3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
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.
3.7 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
(Draught) Sampled at the Great Canadian Beer Festival 2008 in Victoria, September 2008. Pours a deep orange body with a quick dissipating white frothy head. Nose of good oranges. Nice tart bite but a good malt base. Very fun.
Earlier Rating: 9/10/2007 Total Score: 3.8
(Cask) Sampled at the Great Canadian Beer Festival 2007 in Victoria on September 7th, 2007. Foamy almond head with an orange body. Nose and flavour of substantial pine and oranges. Very good.
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Gorgeous pour: a thick mass of foam sits atop a bedrock of amber fluid. The head lasts long and leaves light lacing. Piquant fresh hop aroma. Cannabis forward in nose and taste. Body avoids the syrupy thickness that can plague I2PAs. It is too one-dimensional to be big-bodied, but I welcome the refreshingly light nature of a beer with 8.5%ABV. I could drink several of these in succession. The hop assault kicks ass, beating any residual malt into oblivion. I like that, which is why I think this is overall a killer beer. (from growler procured from brewery Nov 5)
3.6 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Hazy deep amber,lasting beige head.Fresh citrus hop nose.Citrus hop profile,lots of hops in finish, both bitter & citrus. Needs more malt presence, but still a solid effort.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
UPDATED: JUN 26, 2012 pours a amber color with a nice head. A very strong hoppy taste and aroma. enjoyable but couldn’t drink more and 1 growler
4.2 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
Growler from brewery. Pours bright amber orange with a thick soapy head leaving a good amount of lace on the glass. Huge orange, grapefruit hop aromas. An Amarillo bomb. The freshness of the hops in this beer are outstanding again orange, grapefruit, big bitter component. Quite a malt presence in this as well but it’s sweetness goes well with the citric hops and also gives the beer quite a full mouthfeel. Dangerously drinkable, I must have killed half the growler in one sitting. A great rendition of the I2PA.
3.7 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Was very tipsy with this rating so I’ll have to re-rate soon...
Growler: Pours a medium amber with a light off white head.
Heavy hop nose with a new carpet smell?
Flavour was nicely balanced if a little maltier than I expected it to be.
more to follow...
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
GCBF cask conditioned sample. Big bubbles. Orange. strong hop nose. Good hop body but hard to believe that it is anywhere near 100 IBUS; and this is cask conditioned too!
4.2 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 17/20
UPDATED: SEP 23, 2007 Draught at the brewery: Bright amber. Woody, flowery, powdery hop nose. Sweet, soft sugars temper resiny hops, with hints of pine, melon, grapefruit, mandarin. Smooth but insistent bitterness washes over the palate. Very fresh hop character and an incredible sense of balance.
Cask at GCBF: Vibrant, hazy amber. Assertive chinooky, amarilloish aroma. Sweet and fruity character, with amarillo and pommelo and some sugary notes to balance it off. Nice brew with a good sense of balance. Ar 7 Ap 4 Fl 8 P 4 O 16 = 3.9
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