It’s Week 3 of Wild Heaven Month here at Taco Mac in Canton, and I’m on to my second Wild Heaven IPA: Wise Blood IPA. Unlike Wild Heaven Escape Velocity IPA (a collaboration beer and not really Wild Heaven's "own" IPA), Wise Blood is a permanent addition to the Wild Heaven lineup, and is sold in cans as well as on tap. Like every beer, this one has a story, too, a story about why it took Wild Heaven so long to brew an IPA. Wild Heaven has existed since 2010 and this is their first IPA; basically, they just thought the style was overproduced as it was. I have to say I agree with them on that one. Anyway, you can see a video about Wise Blood IPA here.
Things change, though, and the fine folks at Wild Heaven decided the time had finally come to brew an IPA. I have seen it in cans already in locations as diverse as high end beer stores and retailers like Target, but it’s the draft I’m mulling over tonight. Here’s what Wild Heaven Says about their first ever India Pale Ale:
Our long-awaited India Pale Ale bursts with lush tropical fruit flavors and hints of apricot, melon and bright, sweet orange. Wise Blood IPA starts with a vibrant hop aroma and finishes dry and clean with lingering notes of pine and citrus.
Suggested food pairings: Wings, fish & chips, Tomme-style cheese, brunch (the citrus picks up nicely), burgers.
Wild Heaven Wise Blood IPA has an alcohol content of 6.2% by volume with 55 IBUs. I paid $6.50 for a 20-ounce mug at Taco Mac, and got a really neat logo glass with my purchase. Target sells the beer for $10.44 a six-pack, best price I’ve seen so far.
My mug of Wild Heaven Wise Blood IPA arrived a bright orange amber color with a medium head of creamy foam and a lots of passion fruit and citrus in the nose. There was good caramel malt up front, not too thin malty here and maltier still than the Wild Heaven Escape Velocity I tasted the week before. I get juicy fruity tropical notes, bitter grapefruit rind, citrus and a long dry bitter finish.
Overall, a very nicely done IPA and one I’ll be back for more of. Five years may have been a long time for Wild Heaven to release an IPA, but as I can surely tell you, it was worth the wait.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft