Today I’m going to be taking a look at a beer from a brewery I haven’t really covered much on this blog, 16 Mile. 16 Mile made quite an impact when it first hit the local beer market as that brewery that released its beer in aluminum bottles. That’s right, aluminum BOTTLES.
To be honest, this kind of raised some eyebrows on my beer loving friends but soon 16 Mile was rolling out in more traditional 12oz glass bottles and building a steady following in and around Delaware.
The name comes from an old statement about the brewery’s home town of Georgetown, DE being 16 miles from everywhere else in the county. In fact, its central location led it to becoming the county seat in 1791.
They claim to brew a more English style beer, so today I’m going to look at the beer that I think will most standout as to whether it’s in the English or American vein – Inlet India Pale Ale. Let’s taste.
THEM: From their website:
Aromatic hops accompanied by bold flavors of citrus; crisp and refreshing from start to finish. Connecting the Indian River Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian River Inlet provides fishermen and seafarers alike coastal and off-shore adventure. When stormy weather abounds, strong currents and large swells test the skills of local surfers.
Not much more as far as information goes. 6.1%ABV/80IBUs
ME: Pretty looking beer. It gives up a nice fluffy head to start, good lace while drinking and an awesome cascade of bubbles from the bottom of glass. In my glass the beer goes from a light amber to almost a copper/orange from bottom to top. The aroma definitely lets you know that there’s an English influence going on here as this is an IPA that doesn’t overload you with goobs of citrusy hops as you’re likely to find in American varieties. To be honest, my nose is too busy picking up the subtle caramel type malt and a hint of bread to really notice any hops at all. But they are there. Quiet. Reserved. To be honest I get more of a grassy note than a citrus one. The taste? More of the same. Nice malt backbone (is that toffee?), the hops pop through a little more (again grassy). There is a touch of fruit here but I’m not sure if it’s hops or some esters dancing around in there. Everything in balance. Nothing over done. And then it finishes clean with a little lingering bitterness in the cheeks.
I’ll be honest, although I love their attempt to present a much need alternative to today’s American hop explosive/aggressive barrel aged landscape; and I give them mad props for their Collaborative series (which now sits at beer #8. Each beer in this series is completely distinct with each one benefiting one of an amazing array of charities. Check them out) I’m not hugely into 16 Mile. Many of their shelf products don’t resonate with me (on the other hand I have loved some of their draft offerings like Delaware Oyster Stout and Riverfront Dock Porter), but Inlet IPA is pretty good. If you decide to give it a chance just remember; this isn’t your hop head’s IPA – and it’s not supposed to be.
Time for another beer.
The Dogs of Beer 
We stopped at 16 Mile on our last DFH trip. Decent beer, and that crazy-ass pepper beer they had kicked my ass in the best way possible. Nice people, gave us a tour of the space.
They are great people and have always been good to me when I run into them at festivals. I just wish their beer worked for me over all. But different tastes I guess.
PS – next year log the extra miles and hit Mispillion.