I really like taking a look at these beers at different temperatures. It really is shocking how good (or not good) some beers can taste at different temperatures, and this really demonstrates (at least to me) how a bad first impression can be as simple as a bad serving temperature!
A vigorous pour of the West Sixth IPA from a can yields a full head, although after about 20 to 30 seconds it tapers off to about a finger's worth. The head is off white, foamy, and long lasting. The head also leaves some nice, thin lacing as you drink. This head has quite a bit of surface tension - it can easily rise about an eighth inch above the glass without spilling over, provided you pour it slowly. The beer itself is a slightly translucent copper color, slightly hazy at a colder temperature, but after a few minutes in the glass it warms up and becomes essentially completely transparent.
West Sixth IPA at 45 degrees
Lots of pine aroma at this temperature, along with a little grapefruit and citrus as well. There's not much malt, which gives it a bit of an overly aggressive and very hoppy aroma.
Flavors are similar at this colder temperature, with the pine and grapefruit hop flavors along with a moderate bitterness. The hop bitterness and aggression is fairly high, and the malt flavors quite subdued and subtle. The piney flavors linger long into the finish, which fades into a lingering bitterness. "Aggressive" is a good word for the beer at this temperature.
A moderately full body, which is balanced out fairly nicely with an equally moderate carbonation. Very nicely done.
West Sixth IPA at 52 degrees
I pulled a couple out of the fridge at the same time - this one set unopened for about 30 to 45 minutes (while I drank the first one). In that time the beer changed a bit - and for the better!
A little bit more of a fruity aroma at this warmer temperature, along with the pine and citrus aromas that were present at the lower temperature. A little bit of a bready and slightly sweet maltiness as well. The tropical fruit aromas add a nice counterpoint to what was 90% piney hops, and really let some of the more subtle hop aromas come out. The malty notes are still kind of buried, but they are, at the very least, noticeable at this temperature!
It's a similar story with the flavor - this temperature brings out a bit more of the fruity hop flavors. The hop bitterness is still there (and still pretty strong), but the fruity flavors do give a bit more sweetness and balance, although the hops are definitely the star. The finish seems to be a bit longer, but it has a bit more subtlety and less bitterness, so it doesn't feel out of balance or too long-lasting.
West Sixth IPA at 59 degrees
The citrus aromas are much lower, and the fruity, slightly tropical aromas are even more prominent. Slightly sweet malt aromas are there as well, but they are still definitely playing second fiddle to the hops. This is probably the most interesting and balanced that the beer has been, with the malty and fruity aromas giving a real sense of sweetness to a beer that was, 15 degrees ago, nothing but a hop-bomb.
The tropical and fruity flavors are brought out a bit more at this temperature as well, though the piney flavors (and bitterness) are still the focus. There is a little bit more melllowness to the flavors than there was at the colder temperatures - this doesn't lessen the bitterness, but it does help the hoppy flavors to balance out a bit more with the sweeter hop and the crisp and caramel malts. The finish is still long, but there is a detectable level of sweetness that makes it more enjoyable and even somewhat anticipatory - it makes me want another sip! This is the beer as (I assume) the West Sixth brewers want you to drink it, and I have to agree!
Summary
There's a reason why the recommended temperature range for beers is so wide, and if you doubt that reason, try this experiment out for yourself! Get a nice IPA, stout, or any other high-quality beer and try them straight out of the fridge and after letting them sit out - the difference is remarkable!
I was not a big fan of the this IPA at the mid-40 degree temperature, it tasted bitter just for the sake of being bitter, but 15 degrees later and I am sold! The hop flavors have a fruity, piney, and citrus depth to them, and the bitterness isn't too bad when all those flavors are allowed to come out. The same goes for the malt flavors (which are almost undetectable cold) and the finish - there's just more to enjoy at a slightly warmer temperature.
