3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Location: 22 oz bottle from Norm’s, 8/3/09
Aroma: Lots of grass/earth/pine hops here, a bit floral, a drop of fruit, some caramel as well, maybe a bit of biscuit
Appearance: Clearish copper color, about 1/2 inch of off-white head, lots of spotty lacing on the glass
Flavor: Nice hop flavor here, there is some balance from the malts, more floral and sweet then the nose
Palate: Medium bodied, really nice mouthfeel, and drinks really easily for a beer over 10% ABV
Overall Impression:
I was excited for this one, as I like the fact that Clipper City (a brewery less then 1 hr from my home) is expanding their big beer repertoire. Unfortunately, I got many opinions on this one prior to trying it, and it was basically getting killed across the board, so I definitely lost some of my excitement for it. I have to say, and maybe it was my diminished expectations that led to this (for I, as is the case with many of us, have been known to allow expectations - be them good or bad - to cloud my judgement), thought it was quite good. Granted, I went in not expecting too much, but I liked it a lot, especially for the price (a 10.5% beer (my bottle said 10.5% despite the 10.6% above) for $5 a bomber? Yes please!). I love big IPAs, look, this isn’t the best DIPA/IIPA ever made, but come on, it’s has a pretty nice hoppy beer.
4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
22oz bomber pours dark copper with a khaki head. Aromas of toasted bread heavy hops some pine and carmel malts. Flavor is bready some biscuit a touch if pine and grapefruit rind. Body is full with a boozy feel.
4 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 19/20
WOW! This is what a DIPA is all about. To hell with the color and the aroma, this tastes fantastic. Nice sweet malt up front with a solid dose of grassy citrus hops. The 10.6% ABV is not really evident until it warms. Very slick and oily on the tongue and roof or my mouth. For the uninitiated beware, this very drinkable ale will drag you to the bottom of the sea quickly!
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 17/20
22oz bottle served in a tulip. Pour is mahogany with three fingers of light kaki head. Nose is malt, hops, resign, pine, grapefruit, caramel, and cantaloupe. Taste is right on the money, with a dish soap finish. This is a very well done DIPA, and just one more reason to give Heavy Seas my hard earned green! A+++
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
22oz bottle poured into a pint glass.
Ar: Floral hops with light citrus notes. Big caramel malt backbone.
Ap: Golden copper in color with decent clarity. One finger off white head with alright retention and decent lacing.
T: Big caramel up front. Then a weird floral and citrus hop profile. An off mixture. Not to bitter. Finishing slightly grassy with an alcohol bite.
P: Medium light body. Medium high carbonation. Slightly slick. A touch dry.
O: Not a great DIPA, but it is decent. The hop profile is a very odd flavor. The alcohol has a bit of a bite in the finish that I’m not fond of. This isn’t a bad beer just not one I would purchase on a regular basis.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Cask gravity @ GBBF 2011. Pours a golden color with a small white head. Has a fruity malty hoppy grapefruit aroma. Fruity malty hoppy bitter grapefruit flavor with hints of caramel. Has a fruity malty hoppy bitter grapefruit finish.
2.9 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 11/20
A: Rich orange-amber body. Big white cap which receded quickly. Spotty lacing.
S: Malt. Lots o’ malt. At 75 IBUs I certainly am not detecting much over the syrupy sweet caramel malts and toffee.
T: More of the same. Except it manages to get even more one dimensional. All caramel malt.
M: Medium bodied, yet thin on the palate. No quantifiable finish. The syrupy beer just coats the mouth and sticks around forever.
O: Utterly disappointing. However, I used what I didn’t drink (which was a lot) for the base of a minestrone soup I made the lady. It worked in that role, but not as beverage.
3.7 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
Big earthy aromas with notes of citrus, caramel, and booze. Pours clear deep copper color with off-white head and no lacing. Taste is fairly sweet with caramels popping thru with a nice bitter bite on the back end. Average to flatish carbonation with a long dry finish. Overall, a good, big beer. Nice balance, strong flavors, and abv hidden well.
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Cask at GBBF 2011, Day 4. Pours clear, rich amber with a small, white head. Heavy malt and caramel nose, with dense citrus hops. Big sweet flavor, sugar notes, toast, light booze. Full bodied with fine carbonation. Warm finish, lots of sugar, resinous and oily hops, mild pine and citrus. Really good beer. An enjoyment.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 12/20
Draught at Maddy’s, Washington.
Clear dark golden with a small head. Aroma heavy malty (caramel) and hoppy (grassy). Flavor moderate sweet, heavy bitter, some alcohol. Almost full body.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
22oz bottle. Clear amber large lasting fluffy beige head. A bit barleywine-ish on the nose - solid grain malt, pretty heavy resin and dry leafy bitterness, a bit of an alcohol burn - nice balance, if big (7+). Taste - same, but tons of fruit, and even maltier than expected - big, grainy, boozy - and dry. Average body, a bit syrupy, mildly carbonated -a fairly boozy long finish. I have had the bottle for a while, it has stood up nicely.
|
