 GAManiac (213), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Apr 29, 2008
Pours a clear, bright golden with a beautiful thick fluffy head that hangs around for ages. Fantastic lacing and a great looking IPA all the way around. Big citrus and piny hops in the nose with a pleasant malt aroma in the background. Strong lemon and grapefruit smells on top of the fragrant pine. Initial bitterness of the piny hop blast almost immediately gives way to the citrus, with lemon zest, oranges, and grapefruits dominating. Very subtle malt background throughout before the pine hop bitterness reenters the fray in the lingering aftertaste. Pretty aggressive but well balanced. Medium bodied with enough carbonation and bitterness to zing the tongue nicely. Despite the zing, the overall mouthfeel is actually very smooth. One of the more drinkable IPAs out there and a solid example of a West Coast IPA. This is about as big as you can get without getting into DIPA territory. Another great beer from the folks at AleSmith who rarely disappoint.
grandridge (116), Port Clinton, Ohio, USA
Jul 18, 2008 A few months old and still very very good. The hops still noticible for a bottle that was purchased back in Feb. This gem kind of got lost in my cellar and today I realized I got some IPAs that are getting old. This brew pours cloudy golden with a huge head. Aroma is hops and more hops. Seems to be some cascade/centinnial in there but not too sure but definitely get the pine and citrus. Smooth and thick on the palate with light carbonation. Like the description it does feel warm in the mouth. Flavor is a hop bomb of citrus and pine followed by a sweet finish. What a good brew I’ll be getting this fresh to drink up in the future.
inkubus27 (73), USA
Jul 16, 2008 Amazing, I wish i could describe this in just that singular word. The best part about this IPA is the hop flavor and lack of astringent bitterness. The aroma is an overwhelming combination of hops. Flavor is very malty sweet with a wonderful hop flavor and mild bitterness. Loved this and wish I had much, much more
Avatar (62), Gliwice, Poland
Jul 16, 2008 Bottle brought to Poland for me by cousin. I’m gonna write desciption with next bottle, as I came to San Diego by myself now :)
torourke (7), West Melbourne, Florida, USA
does not count  Jul 14, 2008 This is my favorite beer in the world. I’m from Florida and I order this beer by mail. It’s very expensive because of the shipping costs but it’s worth it to me. This is the creamiest thickest IPA I have ever tasted. The balance between the pale malt and the formidable hops is perfect. Thick and rich this is almost a double IPA but I like it just the way it is. I love this beer and it has a certain San Diego hop load that is very similar to Racer 5 by Bear Republic. I’m guessing that Cascade and Centennial hops are used in this fantastic concoction. The head is a supremely jagged cloud like affair and is very sticky leaving plenty of lace on my pint glass. The color is a little darker than most IPAs and I like that. If you have never had this IPA, I suggest you do whatever it takes to get it, like I do. Well worth the extra expense and a real treat.
dkachur (631), Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Jul 13, 2008 22 oz. bottle.. phenomenal extra from BrianK. My review from cvillebeergeek.blogspot.com...
A massive thanks to trading partner Brian of West Orange, New Jersey who apparently felt that the really good extras he included with the main part of our trade weren’t enough, so he sent a second box with this gem a week later. Also, this just happens to be my 600th beer rating.
Appearance: Beautiful reddish-orange color with a medium sized head. The head does disappear rather quickly, leaving little specks of lacing. The head does stick around as a thin film on the top of the beer that creeps just slightly up the sides of the glass. Slight haze and vigorous carbonation. 3.75/5.0.
Aroma: Very appropriate IPA aroma... floral, citrus and pine hop notes with a sweet background. Not terribly complex, but very pleasant. 4.0/5.0
Taste: Nicely complex taste. It hits me as sweet, bitter, sweet bitter with the sweetness having a honey-like quality juxtaposed with a strong citrus hop bitterness. I am reminded of lemonheads candy. Maybe the slightest vegetal note. Very nice. 4.0/5.0
Mouthfeel: The carbonation gives this a lively feel. Bitterness and sweetness balance fairly well. The beer has a slightly viscous feel and the alcohol is absolutely hidden. 4.5/5.0
Drinkability: Bitter, sour, sweet, but absolutely smooth and approachable. It’s not perfectly balanced, but every aspect of this beer stays relatively in check with the others. It’s not cheap (Brian paid $8.99 for this somewhere in Jersey), but 22 ounces is absolutely no problem, and is a very pleasant experience. 4.5/5.0
Overall: This is a top-notch IPA, in the league of anything Stone, Bell’s or Russian River can produce. A joyful experience, and a worthy 600th rating.
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