Great Divide Hercules Double IPA

Brewed by Great Divide Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Denver, Colorado USA

Bottle, poured almost a reddish caramel with a quickly dissipating frothy head. The aroma is just incredible, dominated by hops but then you catch a sweet whiff of the malt and it just blends together to creat a magnificent sensation. The taste is at first hoppy and then you catch a hint of pine and then some malt and then the aftertaste is straight floral hops. To be honest I was a bit let down after the smell, not that the beer is by any means bad it just isn’t as good as it smelled. Still an incredible IPA. Would buy again

Bottle, Utobeer, London. Poured amber orange with a good size off-white head. Aroma was citrusy, floral hop and a dash of pine. Smooth mouthfeel. Flavour is very hoppy, toffee, grapefruit, then balanced with a decent malty finish. Hop bitterness lingers very well. A pleasure to drink this. Darn good brew.

Pours chunky, almost. There are collections of dust-like particulate throughout the brownish-orange body. Regular head for an IIPA, sporadic lacing to the end. I smell toffee, caramel, resiny hops. Huge, sweet malty backbone on the palate with a crisp, bitter finish.

THOUGHTS: A really nice double IPA. Not the best one i’ve ever had, but a very nice one. Hid alcohol well in the flavor, but it was apparent in the finish going down the throat. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a medium to dark orangy amber with small body particles of an average density and an average to large, off-white head that mostly diminished, but left good lacing. The aroma was moderate to heavy caramel malt and moderate pine and citrus (grapefruit and orange) hops. The initial flavor was moderately sweet and lightly acidic and bitter; while the finish was moderately to heavily sweet, moderately acidic and heavily bitter with a long duration. The flavor was caramel malt and citrus hops. Nice balance and fairly good transition, but the hops do et a little harsh. The full body was sort of syrupy and dry with lightly fizzy carbonation. and a light to moderate alcoholic finish.

I got this at the Beverage Barn in East Meadow, NY. The aroma fills the area around the beer. Beautiful mix of citrusy and floral hops, and -unusual for a IPA- a nice toffee/caramel maltiness. The color is attractive, a nice reddish color typical to the style. In the flavor, there is an initial sweetness from the malts, some toffee and nuts, followed by a serious hop sting. the finish is all hops, a nice clean crispness on the palate. The mouthfeel of this is unique, an oily thick mouthfeel. A nice achievement, easily on a par with 90 minute or the other great IIPA’s.

This DIPA is very impressive. From the hop profile, to the nutty, caramel maltiness, this beer is amazing. It pours a beautiful foggy dark orange color. Up from the beer arises this tan head that sticks around till the shows over. The flavor is so intense but smooth... I hope the Lord has this beer for me in Heaven. There’s truly no harshness to it. It’s smooth sailin’ all the way down. Thank you Great Divide. The Lord bless the hop harvest.

22oz. bottle. Pours a nice copper color with an off white thin head that left medium lacing and translucent white flakes of particulate that is a major turn off, but I drank it anyway. Aromas of citrus and piny hops with a slight malt undertone. Flavor is for hop lovers . A slight sweet start fallowed by an intense hop parade. Med. to heavy on the palate with a syrupy like texture. Minus the particles a very good IIPA.

Bottle, pours a clear, deep copper colored body with sizable yellowish white head. Aroma of citrus, freshly peeled grapefruit, sour apple, and a hint of floral hops. Strong grapefruit and hop flavors along with caramel malts with hints of spicy and floral hops, grass, and pine. Thick, almost chewy mouthfeel. Bitter grapefruit finish that is a tad astringent. Bitter, almost aspirin-like aftertaste. Slightly boozy.