HeBrew Bittersweet Lennys R.I.P.A

Shmaltz Brewing Company
Brewed at Olde Saratoga Brewing (Mendocino Brewing Co.)
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
San Francisco, California USA

22 oz. bottle. Pours a lasting off white head, with substantial lacing (how high the IBU’s?), over a cloudy (protein haze) dark coppery amber (SRM 14) body.....nose is toffee, caramel, pine, very light grapefruit, rye flour.....taste is heavy sweet malts, toffee, caramel, followed by pine, grapefruit, pineapple and then lingering bitterness, throughout there is a tinge of cereal....mouth feel is heavy, carbonation makes the whole sensation creamy. This is a big heavy creation. It is in almost perfect balance, but it is hard for the brewer to get adequate utilization of the hops with a high O.G. to balance out the malt sweetness. It is not a "Hop Lollipop" like so many of the big heavies.

Pours a murky golden brown, dark like an IPA, but very murky, and with a yellowish head. Bready aroma, somewhat earthy. Somewhat sour and very reminiscent of a barleywine style ale. Some definite notes of hops and bitterness, though the alcohol dominates this one. A little unbalanced, but palatable.

copper pour with a thick foamy white head. Aroma is sweet and malty, caramel and some light peachy apricot fruitiness. Light floral hop as well perhaps? It seems to come and go... Flavour continues to showcase the roasty sweet caramel and rye flavours. Quite low hops for me. Some fruitiness, for 10% the alc is blended well into the flavour, though is certainly still noticable. Light to medium bitterness comes across as a dark roasted grainy bitterness. Slightly sticky in the body.

7th September 2008. Cloudy brown beer. Very bitter IPA with a dark malt tone. Bitter grapefruit finish.

Hazy Copper with beautiful thick foamy off-white head that stays forever and leaves lots of sticky lace. somewhat mild aroma of sweet citrus and flowery hops. Very full fluffy mouthfeel with good carbonation of small bubbles, not sparkly at all. Great spicy bite from the hops which is amped by the rye. Bitterness is so sharp it almost burns. Hoppy bite continues into the finish along with a spicy rye, and a little touch of sweet honey. What a great, complete, complex beer.

Rye crackers, caramel, citrus on the nose. Very interesting. The appearance is clear red, off white head. The flavor is very malt forward, caramel, brown sugar, citrus, followed by some pine, and some booze. The finish is piney, and spicy (possibly the rye making its presence known). The mouthfeel is approriately thick, syrupy. Very nice and unique IIPA overall.

POurs amber. Nose is huge citrus and pine, big malt backbone. Flavor is sweet malts, caramel, citrus, grapefruit, pine, dank hops. Very bitter finish.

Ok, a litte too tart here for a DIPA, but highly drinkable and enjoyable. An exploration with Rye that i can never came across before. Good times