Deschutes Hop Henge Imperial IPA

Brewed by Deschutes Brewery
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Bend, Oregon USA

22oz bottle shared by Puddintane - Thanks! - Pours amber with an offwhite creamy head tjat stayed pretty well and laced some. Aromas of great big Pacific NW grapefruit and pine hops over a strong caramel malt background. Flavor is those same hops blasting through with good citrus and pine flavor upfront but there is a nice caramel sweetness there to hold it together. Some orange notes and a little toffee comes in too because of the balance before the somewhat bitter finish. Good body with a nice mouthfeel. Beautiful IIPA.

22 ounce bottle. The pour was a brilliant copper-orange, with a thick, foamy head of off-white. The aroma was citrusy, tending toward orange,with a slight grassiness to bolster the citrus. Hop Henge is pleasant on the palate. Flavors include orange, lightly buttered bread, a hint of caramel, and dark dried fruits—raisins or dates, perhaps. Not quite as bitter as I would have hoped for, but a good Imperial IPA overall.

5/03/2007: Deschutes Hop Henge Imperial IPA pours a dark copper color with a creamy light beige head that dissipates to leave a frothy crown. There is excellent, dense lacing that leaves a crackle-like finish. The aroma has lots of hops: predominately citrus-toned with some grassy, floral, and spiciness as well. There is also a toffee malt complexity underneath all the hops. The flavor goes through several stages. First is has a sweet, toffee malt base. Then a bit of alcohol punches out. Next the floral and citrus hop flavor comes through. The bitterness level starts moderate, but builds all the way through. This is a well-balanced beer overall. The body is medium-full and feels smooth in the mouth. An extremely solid IIPA. I wonder how the Hop Henge Imperial IPA compares to last year’s Hop Henge IPA... 22 oz bottle (362 0558I) from bitbucket (Apr 2007). Thanks Bob! Shared with Tmoney99 at Mainstrasse Village Pub in Covington, Kentucky. 8.1% ABV, 95 IBUs.

22oz Bottle: Pours a dark copper with a finger’s worth of white head. Sweet citrus and alcohol dominate the nose. The flavor is hops, hops, hops. Good lacing. I get an oiliness throughout my mouth. Not a bad DIPA just not one of the best I’ve had.

22oz bomber-An amber body with a huge white head. Aroma of citrus and hops with a taste of the same and a dry aftertaste and bitterness. Not a bad double.

Bottle: Dark copper pour with a moderate sized fluffy white head. Nice lacing. The aroma is intense with piney and floral hops. Some grapefruit too. The taste is solid with hops, a little sweetness, and a lingering dry finish. The malt presence wasn’t very prominent, but if you like hops...

Copper pour with thick frothy head. Hoppy floral nose with hints of the alcohol. Flavor is big and hoppy up front with the warmth of alcohol hinting next. This leads you into a medium body sweet malt. Finish is warm and hoppy.

Sampled at Lee’s Beer Experience 5/12/07. I almost missed this one as I thought they just had their regular lineup. Pours cloudy copper type color, good white head. Aroma is mostly floral hops, light citrus. Taste is a good balance of flowery hops and malt. This was a surprise, glad to see it. Not like a typical the typical West Coast IIPA as I am used to.