Karl Strauss Big Barrel Double IPA

Brewed by Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
San Diego, California USA

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

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Very tasty and off the beaten path of most Double IPA’s. Reminds me of Firestone and Mikkeller hopped beers. Heavy bitter but really tasty. The description nails it.

Very nice beer! Aroma: Hoppy, citrus. Taste: Citrus, grapefruit, grass. Overall: a wonderfully delicious beer.

Had this beer on ap at Tonys darts away in la. A very well balanced double ipa. Nice to see that the malt was actually taken into consideration when brewing a beer of this style. Will most definitely seek again. Cheers

Nice pale amber/copper color with an off-white head. The aroma reminds you that hops are related to another wonderful plant called cannabis sativa. Seriously, I’m getting some definite stankiness off this. Nice, big piney, grassy, herbaceous hop bitterness with a really well balanced malt body.

Sampled on 7/15/2010. This Imperial IPA pours a medium orange gold color from a 22oz bottle. Small to medium sized white foamy head. The aroma is floral, tropical, grapey and spicy. A medium to full bodied Imperial IPA. The malts are fruity and sweet, a touch tropical even. The hops are citrus, grapefruity and the ‘grape’ like quality that is so prevalent in the Nelson Sauvin hop. I still have problems describing this hop, but it sure is becoming easier to recognize. Nice balance. Good carbonation. There is also a touch of wood and some funk in this beer as well, yet the hops are really juicy. Interesting finish, it’s a touch tropical and then there is some dryness. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and dry. Aftertaste is slightly bitter

Pours hazy gold, orange cast. Medium foamy head. Lots of nice caramel notes bordering into toffee land. Pine and tropical fruit hop notes abound. A good moderate sweetness fades to solid and pleasant bittering that clings to the palate for a few moments. Really well balanced, nice take on the DIPA.

Bottle from mspindler. Aroma of burnt caramel, sweet sugar, hops, citrus (amazing). Appearance was golden clear with a beautiful head. Taste was very hoppy with nice bitterness and malt backbone. Nice carbonation. Very very good IPA. I was shocked by this one.

The title of Karl Strauss’ Big Barrel Double IPA isn’t really tongue in cheek when it comes to the massive hop content. I really like the bottle design, as it looks like, from the minimalist colors, a band poster for a show at a local venue. The flesh of a peach would be the best way to describe the velvety-orange glow that the beer provides upon the initial pour. A strange candied pecan taste envelops the bitterness, which, if you slosh it around it your mouth enough, adds a sort of depth that other IPA’s don’t provide. A lot of ample complexity from the selection of hops makes for a unique and delicious juggling of flavors. And that aroma is like your nose is getting hit with a bouquet of grassy notes. Yes, yes and yes!

22 oz. bottle, liquor store. Aroma- impressive citrus/tropical fruit hop nose front and center. Appearance- dark golden amber color. nice carbonation. Taste- firm citrus hop bitterness up front, hints of tangerine, passion and fruit flavors. maltiness comes through just enough to provide enough balance so hops don’t blow out the palate. Palate- full body. dry, long and lingering hop bitterness that sits on the tongue, but in a pleasant way. Overall- for KS first 22oz bomber, this is the way to go. about time KS! super hoppy, flavorful, yet balanced. at 9%, got a nice kick to it also.

Bottle. Pours a clear copper with a foamy, large off white head and a nice lace. Aroma is lots of pine with some grapefruit and orange citrus notes, a bit spicy. Flavor is spicy and resinous with pine, a solid malt backbone, and some floral notes. Full bodied and slick with moderate carbonation.