It is without further ado that I announce to you–IVANHOE PARK BREWING IS OPEN.
PSA: IVANHOE PARK BREWING IS O P E N !
I have been looking forward to this brewery for quite some time once I caught wind of their plans.
The soft opening was a success–full of friends and fans of one common interest: beer!
I got a flight of a couple of their own brews (Buddy’s Iconic Brown Ale and Strisselfritz) and a couple of beers they did a collaboration on with Ellipsis Brewing (Suck It, Trebek, and a guest tap appearance by Ellipsis–Milk District).
The beer was clean and true to style. Nothing super funky or odd, here! They did have some uncommon styles on tap in addition to some more classic & trendy styles. I enjoy breweries that push boundaries occasionally, but I also enjoy solid brews that satisfy.
I shall start with my favorite that evening:
Strisselfritz. This is a pale, golden saison that I thoroughly ENJOYED! I typically am not a fan of farmhouse ales or saisons, but this one was just so crisp, refreshing, and subtly hoppy that I fell in love after the first few sips. The ABV is 8.3%, and the beer tastes contrastingly light for how high the ABV is. This is definitely one of those sneaky beers you need to be careful with during consumption, especially in this Florida heat.
Brown ales come off a tad boring to me, no matter who brews it. They’re kind of like lagers, simple and common. They’re reliable and always there when you need them. Not that it isn’t difficult to brew such an “easy” or “simple” style, by any means, but they just aren’t my favorite. That being said, Buddy’s Iconic Brown Ale still didn’t disappoint me. Definitely a good, brown ale to have in your lineup. Common beer styles are important to have at a brewery–not everyone is a fan of the highly flavorful IPAs or strikingly tart sours. It’s good to have ol’ faithful on tap for every occasion. This one comes in at 6.5% (ABV) and has a nice, nutty flavor. I didn’t catch the citrus zest, nor much of the honey flavors that were implemented in this one, but it still had a great taste that would appeal to the masses.
Suck It, Trebek! is a Sour Farmhouse IPA (something I haven’t seen too much of) and it has an interesting flavor. If you like sours and/or IPAs, you’d probably enjoy this one. The sour notes are mild and won’t make you pucker up your mouth, but it does linger a bit. The bitterness of the hops does catch your tastebuds at the back end and adds a nice zing to the beer. Definitely one of my preferred choices and pretty nice to sip on at 7% ABV!
Last but not least, is probably a crowd pleaser for sure: Milk District, a NE IPA. These are super trendy right now and frequently loved for their juicy, hoppy flavors and hazy appearance. This was a guest tap appearance made by Ellipsis Brewing, a close neighbor in the brewery world of Orlando. This is borderline sessionable at 6.1% (ABV).
For more information on these beers and to see my ratings, as well as others, check out my page on Untappd!
Also, tomorrow is Independence Day in the USA (also known as 4th of July)! So, HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY! And thank you SO very much to all those serving in our armed forces/military and to any of you who have served. You are the reason we have our freedom, you make the ultimate sacrifice. I have the utmost appreciation for anyone in our military.
P.S. I love feedback! Tell me in the comments what you think of non-traditional styles, such as sour farmhouse IPAs. I’d love to know what you think of Ivanhoe Park Brewing so far, too!
Cheers! xoxo
~Ashley
