 kepano (239), Meudon, France
Mar 21, 2006
I surprise myself by continually returning to IPAs in spite of my mild aversion to strong hops. I find the popularity of IPAs so intriguing that I have forced myself, again and again, to evaluate (for educational purposes) what are considered some of the finest examples. Great Divide’s Hercules was yet another trial for me, in this encompassing experiment. The pour produced an enticing peachy red body, impeccably clear beneath the creamy head dotted of craterous formations. The nose is immediately reminiscent of every other IPA. Grapefruit and burnt toast, and the variable pineapple, mango and soap. I have begun to think that American brewers have cornered themselves into a style that leaves little to creativity and art. I believe we are on the verge of innovation. This plateau is, I am certain, sociologically natural, and will hopefully result in my newfound admiration of this unborn style. Nonetheless, I take a sip. Bitter. Grapefruit and orange are dominant some creaminess appears with thought, but the dry and bitter palate does not seem accommodating for complex flavors. Another conventional IPA and another checkmark in my book.
DJMonarch (4280), Northwich, Cheshire, England
Jul 3, 2009 Cask Handpump at the Falling Rock Tap House, Denver 09/10/2007
Hoppy and slightly malty aroma. White head. Fruity and hoppy with a crisp and very bitter lasting finish.
Hopcrazy (15), Washington, USA
Jul 1, 2009 Darker coppery color than most IPAs. Lighter head with a decent lace. Aroma is citrussy and florally inviting. Taste is the big bang here. Man oh man. A malty sweetness then comes the hops. WOW. Where have you been all my life?
LanceUppercut (28), Sweden
Jul 1, 2009 A fruity nose of toffee, caramel. It pours a beautifully reddish colour. Taste is sweet and malty. Finish is a bit overpowering - bitter, salty and dry. It’s a good DIPA, but the the style is a bit "over the top" for my personal taste.
Hopper (31), San Antonio, Texas, USA
Jun 30, 2009 Pours a dark orange with decent head. Aroma is sweet, alcohol, & hoppy. Taste is sweet malt, alcohol, & nutty. Very sweet. If it didn’t say Double IPA I would have thought this was a barley wine. Definitely not for a rookie drinker.
dkachur (1909), Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Jun 29, 2009 12 ounce bottle from Papou’s in Sylva, NC. Pours a very hazy orange color with floaties. Thin head with fair retention and lacing. Aroma is citrus cops with lots of brown sugar and toffee. Taste is toffee, brown sugar, caramel and very earthy, resiny, citrus hops. Very slight alcohol warmth. Full bodied. Overall quite drinkable, which at 9.1% scares me a little.
coyotehunter (340), , Michigan, USA
Jun 26, 2009 Bottle. Pours a dirty orange, with a considerable head, though this bottle isnt real cold.. Strong nose of citrus, some pine and grapefruit. Flavor is a bit disappointing compared to the nose...I expected more. That said, this is still a very good beer. Malt mixes well with the hop/pine/citrus flavor. Alcohol stays where it should...hidden. A little thick in the mouthfeel, but regardless pretty good.
savnac (182), Palmer, Alaska, USA
Jun 26, 2009 22oz bottle. Clear amber with an off white sticky head that leaves a big lace. Resinous citrus hop aroma with caramel and a slight bit of alcohol. Big flavor starts sweet and a smooth bitterness kicks in and leaves a long bitter finish. Heavy medium body with a syrupy mouth feel and a mellow carbonation. This is a big IIPA that goes down smooth and manages to hide the alcohol well. My bottle said 10% ABV.
AtlAggie (89), Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Jun 24, 2009 Draft at the BrickStore. Hazy orange appearance, foamy two-finger head. Big hop aroma, with pineapple, citrus, grapefruit, some hay/grass undertones. Flavor was interestingly not as citrusy as the aroma, but was big on the pineapple, and had more of a grassy character than I would have guessed from the nose. Alcohol very well hidden, not a lot of lingering bitterness. Really nice IPA.
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