I've had Surly's Todd the Axeman many times fresh from the tap, and it's always been a great IPA. One always wonders when the taste of a beer is 'off', how much of it is due maybe the beer being not fresh (or just downright old), or the tap/lines not being clean, or even the glass not being fully rinsed out (possible soap residue behind). Hard to really know unless you went right to the brewery and had it fresh from their own brite tanks!