On tap @ HDG. Another masterpiece by Mr Oliver. Orange/amber color with a lasting white head. Aroma is both apple and caramel with a piney nose. Taste is perfectly balanced between the apricots and peached and the sweet, chewy hops. Call this an IIPA or American Strong it doesn’t matter. This beer is World Class and has a GABF medal written all over it.

Floral and haylike hops are joined by a round sweetness of lightly toasted malts and plenty of fruits - citrus hops blending with yeasty esters suggesting mango, tangerine, pineapples.Opaque body is easily forgivable considering the cask had only just arrived from it’s transcontinental journey. Yellow tan coloured body is topped by a dense, fine bubbled, creamy white head that lasts throughout and Leaves some nice lacing. At first sip, the hops seem to dominate but they are quickly joined by that full sweet, round, bready, toasty malt character. No shock and awe here, this is the real deal. Floral, citrus and pine hop flavours offer more nuance rather than being up front. Doughy malt character is strong but balances well with the pronounced bitterness. Some alcohol is notable in the finish but again it’s harmonious to the main flavours. This one is all about balance. Medium-full body with gentle, sparkling effervescence that is strong enough to display the flavours and interest in the mouth without harming the creamy smooth texture. Absolutely fantastic. Wonder if I’ll ever have a chance to sample an aged version of this beer? Delightful. Yes, I will have another please and thankyou! Sampled on cask at The Whip.

Sampled at St Pete Creative Loafing Beerfest. On draft. Incredible hops balance, crisp and almost spicy. A very well balanced imperial IPA!

So, apparently there has been this little thing known as a hop shortage over the last few years. Has the price of hops gone up? Yes. Has the cost of beers gone up? Yes. It has also though inspired creativity amongst various brewers and breweries in terms of growing their own hops, and so forth. All in all, what it boils down to is that no matter the hurdle, obstacle, or difficulty that may come along, American craft brewers are resourceful and very community oriented. It is definitely all for one and one for all because, in the end, we are all just beer geeks who love beer. Not one to fall behind, and a brewery which brews great beers and also has a love for hops, Brooklyn Brewery released a very limited keg only release of an Imperial IPA called BLAST! And I was lucky enough to acquire a fresh growler of it. Suffice to say, the growler didn’t last long. <br /> Freshly pulled from the keg at a local beerfest, my BLAST! Opened with a pop and immediately fresh oily sweet and piney hops wafted up to my nose while I poured myself a glass. From the growler to the glass, it was a veritable party of fresh hop aromas. Wet and oily, sappy and piney. I would have to say that my favorite hops and hop profile are those which immediately transport me to the middle of a dew-laden forest full of lush pine trees and all the aromas which surround me. Not to be outdone by her nose, a fluffy orange head tops off her haystack and orange colored body, fading slowly and leaving little trails of brussels lace along the way. Pausing to take in her beauty, I raise my glass to my lips and enjoy a quaff, and then two. Her body coats my mouth with rich freshly squeezed oranges which are immediately followed up by wet pine sap, pine needles and an oily viscous texture which is clean, not gritty. My BLAST! has a clean finish which only faintly dries the palate, though the succulent nature of her palate is more than enough reason to go back for more. I happily oblige, and my growler of BLAST from Brooklyn Brewery very quickly diminishes into nothingness. <br /> A very straightforward and exquisitely balanced Imperial IPA from Brooklyn. It is a shame that it was a limited keg release because I would love to have more. She was very straightforward and wore her palate and nose well with what is my favorite hop profile - pine, sap, hop oils, and a hint of citric sweetness.

<i>Draught at Københavnske Øldage 2007</i><br />Hazy golden color; creamy head. The aroma is very fruity (hops), and resiny, with Fuggles aroma too. Good body strength, malty, a lot of sugars. Extreme hopping (bitter, fruity, resiny…). One more hop juice. Excellent.