Smuttynose Big A IPA

Brewed by Smuttynose Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA

Bottle of the ’06. Pretty good, but I don’t love it. It’s difficult to describe, but the graininess seems almost stale, not quite to cardboardy flavors, but starting to lean that way. The hops flavors are nice and piney, but they aren’t good enough to really impress.

Solid IPA. Beutifully balanced and complex, deftly handles large amounts of malts and hops, copious citrus aromas and undertones give the whole package great punch. Long long finish, medium to full bodied. It’s great.

22oz Bottle Conditioned in 2006 from jah noth, thank you Dan! Pours a clear honey golden with a one finger eggshell head fading to a creamy film. Aroma is some pine and pineapple hops, soapy caramel malts and a bit of cracker. Flavor is much the same with some grassy astringency and a little alcohol warmth. Dry finish. Full smooth body with soft carbonation. Other than the astringency with the hops, this is a goodin’.

On the spectrum of double ipas, this happens to be on the Dreadnaught/Goose Island I2pa/Hercules side of malt and hops profile. As opposed to the 90 minute/Hopslam side. (I’m basing this on taste and not actual malt and hops used). I happen to be a fan of this side of the spectrum. Big A does have a tendency towards the cloying orange rind finish which I associate with the 90 minute side of things, but not too bad. Nice to have this available just over the border in Hudson, WI.

22-oz. bottle provided via trade with beastiefan2k. Pours clear orange with a small fizzy white head, somewhat diminishing, fair lacing. Aroma is average malt (bread, grain, cereal), heavy hops (perfume, pine, citrus, grapefruit), average yeast (sweat) with notes of apple and pineapple. Medium bodied, sticky texture, soft carbonation and a bitter finish. Long duration, light sweetness, moderate acidity and heavy bitterness; fuesel alcohol presence and heavy bitterness is kind of offensive.

Par for the course...pours golden dandelion yellow with a very clear body. Peach grove, vanilla, and pineish air freshener in the aroma. To start the flavor isn’t much besides a mean alcoholic bite. Eventually some cedar wood flavors show up aside some honeyish malt, lemon, and caramel. Syrupy mouthfeel, saturated with flavor but not so complex.

22oz bomber. Heads up! First pour of half of the bottle produced a clear glass that made me think the beer was filtered, but to my suprise, the second pour was very cloudy (and tastier), so be advised! Pours a cloudy deep golden with a tint of yellow. Small white head. Floral aroma with grapefruit, malt and sugar candy. The cloying sweet sugar candy and malts hits you upfront with a bitter piney aftertaste.

It has an aroma that I liken to a Belgian-type ale, very clear and uncloudy amber color and a head that starts thick but quickly goes away, leaving big bubbles that I’d call "dishwater." Nonetheless, this is an excellent IPA and it is a very enjoyable brew.