HeBrew Bittersweet Lennys R.I.P.A

22oz. Bomber $4.99 Binny’s Orland This beer looks really good. Poured a deep mahogany with perfect clarity when held to the light. 1+ finger off-white craggy eggshell head stays around for awhile but eventually fades to a solid coating. There’s some very slow rising carbonation bubbles rising from the sides of my glass. Webbed lacing is left after each sip. Very nice. The smell is a little different than I expected. It’s heavy in a slightly sweet malt. For some reason it’s reminding me of brandy soaked raisins. The rye really comes through toward the end of the smell with a husk/stalk quality that’s really nice. There is a very mild fruitiness to this that reminds me of honeydew. A touch of alcohol in the finish gives a little heat. I really can’t pick out much hop presence. Smells good but the lack of hops drop the score. The taste is different too but in a good way. Similiar to the smell there is a sweet maltiness up front. This fades to the background mid-palate as the rye malts take over coming back in the taste with the huskiness that was in the aroma. There is a nice solid bitterness. I couldn’t pick out the hops at first but it must’ve been too cold. When it warmed some soft floral hops came forward. There’s a touch of alcohol in the swallow that comes through with a mild heat. I like this quite a bit. Mouthfeel for a 10% abv is really nice. It’s a little on the heavier side of medium. Sticky but in no way cloying. There isn’t a lot of carbonation, which I think works really well with the body. The drinkability is good on this when you take into consideration the abv. The 1 bomber will be enough for now but it doesn’t take any effort to finish. Lenny’s R.I.P.A. is a quality beer. It doesn’t have the huge hop aroma and flavor I’d expect from a IIPA’s but bitterness is definately there. The rye malt really adds something nice. Good idea from the brewer that turned out really well.

Bottle. Pours clear orange, off white head. Aroma is caramel, tomato, pine, caramel, hops. Flavor is hops, caramel, pine, toffee, wheat, vanilla.

Bottled. Poured orangy copper, with a tan, foamy head. The nose is caramel, citrus, floral, and sour. The flavor is sweet and malty, with a thick, oily, resiny mouthfeel. The finish is hoppy, sitcky, and sweet.

An orange amber ale with a thin white head. A pleasant aroma of caramel, vinous notes, figs, raisins. In mouth, a sweet malt with nice vinous raisiny notes, intense hops, grapefruits and warming alcohol. Tasted at "Montréal YeHA! Party 2006" . Dec. 16 2006. Bottle from ProbstK from BOTW.

bottle; pored a rich amber with a medium off white head. Aroma of sweet malt, rye, and grapefruit. Really creamy mouthfeel. Initially flavor was not too good for me; a lot of grapefruit and sweetness; caramel malt as well. A small rye presence. This was below average for the style; something about the flavor was just a little off.

This was a nice surprise. I thought this was another gag beer but was coaxed into trying it because it was at a respectable store. It has a really deep and enjoyable flavor of the hops and malts. It really sticks out nicely.

Bottled. Deep amber coloured with a medium sized head. Malty and sweet with strong notes of hops and pine. Well balanced.

Bomber. Pours ruby with an off white head. Aroma is syrupy, sweet hops. Smells like a barley wine. Tastes like a hopped up barley wine. Quite hoppy and strong. Unique for a DIPA. Interesting.