Central City Double Crown IPA

Brewed by Central City Brewing
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Surrey, Canada

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   add pic

Nose is balanced yet hoppy. Pine, citrus, and floral hops on top of toffee and caramel malts. Some spicy hop notes and a touch of alcohol as well. Pours amber with a decent creamy head, lightly hazy as well. Flavors of pine and floral hops, citrus underneath, spicy peppery hops in there as well as flavors of caramel and toffee without much lingering sweetness. Dry spicy finish. Drinks well.

On tap. Golden amber with an ice-white cap. Aroma on the weaker side, but evident of pine and caramel. Taste is upfront piney hops with smooth toffee/butterscotch. Red grapefruit sweetness and tanginess. Looooong hop finish. Well balanced.

On tap at Alibi. Pours a deep golden with ample off white head. Aroma is certainly hoppy but with a tiny undercurrent of malt. Taste is full on funky West coast hops, citrus, some grapefruit. Finish is decidedly sharp but the alcohol is well hidden. Very good.

On tap at the Alibi Room. Pours cloudy amber orange, not much head. Aroma of citrus hops and pine. Flavour is predominantly hoppy with little malt background, small hint of grapefruit. Very bitter finish.

Draught at the brewpub, 9.5% ABV, as Imperial IPA
Red amber color; small creamy head. Very nice hoppy, fruity aroma; light bergamot and cedar. Good body strength; strong toffee and caramel flavor, mostly dry (luckily, there is not much residual sweetness); strong hopping, but well blended in this brew; resins, pine needles, a bit of fruitiness, and a rustic, sweaty touch too.
Excellent hop brew. Balance and power.

GCBF 2010, on cask. Burnt orange, hazy. Huge juniper aroma. Enormously hoppy, stemmy, leafy, conifer aromas with earthy/woody elements. Crazy good stuff!

On tap at the Alibi Room. Poured a nice orange colour. The aroma was very hoppy and had a distinct smell of apples or herbs. The taste was extremely well balanced. This is easily one of my favourite beers and hope it becomes a little bit more widely available

On tap at the Alibi Room, pours hazy golden amber. Great hops and herbs aroma. Flavour is a well-balanced, but intense hops, with not much malt backing. Wonderful brew.

On tap. Clear & copper. Little head or carbonation or lace. Very malt and very hoppy both in aroma and taste. Caramel malty taste and PNW hops evident. Very tasty.

How appropriate that my 100th rating be my favorite style. Purchased from the brewery and brought home in a growler, I was looking forward to this one as it is only brewed one to two times per year. The Brewmaster (Gary Lohin) happened to be there during purchase and, having met him for the first time, I had to thank him for bringing this style local. I also asked him what he called it, what hops he used , and how it compares to previous years, to which he replied: "I’m not big on names, it’s an Imperial IPA" then rallied-off some of the hops used, which I believe included Centennial, Cascade, Amarillo, Simcoe, German Magnum and another I couldn’t remember. Then he said that the ABV was 9.2%. So I don’t think I’m necessarily rating the same beer as last season’s version. All that said, this DIPA impresses and is the first from B.C. that I’ve sampled that can contend with it’s Northwest American brethren. Beautifully presents in a tulip with a glossy deep amber body and a dense white cap. Aroma is grapefruit, orange zest, fruity oils, light toffee and fruit compote. Flavor is much the same with subtle lingering bitterness and an alcoholic finish. Mouthfeel smooth and resinous on account of those oily hops. This beer is well-balanced and well worth the wait.