Stoudts Double IPA

Brewed by Stoudts Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Adamstown, Pennsylvania USA

12 ounce from Secret Santa (WHO ARE YOU?). Hazy, orange, hoppy. Malty and sweet and overall not a bad Double IPA. 10 percent alcohol is not as apparent as you’d think. Nice.

355 mL bottle. Slightly hazy copper with a small off-white head which magically transforms itself into a thick, bubbly film within seconds. Nice lacing. The aroma is on the mild side, with biscuity malt joining the tangerine hops. The flavour is interesting; the IIPA hop flavour (tangerine again) is there, but the bitterness really isn’t, at least until the very end, when it lingers nicely. There is some sweet caramel as well, but the alcohol is almost completely hidden. Medium to low carbonation stays out of the way. Not an outstanding example of the style, but I’ll try it again.

Slightly opaque amber pour with a one finger off white semi-sudsy head. Aroma is predominantly pine/spruce and sweet orange/tangerine. The nose is all about the hop character, though some sweet malt comes through in the form of biscuit and caramel. As she warms, more subtle hop notes come through- grass and citrus nectar. Large sniffs allow for a nice warming 10.6 to come through. Flavor holds an excellent balance of hop bitterness and malt sweetness. The hop character is bursting with juicy citrus and sappy resin, while the malt profile retains notes of caramel, toffee, and bread. Alcohol is again noticeable but never acts in an abrasive or lacerative manner. Warming and pleasant actually. Palate is full and luscious- one of the most thick and fulfilling of the style that I’ve quaffed to date. The mouthfeel is smooth, slippery, and warming with a semi dry but resinous finish. Very true to the style, and well done at that.

12 oz. bottle from Baba Budan’s. Pours a nice cloudy orange-brown with a big off-white head. Aroma is very sweet, with a lot of grapefruit citrus and caramel to go along with the hops, resin, and pine. Flavor follows suit- sweet, with a lot of hops and malts. It feels like there are quite a few varieties of hops in here, probably adding to the deceptive cross of bitter and sweet. Medium bodied, with a malty mouthfeel and medium carbonation. I couldn’t believe the alcohol content in this, and would have guessed it would be much lower. Nice surprise for a beer I just didn’t recognize and ordered for that reason.

Glowing clear amber color/ beige head. Mild citrusy floral hop aromas. medium body. Very good bittersweet flavors of floral citrusy tropical fruit hops on a tasty toasted caramel malty base. Thanks Ira for this bottle.

On tap at Birreria Paradiso in Georgetown. Pours a clear yellow with a small white head that leaves some okay lacing. Aroma is spicy, orange peel. And there is a big whiff of low-grade vodka in there. Ugh. Taste is syrupy sweet, grainy. As the hoppiness and alcohol subsided this is a very simple pale ale. Poor.

Light golden yellow with a sticky off white head. Sheets of lacing. A sticky resinous hop aroma, some crystal malt and caramel. Taste is sticky hops, resin, pine, caramel, apple fruitiness.

12 oz. bottle aquired in trade from daknole- thank you! Served in shaker- poured an ever so slightly murky darkened copper color, medium carbonation, wafer thin white head atop the liquid surface- very still, but had several frog eyes. Aroma of grapefruit, pine, various hard citrus, and some zest of lemon. Hits the mouth with high-medium body, malt has a ring of caramel, hops come crashing in- holds up well in the middle, finish has a little acidity with some lingering. May be a little slightly older bottle, but still very good!