 merlin48 (325), Henderson, Kentucky, USA
May 1, 2008
11.2 oz bottle pours into a tulip a hazy apricot amber with a sturdy ecru head. Good retention and some curtains of sheet lace on the glass. Complex aroma has fruity citrus, subtle spices, yeasty funk, malty molasses and raisins. Nice! Taste mirrors the aroma with an addition of Belgian candy sugars to tame the citrusy hop bitterness. Some Belgian funk from the yeast adds complexity. Lots of orange and pink grapefruit notes. Spices are subtle but add a nice touch even if hard to identify. A different take on the Belgian IPA that really hits the mark.
Heathen (455), Riverside, New Jersey, USA
Jul 16, 2008 THOUGHTS: I guess it’s a DIPA, but it was very tame for one. I Guess it’s just a European take on the very American style we’re all used too. It did get a little more bold once the yeast went in. One of the best beers at hiding an ABV that I’ve ever had. Very nice. I need more Struise.
TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a dark sorta brownish orange that was slightly hazy at first and then down right muddy and nearly opaque once the yeast was in. There was a huge, creamy and rocky, slightly off-white head that mostly lasted and left excellent lacing. The aroma was a little weak for a DIPA. It was moderate molasses and caramel malt, moderate to heavy pine orange, lemon and lim hops, light musty yeast, toffee, a little fruity and something that reminds me of Samichlaus, maybe candi sugar. The initial flavor was moderately sweet, lightly acidic, and slightly sour; while the finish was moderate to heavily bitter and sour. There was a little caramel and toffee then a lot of orange rind and grapefruit rind hops. Lots o’ hops, but never harsh. Nice balance. The light to medium body was fairly dry with fizzy carbonation and a slight metallic and moderate astringent finish.
BuckeyeBoy (1063), Boise, Idaho, USA
Jul 15, 2008 Bottle Pours out a hazy amber topped with a white head. Aroma of fruit (apple and cherry). Tast of the fruit and spice. Some of the Belg hops.
Brigadier (829), Chagrin Falls, Ohio, USA
Jul 15, 2008 11.2 oz bottle
I found this at La Cav Du Vin a few month ago. It has been stored in the fridge to insure that the hops didn’t fade too much. If I had another one I may age it as an experiment. If you want the full experience before it turns into a barleywine crack it open within the next few months.
Aroma / Appearance - A huge pillowy head bobbed above a coppery semitransparent body. The hop presence was not subtle in the least. Cedar, citrus and an overall sweetness contributed to a bright bouquet. It could be a little more aggressive but this is obviously going for the ’imperial’ crown.
Flavor / Palate - Bitter chocolate coating orange peels melts on the mouth upon the first sip. Honey drizzled graham crackers blends with a vegetal transition until finally morphing into a dry caramel finish. Without the intensity of the biggest IIPAs this bridges the gap nicely. Even after the hops fade this should be an excellent beer.
turbothy (580), Nørrebronx, Denmark
Jul 13, 2008 Pours opaque orange brown with a very solid head. Floral, hoppy aroma with fruits and grass. Very bitter, sweet flavour. Quite a bite from the alcohol, but nicely balanced by the bitterness and malt. Great beer.
fredandboboflo (277), East Setauket, New York, USA
Jul 13, 2008 Bottle. Wonderful aroma of playful citrus hops, rich sweet malt with candi sugar and endless esters in the tropical, citrus, yellow-orange range. Flavor was overpowered by candi sugar and some earthy yeastiness. Just sweet, sweet, sweet, even the great esters got lost in the candi sugar, let alone the hops; where are the hops? Why make something 130 IBU if it’s going to be smothered? Just read the commercial description, so it looks like I’m one of those hop bomb addicts who don’t understand.
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