All You Need to Know
Brewery: New England Brewing
Style: DIPA
ABV: 8.8%
Cost: ???? (12oz)
Glassware: Pint, Tulip, Teku
Temp: 50°F
Availability: Varies through Year
Purchased@: Beer Trade
Quick Take: If you like a lite tropical fruit front and a basic malt body that keeps the fruit from hitting too hard, Gandhi-Bot might be the DIPA for you. It’s one I could see getting a case of for summer drinking and appreciating what it has to offer. It’s almost a session DIPA that has a spectacular aroma, but lacks the follow-through, resulting in a simply good, not great, beer.
Brew Facts: New England Brewing prides itself on being one of the first East Coast craft brewers to serve up canned beers. Their staff is rounded out by Forky the forklift and their head of security, Eli the dog. Lastly, the brewery has 9 “renderings” of Elvis throughout. If you can’t tell, I don’t have a lot to work with here.
Appearance: This more foams out of the can than pours, with a thick, sudsy, Berber carpet of a head that stands firm. The body is cloudy, suggesting the kind of grain bill that I like in my IPAs. Like a melted down glass of amber grain that seems to glow with its own light. Swirling it puts streaks of bubble bars across the glass. Due to the nucleation point in the glass, a thin “O” cuts through the lumpy white film on the surface. Frankly, it looks delicious.
Aroma: Held to the nose, I’m met with that toasty orange juice that some many New England IPAs seem to have and that I heart. It has a bright citrusy element that hints at grapefruit and really gets in the nostrils. If an aroma can be juicy, this would be it. However, Gandhi-Bot isn’t done, tossing in a floral quality that makes this a beer I want inside me.
Taste/Mouth Feel: My dream of a few seconds ago is quickly realized as I bring this beer to my lips and let it flow in. I’m greeted with a substantial, yet soft mouth feel and seltzery carbonation. An ideal combination for a drinkable IPA and it certainly works here. The taste upfront is floral and tropical fruit, with mango, resin, and a heap of bitter grapefruit peel to finish it off. There is a bit of lemony pine-sol quality that brings up thoughts of Stone’s Enjoy By, but Gandhi is muddled and soft with a dry, grapefruit peel finish. The grain bill is lacking as the focus is more on the malt, a mild disappointment. As it warms, a toasty quality comes through along with a small amount of skunky hops.
Final Thoughts: If you like a lite tropical fruit front and a basic malt body that keeps the fruit from hitting too hard, Gandhi-Bot might be the DIPA for you. As far as malt forward and orange juicy IPAs, this is probably one of the better ones, just below Wings of Armageddon and a bit farther below Racer X. I know that comparisons to other beers aren’t always helpful unless you’ve had them, but the old memory box instantly referenced similar flavor profiles. It’s one I could see getting a case of for summer drinking and appreciating what it has to offer. That said, Gandhi-Bot is almost a session DIPA that has a spectacular aroma, but lacks the follow-through, resulting in a simply good, not great, beer. (Note: I did have this again and had the same experience.)
Recommendation: If you happen to find it in front of you, drink it.
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