Avery The Maharaja Imperial India Pale Ale

Brewed by Avery Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Boulder, Colorado USA

Pours a cloudy, hazy orange. Massive head. My first embarrassing spill over in ages using a gently pour. Had to let it rest before decanting the remainder of the bottle. Very piny nose. Hints of spicy and citrus hops, but dominant pine. Very oily aroma. Exceptionally smooth malt flavor. Dry finish. Bitterness is surprisingly subtle. Hides until well after the swallow, and even then still comparatively mild. Very strong carbonation, but man does this beer really benefit from it. Creamy mouth feel that coats the mouth. This is a fantastic beer. All of the hop presence is in the flavor instead of the aroma. A rare DIPA where you can taste the hops, not just the bitterness. Love it!

Draught at Rattle N Hum and pour from the 22oz. bottle: Now this one’s memorable. Aroma is hoppy, citrusy, caramel-y... amazing. Taste is similar, but more sweet and toasted. The hops in this beer hit the palatte intensely and offensively... in a sick way. I lovee it. Overall: Ahgood. Rebuy: Ya. #116 on 11092009, DG.

Slightly opaque, peach/copper with slow, foamy legs and a slightly tan head. Sweet, hoppy aroma with notes of dark fruit. Balanced with clean mouthfeel and nice aftertaste.

Bottle: Enjoyed this during the Boise State season opener against Oregon. It left me reeling for an entire day - the beer that is. It has a clear copper color with an off-white head. The aroma is toasty, deep forest pine and alcohol. You can definitely taste the high alochol and dried hops, almost toasted. Overall, the hop flavor wasn’t too sweet or complex, but still quite good. the body is full, thick smooth and flavorfull with an earthy aftertaste. Tasty!

Aroma: Intense, surprisingly fresh floral hop aroma with a hint of vegetal notes Flavor: Good malt attack with bittering hops more in the background. Comment: Full mouth feel. I found this to be unexpectedly good (though it had more IBUs than the Great Divide IPA, it had less perceived bitterness).

Out of a 22 oz bottle... Pours a clear carrot orange color. Pure white, bubbly head; fantastic. Icy lace at the top a the head shrinks -- which, incidentally, it takes its sweet time doing. The smell is sweet, flowery hops right off the bat. Heavy pine, then perfumey flower petals. Thick rye malts and sting of alcohol. Intense but really good. The taste is well-balanced between a roasted malt, flower-pine hops and a burning brandy-like alcoholic character on the way down. Really strong and with a major bite. Very good, especially with the balance of rye/caramel malts. The feel is creamy but buttery, oily and smooth. Really great on the palate; lessens the bite of the hops. This is one heavy beast of a beer. Really strong and really good.

Tasted numerous occasions. Fantastic hazy orange always with solid head. Has a citrus hops aroma that dominates, but a really nice vanilla and brown sugar hidden behind. Smells a bit hot, but doesn’t carry through. You get a mild sweet maltiness first, then a huge bold hoppy finish.Great IIPA with a well-hidden alcohol and the balanced malt is more my style.

Bottle. Batch 10/June 09, 10.69% abv. Coppery orange body with a few fingers of off white head. Aroma is initially pineapple and orange then becomes spicy grapefruit and some grainy malt in the background and some alcohol. Flavor is big and bitter. The grainy malt sweetness is there along with lots of pine and grapefruit . A little burn from the alcohol. Nicely bitter and dry finish with good carbonation. Good, but just not a favorite.