 rkuhnel (1192), Eureka, California, USA
Mar 26, 2007 Updated: Mar 28, 2007
Presentation: Mine was a 22 oz Bomber that had a theme that looks kind of like an old theatre exteriors The name He’Brew Presents BITTERSWEET LENNY’S R.I.P.A. is made to look like a theater sign. The label says this is a “A Double India Pale Ale with Rye Malt” and “Brewed with an obscene amount of malts and hops”. Listed at 10% ABV. There is a silhouette of the late great Lenny Bruce on the neck label. Finally it is Kosher Certified. Really cool label we have here.
Appearance: Poured a nice thick and oily stream from the bottle and settled into my Duvel glass with minimal splash and raised a nice fat off-white head that left lots of fat chunks of lacing on the sides of the glass. Overall this is a feast for the eyes and as the head slowly settles down you are so taken by its overall beauty you almost hate to disturb it.
Nose: This one comes at you with alcohol and piney hops. The aromas just leap out at you and you don’t need to take a deep sniff to get this one. Beside the hops, there are also some distinct but not overwhelming rich malts, toffee, nuts, caramel, and berries. Overall it is hard to imagine a beer smelling any better than this.
Taste: The taste is similar to the nose, and the alcohol, malts and the hops dominate, and there is a serious bitter finish worthy of a DIPA.
Mouthfeel: What can you say about this except is feels rich and creamy and simply hangs on the teeth and tongue. You hate to swallow, but then it tastes just as good going down the back of your throat.
Drinkability: Simply sublime is all I can say. At 10% you would want to be careful, but downing all 22 oz is easy. It is just great from first drop to last.
Overall: This is an unusual Double IPA because of the Rye Malt, but no matter how you measure it this is an impressive brew. I only got one bottle of this, but assuming it is still there will be picking up a case to share with my friends.
blipp (960), Grand Island, New York, USA
Nov 26, 2008 Bottle. Pours orange amber with a dense and lasting off white head. The aroma is sweet and hoppy with light citric notes. The flavor is well balanced with sweet bready, almost toasty malt, along with some hoppy sweetness and grass. Not bad.
KnutAlbert (2462), Oslo, Norway
Nov 21, 2008 Raisins and sweet malt aroma.
Grain, sweet fruit, flowers. Dry and dusty hops. Rye bread. Alcohol warming. What more can you ask for?
fonefan (5507), Ulfborg, Denmark
Nov 20, 2008 <b>Bottle 22fl.oz.</b><br />Clear medium to dark amber orange color with a small to average, frothy, fair lacing, mostly diminishing, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, caramel, heavy hoppy, orange. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and heavy bitter with a long to average duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. (050908)
lemasney (314), Trenton, New Jersey, USA
Nov 1, 2008 Style and Glass: DIPA; snifter, tulip
ABV, Volume & Calories: 10% in 22 fl oz. estimated at 400 C
Purchased at: Super Saver, Pennington, NJ for $4.49
Aroma: nice, grapefruit, citrus, syrup, wheat, heather, rye.
Visuals: incredible packaging, ruby, blood moon, brilliant, long lasting white head, lace.
Taste: well balanced, heavy malt, high hops, high strength, syrup, rye bread, fennel seed.
Palate: high quality, sharp, crisp, spicy, long finish.
Overall: A fitting tribute to Lenny Bruce. What a wonderful brew! As a onetime practicing Catholic, I’m in awe of Judaism’s inspiration for this brewery. A definite repeat. A favorite. High value for high craft.
jvmiller (300), Bel Air, Maryland, USA
Nov 1, 2008 Pretty good, more along the lines of a barley wine i thought. had the bitterness, but not the hop character. It was good, but not sure it confined to the iipa category. Malty.
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