Matt Likes Beer - Episode 27 - Brewery Bhavana Ember

In this episode of Matt Likes Beer, Matt cracks open Ember, a Red IPA from Brewery Bhavana in Raleigh, North Carolina—and takes listeners on a winding, honest, and surprisingly visual journey. What starts as a simple beer review quickly expands into a deep dive on Brewery Bhavana itself, a uniquely ambitious space that blends brewery, taproom, Chinese restaurant, dim sum house, bookstore, and flower shop all under one roof. Matt explores his initial skepticism, his evolving impressions after digging through photos and the brewery's website, and whether a place like this would actually be his kind of brewery. From there, it's time to judge the beer. Matt evaluates Ember as a BJCP 21B Specialty IPA (Red IPA), breaking down: Appearance, aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, and overall impression Hop-forward balance with supporting caramel and malt character Where Ember shines—and where Matt wishes it pushed just a bit further The result? A strong 41-point score, making Ember one of the higher-rated beers of the year so far. The episode wraps up with a broader discussion of Specialty IPAs, including Red, Black, Brown, Rye, White, Belgian, and Brut IPAs, why the category can be both fun and frustrating to judge, and how easily these styles can go wrong—or absolutely nail the balance. No bad one-star reviews this time, but plenty of thoughtful beer talk, judging insight, and classic Matt-style tangents along the way. Grab a beer, settle in, and enjoy Episode 27 of Matt Likes Beer.