3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/2006-Mar-12 (22-oz bottle)
Not one of the more hoppy Imperial IPAs, this one seems to emphasize the sweet malt more than the hops. In fact, the malts are quite sweet, very caramely, somewhat toasty, and lightly earthy in the finish, while the hops are heavily weighted toward orange citrus and sweet pine, but only moderate in bitterness. It’s a fairly fruity beer as well, showing ripe stone and tropical fruits and orange marmalade. The nose is also sweet-smelling, fruity, caramely, and quite toasty. On the palate, the beer is full bodied and a bit sugary, but the carbonation is on the low side, and it’s clearly not brewed to full dryness. The beer pours very hazy and golden-orange in color, with a thin sheet of off-white head that fades to a thin ring. Overall, this is a tasty and enjoyable beer, but it’s sweet and caramely, so if you like ’em dry and very hoppy, this probably shouldn’t be high on your list to seek out.
3.8 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
Bottle, a very good DIPA. Clean, not overly bitter, with enough alcohol to combat the sweetness.
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Pours a slightly hazed golden orange with a thinner off-white head that, when swirled vigorously, produces about a finger or so of creamy head and leaves some tiny spotted lacing. Nose involves quite a bit of citrus and tropical fruit, earth, herbal, pine, honey, biscuits. Pretty sweet, but also quite bitter. Medium bodied, fair action, bright, with a lengthy bitter finish. Pretty tasty, lots of good things here. Wish I would have grabbed one back a few months ago when it was very fresh, but it’s still drinking very well right now.
4.7 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 10/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 19/20
My rate is definitely skewed on this as it was a nitro pour so it added a lightness and fuller mouth-feel. That being said it was god damn creamy fabulousness. Hoppy and dry cascading bubbles let the flavor resonate perfectly. MMMMMMMMM.
3.3 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Clear, light amber/honey color. Dense head, good lacing. Malty pine, grapefruit aroma. Up front grapefruit flavor with pine and medium or more mouthfeel. Pretty good - would get again.
3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Strong entry into the DIPA field. Amarillo hops are the best around and this one is a good way to show them off.
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Draft at Sybarite Pig. Tulip. Golden amber pour with thick white head. Modest lacing. Aroma of bread, flowers, citrus and pine resin. Taste is floral notes, light citrus, pine, resin and buttering hops on the finish. Very smooth and well balanced with the malts. I really liked this double IPA. I was surprised at the lower ratings.
3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 11/20
Draft at Smiling chameleon. Pours orange with an inch of white foam. A bit of grapefruit on the nose. Big hop bitterness at first but it caspars quickly to the point that the biggest thing you notice is the malt on the finish. It does hide its alcohol fairly well but it’s not my favorite example of the style.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
On tap in a lager glass. Pours amber with an off-white head. Aroma of citrusy hops plus some pale and light caramel malts. Flavor the same. Average texture. Nothing really sticks out about this one.
3.3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 13/20
Draught at Houghs Pgh. NITRO. Poured gold with creamy white head. Very piney with a citrus aromas. Smooth from the nitro with slight sweet bitter taste. Too much resin for me. Nitro helped.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Aromas of pine, grapefruit and alcohol. Taste is much of the same with a bit of an overwhelming spirit taste that’s unusual for this abv range. Over all, a bit underwhelming but not abhorrent.
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