Delafield Imperial IPA

Brewed by Delafield Brewhaus
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Delafield, Wisconsin USA

Serve in Shaker, Snifter

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On tap at Delafield Brewhaus, marked as 11.5%. Poured clear, deep amber with a sticky, well-retained off-white head.. loved the color. The aroma picked up juicy darker fruits, pine, and peppery notes over warm caramel and lesser maple.. deep warmth to it. The flavor found spicy, peppery alcohol and resiny bitterness upfront, with molasses and caramel sweetness following on the syrupy middle.. hot pine and citrus bitterness around.. finished hot and heavy with big belly warmth. Heavier-bodied and too assertive for my liking on the palate, and there were too many sugars sticking around. I’d still try it again.

On tap at the Delafield Brewhaus. Pours an unclear orangey copper with an off-white head. Nice lacing. Aroma has nice floral hops up front, then pine, fresh fruit and syrupy resin come through. Much more citrusy aroma as you get further through the glass. Taste is of citrus fruit (orange/grapefruit), pine, pears and resin. Very syrupy thick and resinous down through the glass. There is caramelly sweet malt present, however it is very muted. Finishes very bitter with a citrusy overripe fruit blend. Interesting and a solid hop-forward, thick double ipa.

On tap at the Brewhaus. Deep copper color. Aroma is sweet with very floral citrus hopping. Flavor starts as fresh bitter citrus, then gives way to a mildly woody pine before finishing clean and with some decent residual pine/citrus. Malt backbone is not overly pronounced in terms of flavor, but certainly there in the palate and balance to the hops. Middle to end of hop flavor has a bit of a Pine-sol tinge to it, however. All-in-all, pretty good.

Cask conditioned at the Brewhaus. Served at 55 degrees, with 10 % ABV. Reminiscent of Dreadnaught. Huge hops, of course, with warming alcohol. Long finish (on and on). Another creative brew from this brewpub.

Handpull from cask at brewpub: Grapefruit nose from this dark orange still pint. Very flavorful with caramel malts coming through and huge hops citrusy and crisp. Wonderfully balanced and soft, alcohol was present at the finish. Reminded me of a slightly thinner Cask conditioned Dreadnaught. Big prop to Delafield for this huge brew!

Cask. Dark hazy golden color with a dense beige head. Mild grapefruit and oine with just enough malt backdrop in the aroma to keep it honest. Light pale malt sweet start quickly exchanged with a full citric grapefruit push. Finish is hopsack and mildly earthy grain. Thick and lightly oily in feel. Caramel flavors come in the linger.

12-oz glass at the brewpub, cask. Bight, hazy dark blood-oragne, small lasting head. Mild orangy-grapefruity nose, sweet and with little acid. Unbelievably silky mouthfeel, as smooth and pillowy as could be, extremely fruit with a light caramel-malty background, the hop wallop is late but unforgettable. Luscious.

Beer engine. Thick creamy off-white head, deep attractive amber color. Light citrus aroma, didn’t seem to promise much for the flavor. Boy was I *wrong*! Absolutely delicious flavor. Sort of a strange stale caramel taste with a lot of piney and citrusy hops. Mostly piney though. Oily/resiny mouthfeel, but slightly watery too. Very good, I hope they do this again!