Port Brewing Hop 15

Brewed by Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
San Marcos, California USA

Serve in Snifter, Tulip

Bottle courtesy of Dark Elf. Pours copper with a thin white head. Smells of flowers, biscuits, roses, some citrus. Taste combines resiny bitterness and orange sweetness with a dry malt character. Alcohol is well hidden. Good, but I don’t get the inflated scores on this one.

UPDATED: AUG 27, 2008 Astonishingly steady white head covers a clearish orangey golden hue. Characterful and extremely complex nose is defined by the incredible amount of aromatic hops used. They don’t focus on anything, literally transporting us into a vortex of grassy, herbal, floral, piney, perfumey, leafy nose saturating hops. More than adequate malt base gives it the necessary caramel, cookie and honey sweetness to deal with it. The blending of both monsters create a fruity and surprisingly smooth animal of litchi, tropical fruits, apricot and pepper that takes life in the form of a medium and slick body, of surprisingly engaging carbonation. Strong alcohol accentuates the oily resin feel, but the carbonation dealt with it gracefully. A masterful execution of a too good to be true undertaking.

The last bottles I’ve had from the Lost Abbey plant have left me less enthusiast. Very sweet maltiness, yet overwhelming hops which have lost their tropical nature that I adored. The alcohol also seems to bug me whereas I’ve lost the biscuity feel I adored. Dropping from 4.0 to 3.4

Having tried that a few more times since, I must say I just don’t really enjoy it, the bitterness is too much and I don’t see the remarkable integration that most Port beers have.

Gold colour, hoppy pine aroma. Nicely hopped, understated carbonation. Bitterness but balanced with malt and easiness on the tongue for an IPA. Radekfest $7

Bottle from Capone’s. Turbid orangy copper pour with 1-finger off-white head and excellent lacing even through the repour. The aroma is huge; a mix of heavy hops, pineapple, mango, tangerine, honeydew, and caramel malt. This is perhaps the greatest beer aroma I’ve ever experienced, perhaps even rivaling Dreadnaught. The flavor is big hops and fruit, with a huge malt bill, and notes of tangerine, pineapple, mango, black pepper, and melon, in roughly that order of intensity. The palate is dense, complex, very well balanced. A smidgen more malt here would have made this a Perfecto Robusto. As it stands, it’s one of the best IIPAs, and best beers, I’ve ever quaffed.

Growler thanks to WeeHeavySD! Poured a deep, fiery orange with a lovely cap of off-white head. Wonderfully juicy aroma of pears and grapefruit along with sweet caramel and peppery spices.. really fills out as it warms up.. and does a great job showcasing the hoppage. In the flavor, peppery notes and pineapple bitterness rise above a sweet and toasty caramel and light fruity base.. mostly fruit at the core.. very heavy hoppage (pine, pinapple, and grapefruit) rides out the warm finish. Thick and almost syrupy on the palate with building bitterness as the drink progresses. Great stuff! Thanks Jon!

Bottle at ultimate glasgow tasting. Aroma is just such a pleasure, everything i love about hops, packed with resins, pine, lychee, citrus, amazing full deserves the 10. Taste is similar, i kept going back and having more of this, so delicous and juicey, georgous stuff. If i ever get the chance for more its mine!

Bottle. WOW! Pours hazy orange with a small, fizzy, white head, mostly diminishing with spare lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (bread, grain, meal), heavy hops (flowers, perfume, pine, citrus), average yeast (sweat) with notes of apple and pear. Full bodied, creamy texture, lively carbonation, and a bitter finish. Long duration, light sweetness, moderate acidity, and heavy bitterness.

On tap @Falling Rock poured a hazy copper with an offwhite head. Aromas of citrus and pine with a hint of carmel hiding in all the hops. Palate was heavy and resiny. Flavors of bitter grapefruit rind,pine and a touch of carmel.