3.9 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20UPDATED: APR 29, 2013 Dark orange clear hue with creamy white head, not much lacing, initially smells of pine needles then to citrus as warmed, medium body, taste very grapefruit, some pine and caramel, has an abrupt bitter dry finish but not overly crips, good not great DIPA, like Green Flash regulars IPA better
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Chewy wintergreen citrus hop flavor with dry crisp finish and alcohol presence in the palate. Definitely west coast!
3.2 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
On tap @GarricksHeadPub. Just as the name implies. A huge West Coast hop bomb lacking any attempt at balance or subtlety. All citrus and resiny bitterness. Medicine for hop heads.
4 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Poured from a bottle. Clear copper with a big fluffy head and good lacing. Aroma is outstanding - lots of pine and citrus, a little tropical fruit. As promised, taste is strongly bitter throughout - piney with some grapefruit. The finish is dry and the bitterness lingers. Solid mouthfeel. Overall, a really interesting brew, but it’s one of those that make you pucker up, certainly not a session beer.
3.8 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Amber beer with a thick, beige head. Nice lacing. Aroma is all hops. Flavor has a good malt backbone, caramel flavors, with tons of grassy and hay hop flavors and a burst of pine. Finish is dry and bitter. My kind of beer.
3.4 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
My Bottom Line:
Sand, sugar and alcohol are amazingly whipped up into a coherent whole in this very bitter, resinous strong ale.
Further Personal Perceptions:
-A creamy head of foam covers the misty pale amber.
-The soft, natural carbonation provides a surprisingly fluffy, comfortable mouthfeel. A godsend for such a rough flavor profile.
-A few sulphur-y edges are found in the aroma.
-Hops could have been brighter. This is not of the same caliber as their other IPAs.
-An appropriately-named strong ale which offers all the flavors you want from a SD IPA, but in a coarse manner. And sometimes, that’s plain fun.
Bottle.
3.7 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
On tap at Tap an Mallet. They ran out of Stone IRS, so I tried this. Clear copper pour with a thin white head. Piney, grapefruit, citrus, and earthy hoppiness with sweeter caramel malt backing it. Hops bitter the front of the tongue with citrusy grapefruit, light peach with caramel malt mid palate with a bitter end. Great stuff.
3.2 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 12/20
pours cloudy orange with pilllowy, long-lasting white head. aroma is overwhelmingly hops (spruce, pineapple, candied citrus) with some malty sweetness in the background. oily and resinous - it immediately coats the inside of your mouth. intensely bitter from start to finish. it’s unique, but not my favorite in this category.
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
On tap at Sweetwater. Clear burnt orange pour with a white head. Pine/grassy hop aromas. Big fruit and grassy hop notes. Bitter and robust. Good mouthfeel, body, and balance.
3.7 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 14/20
This beer’s aroma is strong with a combination of citrus and resin hops, and the appearance has an orange color with a medium white head that fades to a thin layer. The taste is VERY bitter with a slight sweetness to it, which creates more balance than what you expect from the name, but the medium body, sticky texture, bitter finish, and soft carbonation are exactly what you expect from an Imperial IPA.
3.6 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Nice package, though I only wish my palate wasn’t wrecked so I ,oils go home and spend less money. Good balance of hops and booze in aroma. Pours orange with some lacing, little head. Booze isn’t hidden in finish, brings a good dose of bitterness with hops. On tap at Alibi Room.
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