Smuttynose Big A IPA

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

A very solid "4" beer, if ever there was one. 22 oz. brown bomber bottle. No freshness date seen, but none needed at this level of alcohol. Decent pfffttt when opened. Poured out a cloudy, dark orange color, with light green highlights from the massive amount of hops in it. It has a volumous, white head to it, which left a sticky lacing that covered the top of the beer, and went down the sides of the glass. Aromas are of grapefruity hops, sticky, resinous, piney hops, and slight aromas of malts, way off in the background. The hops clearly dominate both the aroma and taste profiles of this beer. Tastes are of resinous, piney hops, along with slight maltiness. Hops are almost over powering in this beer. Slick mouthfeel coats the tongue with sticky hoppiness. The IBU’s of this beer must be off the scale. Finishes very bitter, and somewhat astringent.

Bottle pours a fairly hazy amber with grapefruit highlights, small frothy off-white head, good carbonation, with so-so lacing.   Hops, caramel, and sweetened grapefruit on the nose.   Hop bitterness, slight pine, definite citrus flair, with strong notes of grapefruit on the tongue.   Good body and mouthfeel.   Finishes with floral notes and that mouth puckering hop bitterness.   This is fairly tasty!   Thanks goes out to slob for the trade!

one of the most drinkable and pleasurable double ipa’s out there, and in my opinion a great one to get started on. the guy on the front doesn’t look like much of a beer drinker, but perhaps it just means that this is a ’big’ beer, thus the ’big’ beer series. more available and price friendly for it’s size and quality. quite golden in color, think of hop wallop, but not as hugely aggressive and with a nicer malt sweetness.

Shiney and clear reddish gold. Almost scotch-like. Thin white head. Perfumey start with some pine and citrus soon accompanying it. Piney alcohol with a nice sweet caramel backing. Rind and fresh grass or maybe green herbs in the finish. Some sweet orange liquor too. Good stuff.

Big bottle purchased from Harris Teeter, Charlottesville. 2006 bottling. Pours murky amber with a small, soft beige head. Heavy citrus hops in the nose. Extreme hop taste, with some citrus and a finish of pepper.

This beer is right on. If there isn't balance in an IPA it's just hop juice. Big Al comes into the ring with a big, long lasting head. After checkin' out the beautiful hazy amber color, Al moves on to the citrusy aroma before delivering a perfectly balanced punch of malt and hops. The long finish was the declaring factor in this match. Big Al a Winner.

(Bottle,shared by Beermouth, thanx) Light yello, lasting, white head. Alcoholic and hefty hparoma. A little toast flavour, perfect carbonaton for the %. The late taste is really nite, lets some plume through rom the yeasts. Highly hopped finish, great ex of style.

Bottle shared by Alexsdad06. Poured a hazy copper color with an average frothy off-white head that mostly lasted with good to excellent lacing. Moderate to heavy complex citrus hoppy and malt aroma with a small alcohol tone. Medium body with a smooth texture. Medium to heavy bittersweet flavor with a medium bittersweet and small alcohol bite finish of moderate duration. This is a standout beer.