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Smuttynose Big A IPA

Smuttynose Big A IPA - Imperial/Double IPA

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 Percentile 
98
overall
Brewed by Smuttynose Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA

Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA

bottled
common

on tap
available

Regional Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in 
5073.86/5.03.85/5.09.2%90.3Snifter, Tulip
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Commercial Description:
For our hopping regime we went with Cascade and Nuggets in the boiling addition. Centennials were added every 5 minutes for the last 30 minutes of the boil. We added Crystals into the whirlpool. Dry hopping was done in both the fermentor after primary fermentation and the bright tank. We used a mixture of Chinook, Nuggets, and Sterlings in the fermentors and whole leaf Centennials in the bright tank.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 MrBunn (1521), Western, Pennsylvania, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/58/104/516/20
Mar 11, 2008  
Bottle. Wonderful aroma hits right as I pull the cap off... grapefruit dominates the air and I watch a massive head develop over what eventually proves to be a dingy orange body. As things die down there is also a pineapple scent that I missed at first. Flavor is pretty sweet at first and then gives way to bitter citrus hops. Wonderfully nice big IIPA.


 tsarman (794), Northern, New Jersey, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/514/20
Mar 9, 2008  
This old tyme boxer on the cover is the type of man I wish I was. Bare knuckled and in my underpants ready to fight a bear or a roo of some sort. The Killer Kielbasa makes a fine brew. Hoppy but still pretty balanced.


 FROTHINGSLOSH (1961), GREENSBURG, Pennsylvania, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/104/56/103/513/20
Feb 27, 2008  
Sampled from a 22 oz brown bottle this beer poured a dark golden color with a large yellow-white head that was billowy and provided lots of lacing. The aroma was sour and had grassy and fruity hops. The flavor was somewhat harsh and rather bitter with sour and tangy malts, moderately strong grassy and floral hops, light fruity hops and an undertone reminiscent of cooked cabbage. The alcohol was well hidden.


 Goodgrief (1144), Middletown, Delaware, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/515/20
Feb 19, 2008  
Mar. 2007 - Another nice one from the Smutties. Pour was dark orange, nice head and lacing. Weakish aroma of grapefruit. Flavor was grapefruit, sweet malt, some orange. Mild hoppiness, but well balanced. Full mouthfeel. Good beer.


 raiderfost (158), virginia beach, Virginia, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/57/103/518/20
Feb 18, 2008  
I would love to actually rate this one, but unfortunatly for me fredjaz drank mine! Will re-rate when i can


 fredjaz (108), Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/102/58/104/517/20
Feb 16, 2008  
2006 Batch 22oz really good IPA. Not the prettiest beer pours a murky orange color, but thats about as far as you can go with any criticism. Nice citrus hoppy great tasting brew with a well hidden high alcohol content.


 Viper666 (614), Greenfield Park, Quebec, Canada
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/515/20
Feb 11, 2008  
Bouteille 650ml, courtoisie de Hogtownharry. De couleur orange dorée et voilée. Nez de houblon résineux, citrique (pamplemousse) et légèrement herbeux, de fruits (agrumes, pêche, notes de mangues et d’abricots), malté de caramel sucré avec des notes de biscuits. Moyennement ronde en bouche avec un pétillement moyen et une texture résineuses et aux notes crémeuses. Goût amer de houblon citrique (pamplemousse), résineux et aux notes florales (une amertume s’amplifiant légèrement au cours de la gorgée) avec un goût de levures fruitées sucrées (agrumes, léger d’abricots et de pêche, notes de mangues) lors de l’entrée en bouche auquel se rajoute un goût malté de caramel sucré ainsi qu’un léger goût de biscuits au miel puis en finale l’on retrouve une amertume asséchante de houblon plus résineux et citrique ainsi que légèrement herbeux (herbe fraîche) et accompagné d’un moyen goût d’alcool. Post-goût long et moyennement sec, assez amer de houblon citrique, résineux et aux notes herbeuses avec un léger goût d’alcool et de fruits (zest d’agrumes, noyau de pêche).


 joe1510 (501), Illinois, USA
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/516/20
Feb 8, 2008  
22oz Bomber I get the opportunity to sample this bottle courtesy of Kempleton. Big A IPA pours a hazy sunset orange with slow rising carbonation. The head grew to one finger and quickly fell to a skimming. The off white head does leave some decent spotty lacing on it’s way down. Big A has a solidly built caramel backbone but the hops take the spotlight. Over the top of the caramel the hops bring a pink grapefruit bitterness and resinous quality that create an appetizing aroma. There’s a touch of spicy alcohol mixed in for added complexity. Flavor falls right along the lines of the aroma. I usually prefer big hopped up IPAs, this one is closed to balanced, although the hops do take lead. Although it’s fairly balanced the flavors extracted from the hops are my favorite: Bitter pink grapefruit and resinous hops. The mouthfeel is good for a IIPA. THere’s a bit of creaminess on the swallow but the carbonation is lively enough to keep things moving before they get too sticky which is a downfall of many other IIPAs. With such a high abv the drinkability is obviously limited but that aside this beer goes down very easy. A sipper to be sure but very enjoyable. Although Smutty’s IPA isn’t my cup of tea their IIPA is definately an enjoyable sipper. A beer to sit back, relax, and take your time with. 2/3/08



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