Running Walker Texas Reserve IPA was the second beer I had from them and the first that I really enjoyed. I had their Kölsch first, and it was alright, so I was stunned when I had this Texas Reserve! It’s deee-lish-ious!
The first time I’d tried Texas Reserve IPA was in our Top 5 IPAs of Houston blind tasting (phase 1), and it made a big impression! That said, I had to go find a six pack, so I could enjoy it a little more, and write a detailed review on it.
Texas Reserve IPA starts off mild on the nose with fruity notes and a grassy background. It hits the palette mild and crisp, and that climaxes with a sweet malty note followed by more grassy, fruity hop flavor and the expected bitter aftertaste of an IPA. Delicious but mild.
Texas Reserve IPA reminds me of a more mild version of Art Car IPA. It’s got everything going for it, but it’s just a bit quieter on all the notes. That could be a bad thing for a hophead or a great thing to someone first exploring IPAs, although I wouldn’t hand this beer to my Bud Light drinking buddies as an intro…
I’m giving Texas Reserve IPA a 4 because it’s got everything I want in an IPA, albeit a bit more milder than I prefer.
Texas Reserve IPA pours a crystal clear golden color with one finger worth of quickly dissipating, chalk-white head. The lace left in this dogs trails is pretty spotty. The mouthfeel, body and carbonation are true to style and almost perfect.
Like I said above, I’ve only had their Kölsch before this, and it was middle of the road, so I expected the same for this Texas Reserve IPA, but these guys really showed up with this one! I was pleasantly surprised.
The Running Walker cans do very little in the way of differentiation. They’re white/silver with black type and a black dog. The one thing that makes one different from the other is the name of the beer emblazoned on the side of the can. They should hit up the guy that made our site, Chris’ friend – I bet he’d love to help. I’ve seen a few tap handles for this one, and each was different, so I’d rather not confuse anyone.
I got this from Woods Food Mart. It’s a gas station off of Studewood, and they’ve got an impressive craft selection. Aside from that, I think Total Wine in Willowbrook has some too.
Texas Reserve IPA is great. Have you had it already, or are you gonna bust out the dogs to hunt some down? It’s worth it! Either way, let us know in the comments below. Beers to you, Houston.
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