# Two Birds Bantam IPA



## GalBrew (11/12/14)

It also has the word 'bantam' on the label. Surely that gives a hint that it's a small version of an IPA or a session IPA if you will. 

I thought it was pretty straightforward.


----------



## browndog (11/12/14)

IPA it says on the front label. Just cracked one of these. Tastes of onions and garlic, checked the bottle and it isn't even an IPA at 4.7% Apparently its a Session India Pale Ale according to the blurb on the back label. Also says it should have tropical fruit salad notes, not onions and garlic. Verdict - terrible.


----------



## Lord Raja Goomba I (11/12/14)

You saved me $20 down at archive the other day. I was suspicious but it means I won't even take the risk now.

Never been that happy with 2 birds beers, very plain.


----------



## tiprya (11/12/14)

Yeah it annoys me it only says 'IPA' on the front - I have heard it confuse lots of people getting into beer.

I'm not a stickler for style guidelines, but if it's a pale ale, just call it what it is.


----------



## browndog (11/12/14)

4.7% is at the bottom end of an APA...


----------



## Beersuit (11/12/14)

Plain Jane LRG

Why do so many breweries like to stuff with style guidelines for purely marketing purposes if it's a good apa it should be able to stand on its own merits.


----------



## Lord Raja Goomba I (11/12/14)

I'm in the same camp as you, if it's APA, I'm happy to buy it based on that. 

But the term IPA is a bit like "street food" - people who want to sell something they see as a fad, fail to have one skerrick of truth in their labeling.


----------



## Blind Dog (12/12/14)

Don't care whether you call it an ipa or an apa, if it truly tastes of garlic and onions I'd call it a crap pa. I cannot imagine the thought processes that occurred to make someone think a beer tasting of garlic and onion was an appropriate beverage to,serve to the wider public, I just assume that at least one of the participants in the tasting panel had a beard.


----------



## danestead (12/12/14)

Onion and garlic aside, is it hopped like an ipa or an apa? Session ipa is fairly common as a 'style' atm


----------



## browndog (12/12/14)

Yes Blind dog I agree, no date stamp on the bottle, but I would have to say it was the result of an infection of some description.


----------



## manticle (12/12/14)

Some hops bring onion/garlic notes to the table. I know some who enjoy that. Personally I can't think of many flavours I'd like less in my beer.
Session thing makes sense though - there are uk ipas that are lower abv than that. The idea of ipa being historically strong is, as I understand it incorrect - more of a modern thing. If we can re-interpret brewing styles to be stronger and hoppier than they were, surely we can interpret them the other way? The abv would be present on the bottle.

I know what you mean about total let down of expectation though - ever tried a tui east india pale?


----------



## Yob (12/12/14)

Lord Raja Goomba I said:


> Never been that happy with 2 birds beers, very plain.


agreed, was just discussing these ladies last night with some folks.. while I never like to rag on a craft brewery and indeed try to buy some 'local' craft beers quite often.. I pass on what they deliver.

dont get me started on Vale pale ale either... :icon_vomit:


----------



## JasonP (12/12/14)

Onion or garlic is usually a result of a volatile sulphur compound will look up the name of compound later rather than infection. I think it msy also come from some hops too. Either way not nice in a beer


----------



## Spiesy (12/12/14)

Tried this on tap at Forresters last night, Wolfman and I really enjoyed it.

I thought it drank like an IPA, plenty of hop flavour and plenty of body for a beer of that alcohol. 

Unlike the Panhead Supercharger Pale Ale I had earlier at The Gertrude, I didn't get any onions or garlic, which I'd imagine would be from a hop like Summit.


----------



## Spiesy (12/12/14)

Yob said:


> agreed, was just discussing these ladies last night with some folks.. while I never like to rag on a craft brewery and indeed try to buy some 'local' craft beers quite often.. I pass on what they deliver.
> 
> dont get me started on Vale pale ale either... :icon_vomit:


I think their Golden Ale is a great beer, for what it is. Very approachable, a nice session beer or opener.

I'm not a fan of the Sunset, personally speaking, but I know a lot of people who are.


----------



## mezz94 (12/12/14)

Their Taco beer is great!

I'm not a fan of their other beers either.


----------



## doon (12/12/14)

I live 5 min walk from the brewery so grab a growler every now and then. Fresh off thr tap its a lovely beer. Yes its more of a pale then ipa but still a nice beer.

Their bottled stuff comes from either gage roads or southern bay and isnt always the best


----------



## billygoat (12/12/14)

Had the Bantam on tap at Beer Deluxe a couple of weeks ago. Really enjoyed it and there was definitely no onions or garlic in the aroma or flavour.
Would happily drink it again.


----------



## GalBrew (12/12/14)

I had a bottle the other week and off tap when up in Newcastle. No onion/garlic flavour to report. Not the most earth shattering beer, but fine.


----------



## primusbrew (12/12/14)

I've had this beer at the brewery too and enjoyed it. Isn't the idea that it is hopped like an IPA but more sessionable due to the lower abv? 

It sounds like you may have gotten a bad bottle or are more sensitive to the onion/garlic character of some hops. Or maybe what is in the bottles is different to the stuff they have at the brewery.

I generally find the two birds beers to be solid without being exceptional.


----------



## manticle (13/12/14)

Founders all day ipa and temple anytime are two other examples of this stylistic interpretation. Both tasty beers.


----------



## Danwood (13/12/14)

8 Wired's Semi conductor is another.

They do have a place imo, so long as the beers body supports the supposed increased hopping.

As you mentioned, Mant....when last in the UK, I had numerous 'IPAs' which were around 4%. 

All off hand pump and all nice beers, but they were all bitters at best. I'd be very surprised if any were much over 40IBUs. I hate marketing shits bending/breaking rules to sell products.


----------



## mje1980 (13/12/14)

If I was drinking quality ales off a hand pump I wouldn't give 2 fucks what they labelled it as haha.


----------



## Spiesy (13/12/14)

manticle said:


> Founders all day ipa and temple anytime are two other examples of this stylistic interpretation. Both tasty beers.


Founders would have to be my favourite brewery of 2014.


----------



## philmud (13/12/14)

I definitely don't get onion & garlic from this! I agree that it's a bit cheeky calling it an ipa though. I'm also a bit underwhelmed by most of their beers but this is their stand out to me. 
I wonder if their approach to designing beers is restraint? Maybe they are trying to brew accessible beers that will appeal to mainstream drinkers?


----------



## manticle (13/12/14)

Maybe we are just exposed to too many beers designed to wow the drinker with a punch in the face?
Drink a trumer, a westmalle, a fullers esb. 
Lovely, deep, complex, harmonious. Doesn't need to rip your tongue in half. If you want apples with apples - sam smiths india pale.


----------



## Dan Pratt (25/12/14)

Had this today and.....another average attempt of a IPA. Be it a session beer it had very little hop character and low aroma. From the taste it was all Aussie hops and no where near enough of them. More like a summer ale at 20ibu.


----------



## wide eyed and legless (26/12/14)

browndog said:


> IPA it says on the front label. Just cracked one of these. Tastes of onions and garlic, checked the bottle and it isn't even an IPA at 4.7% Apparently its a Session India Pale Ale according to the blurb on the back label. Also says it should have tropical fruit salad notes, not onions and garlic. Verdict - terrible.


Looking on the upside, you would only need plain crisps to go with it.


----------

