Rogue Imperial India Pale Ale (I²PA)

Brewed by Rogue Ales
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Newport, Oregon USA

Serve in Shaker, Snifter

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A beautiful cloudy golden color with plenty of sediment and a thin, persistent head. Some sweetness in the aroma to accompany the citrus/hops. Again hops dominate the flavor with just a bit of malt coming through. The finish is amazingly bitter and long. I guess I was expecting more bitterness, but I thought this was great in that area. I need more bitterness, bring on Stone...

UPDATED: APR 5, 2004 This brew just went form one of my lowest rated beers to one of my highest. I guess that goes to show what a little experience will do for ya. This Imperial IPA pours with an orange amber body topped by a very thick off white head with lots of lacing. The aroma is sweet, grapefruity and hoppy with slight piney notes and nice mango notes. Just incredible. The flavor is sweet, malty and fruity (mango) with a strong piney hoppiness and some grapefruit. Full bodied and smooth yet tingly on the tongue.

UPDATED: MAR 3, 2005 Golden amber brown colour (like cider), thick with lees suspention (unflitered). Very fragarent, flowery/sweet hoppy nose (Golding?). Thick, resiny, chewy feel. Taste: quite malty with fruit (apple?) and flowery notes. Perhaps hints of licorish. Very hoppy and bitter (almost, dare I say, too bitter). At first its bitterness seemed to intrude a little too quickly, but with time (and adjustment) beer began to seem more balanced. Linger bitterness and warm alcohol taste in the finish.

Color of amber. Aroma of roast and raisins. Bitter, bitter aftertaste. So one-dimensional and that’s why only 10/20.

UPDATED: JAN 8, 2007 RateBeer Summer (Toronto) ’02: 7 OZ bottle: Pours a murky orange. Bitter, chewy, murky orange, resiny, and great. The small bottle is a little wussy, but I really like the new ceramic bottle.

Haven’t ventured far into IPA territory after a handful of bad experiences (ie ultra-bitter beer face). While this beer is certainly hoppy - there’s a reasonable amount of malt to back it up. Result is fairly balanced. The bitterness has a slight grapefruity / cirtus note to it. Body is moderately thick - but the hops / high-alcohol leave a fairly dry finish... very pale / cloudy in appearance... I think this is the first IPA I’ve had that I actually like - will have to try some others...

UPDATED: JUL 2, 2003 Medium beige head topping an opaque copper body containing floaties. Aroma is medium sweet and heavily hoppy -- pine, grapefruit and floral. Taste is unadulterated hop -- grapefruit, pine and some floral. Mild sweetness provides some balance, but this one is aiming to be (and succeeding in being) over the top. Medium/full resiny body. (Toronto Ratebeer Gathering -- 7/22/02): Deep golden unfiltered. Aroma: Hopped to Hell (and back), with some alcohol presence noted. Hoppy hoppy flavor, but malts keep it fromgetting too far askew. Slightly alcohol burn shows up onswallow, along with even more hops. (7/4/8/4/16)

As someone else noted, it’s not the carnival of northwest hoppiness you may be hoping for. Slightly astringent and raw in it’s bitterness. I’ve seen this on a keg list at a local mega distributor - $99.00 for a 1/4 (yes, 1/4 not a 1/2!). That keg price is insane, but a bottle here or there for $3.50 isn’t bad.

Lots of particles in this beer - I personally don’t like all the goodies. Very nice bitterness with slight astringency. I’m not a big Saaz fan, though. Expecting more PNW hop flavor and through the hopback. Perhaps this beer has not been stored ideally. Still drinkable and not bad at all. I’ll try this again, especially with food next time.

UPDATED: APR 1, 2004 Dark golden color with an abundance of white floaties. Its just fun watching this beer as the bubbles slog there way from the bottom bouncing of the particulates making a small head with the yeast still floating on top. Aroma of cascade -floral and plum like. Malt flavors initially cover the mouth. Then the hops attach - the alpha and the betas spire in to your tongue with a peppery sensation that calls for another swig. A bit too acidic. I am going to age one or two of these hop blooded ales.