (my burger of choice was The Second Coming). Since I was dining alone at the bar, I didn’t stay all that long, so I decided to head on over to Total Wine in Cherry Hill to see if they had the All Day IPA in stock. As luck would have it, they did have it in stock, so I decided to pick up a couple bottles for a proper review.

Here is what Founders has to say about their All Day IPA Session Ale:

The beer you’ve been waiting for. Keeps your taste satisfied while keeping your senses sharp. An all-day IPA naturally brewed with a complex array of malts, grains and hops. Balanced for optimal aromatics and a clean finish. The perfect reward for an honest day’s work and the ultimate companion to celebrate life’s simple pleasures.

Let’s get on with the review…

Appearance: Clear pale orange color. Very little head or lacing.

Clear pale orange color. Very little head or lacing. Aroma: Smells like you just cut open an Indian River Ruby Red Grapefruit and then proceeded to drizzle the top of it with golden clover honey.

Smells like you just cut open an Indian River Ruby Red Grapefruit and then proceeded to drizzle the top of it with golden clover honey. Taste: Lightly carbonated with a mouthfeel that leans towards the watery side, but not overly so. A touch of honey/cane sugar sweetness mixed with that citrusy grapefruit that you picked up in the nose. Some mild hop bitterness kicks in at mid-palate, but without the usual intensity that you get from an IPA. Very short finish that starts off a touch bitter, but then ends with a hint of sweetness.

Lightly carbonated with a mouthfeel that leans towards the watery side, but not overly so. A touch of honey/cane sugar sweetness mixed with that citrusy grapefruit that you picked up in the nose. Some mild hop bitterness kicks in at mid-palate, but without the usual intensity that you get from an IPA. Very short finish that starts off a touch bitter, but then ends with a hint of sweetness. ABV: 4.7%

The Aleheads are 100% correct about this beer. Founders set out to create a refreshing, hoppy beer that you can drink over a long period of time, and that is exactly what they achieved. This isn’t a mind blowing IPA by any stretch, but it is both incredibly refreshing and highly drinkable. As an added bonus, there’s just enough hop bitterness to satisfy your craving for an IPA, but not enough to overwhelm your palate.

One last thing before I end this post…

This past Friday morning (Good Friday for all you practicing Catholics out there), I was mentioned in the following tweet by Fontina Turner of the Bacon and Legs blog:

To all you hopheads out there that are looking for a lighter beer for the warm months ahead, it looks like Founders has answered your prayers! Click here to visit the Founders website if you’d like to read a bit more about this brilliant move.