Ottos Double D IPA

Awesome grapefruit aroma, astringent and tart. Hop oils. Glorious. Medium amber clear with small off-white foamy head. Medium carb and medium watery body. Silky. Great big bitter taste, hoppy and crisp. Grapefruit, and not very sweet. Big bitter finish and persistant after. A very good strong ale.

Rerate: bottles, Sep 07 - they freakin’ rock. That is all.

This beer changes from batch to batch. It sucks because the August/2006 batch was STELLAR, I gave it a 4.5. The newest batch (Jan/2007) is not as good at the last one, but still plenty tasty... and of course the nose is what kills for this beer. The Jan/07 batch has a big nut and cedar flavor, almost metallic, and it takes away from the juicy dank leafy quality that makes this beer great. This current batch is more in the 4-4.2 range, while the best Double D batch will be in the 4.4-4.6 range.

"Old" draught sample - near the end of the keg. This rating is from the first time I had this beer. Murky dark orange, almost red in color, rusty looking. Spicy nose, with some Belgian-like yeast esters, and some cannibus tinny hops, and a sweaty BO-like nose of chewy malts. Brash bitterness, fruity and tinny. Overall quite good, but not outstanding. Reminds me of the Whoop Pass IPA actually, and is in the vein of DIPA that I do not enjoy: tinny, chewy caramelized hops.
7/5/7/3/14

"New" draught sample... had this right around when a new keg was tapped... this... beer... is... phenomenal. I was disappointed the first time I got a pint of this, but the next day the keg was blown. Trying this new keg... holy crap, the nose is downright perfect, so full of such juicy, dank, fruity and sugary cannibus buds, hop cones and sugary candy... the nose is one of the best I’ve experienced on a double IPA. Flavorwise it’s spot on, sweet, hoppy, properly bitter, even a little too bitter, but just full of flavor... tastes like sugar-coated hop and cannibus buds.
10/5/9/4/17

Rated 9/15/07 - Draft sample at brewpub. Copper/amber color. Little head. Hoppy nose, citrus and flower, pretty dominant. Floor and citrus flavor, very nice hop bitterness. Excellent IIPA. A favorite of mine.

Lightly hazed orange copper color. Full head of lasting taupe bubbles. I want to say typical, but actually a touch more balanced than typical as of late aromas. Scents of fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, along with the zest. Caramel and pale malts drift in and out. Full nose without getting overbearing or overdone. Light pale malt sweetness in the beginning that gives itself up to light citrus, hints of pine and a touch of alcohol. Finish is dry and slightly woody. I find this one to be quite true to form and enjoyable. For me there is something about a "true" IPA that just warms my cockles. Linger has a light nuttiness along with dried malt and oats. Not one that I would enjoy everyday, but after a long journey or day this one, to quote mj, rocks. Thanks to Ty5592 for the bottle.

Orange-amber body with a faint haze and a receding off-white head. Wonderful fresh hop aroma with notes of grapefruit, mango, cedar, and sweet crystal malt with a quality almost like maple. Great malt character for a DIPA; comes across like an imperial red. Nice fresh hop flavors and aggressive, scouring bitterness. Terrific beer that reminds me that very few beers beat a fresh DIPA from a high quality brewpub.