I’ve been waiting for this Saint Arnold Icon Green El Dorado IPA for 6 months or more. The guys had lunch at Saint Arnold one day when I couldn’t peel myself away from work, and they got a little Easter-egg-info that had me green with envy.
We took the info and made it into a special piece of content that we’re still holding on to, so I guess it all works out in the end.
Saint Arnold Icon Green El Dorado IPA’s artwork looks just like the other Icons. Black with whatever the color of the season is, and for Spring it’s green. The bottles seem to feature a subtle foil that photographs interestingly, unlike other Saint Arnold brews.
Saint Arnold Icon Green pours a crystal-clear deep amber, with a creamy off-white head. The lace is impressive and paints the inside of my glass like a Van Gogh. It drinks smooth and medium bodied with perfectly balanced carbonation.
Between the deeper red color and the big fat head, this looks almost like a double when you pour it.
Saint Arnold Icon Green El Dorado IPA has a quiet nose of floral, spicy, fruity notes imparted by the El Dorado hops that make the beer what it is.
Saint Arnold Icon Green El Dorado IPA starts off mild and smooth, and the flavor is all uphill from there. As it hits the palette, there’s a mild hop flavor and bitterness that brings along a fruity flavor of melon. The sweet malt balances well in the middle. It finishes with the same fruitiness and melon notes, and they linger on the palette in a fruity, refreshing way.
One reason this beer is special is the El Dorado hops that are featured are new to the Saint Arnold team. I hope to see more of it in the future.
Saint Arnold Icon Green El Dorado IPA reminds me a little bit of Galveston Island Citra Mellow, as it had some distinct melon notes that were outstanding.
I’m giving this Icon Green El Dorado IPA a solid 4 stars because it’s a mighty fine beer. It’s the kind of thing I’d add to the week-to-week rotation if they’d let me!
I always expect great from the team at Saint Arnold, and I almost always get great.
This Saint Arnold Icon Green El Dorado IPA is roughly two thirds through it’s lifecycle, as the Icon series beers rotate roughly every three months. Green was released in the second week of March, so… April, May, June. In June, you should be expecting a light, summer beer with a black and yellow Icon label.
This beer is terrific. It pairs well with our lovely “spring” weather, some spicy crawfish and some good company. I have a special place in my heart for the Icon series, but how about you? What’d you think of this El Dorado IPA? Let us know in the comments below. Beers to you, Houston.
Anthony's a Houston native, a Creative Strategist at https://ledgeloungers.com/, an adjunct instructor of Visual Communication at Lone Star College, and a UH Coog that loves good beer almost as much as he does his city. Anthony lives to help others and that's found a home helping some of the coolest breweries on earth with creative and marketing projects that can be seen on our Portfolio page. Fueled by hoppy lagers, sessionable IPAs, and gangster rap, he's ticked his way through H-Town, rocking the most unusual Nikes he can find. When he's not writing for us, he's with his family or very patiently rooting for the Rockets.
2 Comments
William C.
Posted at 07:29h, 05 May
I concur with your (4) star rating for the El Dorado IPA; an extremely palatable IPA that’ll quench anyone’s insatiable thirst. As for Saint Arnold, I’ve always been an avid enthusiast of their seasonal/limited releases (Icon Series, Pumpkinator, Divine Reserve, etc.) versus their year-round options such as Elissa, Lawnmower, Weedwacker.
Beer Chronicle
Posted at 17:43h, 09 May
I think their year-round stuff doesn’t get the credit it deserves because it’s “safer,” and it’s usually not the kind of beer that people would want to get loud about. However, I keep some Weedwacker in the fridge at all times!
William C.
Posted at 07:29h, 05 MayI concur with your (4) star rating for the El Dorado IPA; an extremely palatable IPA that’ll quench anyone’s insatiable thirst. As for Saint Arnold, I’ve always been an avid enthusiast of their seasonal/limited releases (Icon Series, Pumpkinator, Divine Reserve, etc.) versus their year-round options such as Elissa, Lawnmower, Weedwacker.
Beer Chronicle
Posted at 17:43h, 09 MayI think their year-round stuff doesn’t get the credit it deserves because it’s “safer,” and it’s usually not the kind of beer that people would want to get loud about. However, I keep some Weedwacker in the fridge at all times!