hopson (591), Williamsville, New York, USA Feb 9, 2009 bottle- canibus and pine tree aroma- some of the dankest beer I have ever smelled- a syruppy/sticky mouthfeel combined with tremendous hop flavor in a neatly balanced package- so drinkable, and so delicious. Damn. ksurkin (354), Norfolk, Virginia, USA Feb 8, 2009 Updated: Apr 6, 2009bottle from grape and gourmet poured into a pint glass. pours a very clear, dark amber with touches of red and a thin, bubbly white head and sticky lacing. aroma is outstanding with big, fresh, floral hops, citrus aromas of pink grapefruit, and orange, tons of pine needles, and a light sugary sweetness. flavor is where this beer really shines. very big, juicy hops dominate with citrus flavors of lemon zest and orange and touches of pine. tropical fruit flavors of pineapple, mango, and apricot blend with the caramel malt backbone adding a nice sweetness to the beer. the transition of flavors in this beer is what really makes it stand out. mouthfeel is dangerously smooth, slightly oily, with light carbonation, a great hop pucker, and a long lasting bitterness. a great session beer even at 7.5% and one my new favorites. BrotherGrendel (545), San Diego (La Jolla), California, USA Feb 8, 2009 A- Pours a translucent golden orange hue, white thin head dissipates down to a ring, moderate lacing
S- Caramel malts mixed with pine resin, some sweet grapefruit and honey tones come through as well
T- Initial taste bold caramel malts that are quickly followed by milder pine hops, sugary sweet honey comes at the midpoint and it finishes with some slight bitter hopness
M- Medium-bodied, oily and thick texture coats the mouth, moderate carbonation
D- I’m a big fan of the Imperial Red style and this one has great characteristics, the part that sets it apart is the nice sweet honey presence in the middle that really mixes well with the rich malts and bitter hops, overall a blast to drink WisconsinBeer (514), St Paul, Minnesota, USA Feb 8, 2009 Bottle. Thanks to Jabic for the hookup! Pours a clear bright orange color, minimal carbonation, thin whispy head. Flavor is initially mild pale malt, finishes with a body slam of fresh hop resins, a bit of grass and a bit of citrus. Dry finish, somewhat effervescent on the palate. Solid effort. cking (1012), North Canton, Ohio, USA Feb 7, 2009 Much anticipated arrival on my part (and also w/ the locals). The beer shop sold out the same day it arrived so I had to wait a few days until two more cases arrived. Spending precious lunch hour time, I decided on two bottles. Pours a crystal clear, bright amber-orange color with a lasting 1/4" white head and decent lacing. Contains a lot of great hop aromas. The all too familiar pine and citrus fruits are there, but I also detect some rather unfamiliar hop scents. Intriguing with an added dimension to what I’m accustomed to. Smells very juicy, resinous, and sweet. Big bitterness with a dry sweetness. Clean and medium bodied, and very drinkable considering the high IBU’s. Upfront grapefruit flavor along with sappy pine and back drops of caramel candies and sweet buns. Lightly grassy with notes of oranges. Good depth, real nice hopped up beer. SamGamgee (1394), Santa Cruz (La Selva), California, USA Feb 6, 2009 Updated: Mar 2, 200912oz bottle from newest release. Appearance: amber with a small white head and some lace. (4)
Aroma: Grapefruit, blood orange, light pine or cypress sawdust. (7)
Flavor: Hoppy, citrus, fruity, just enough malt sweetness to stand up to the hops. Sweet grainy caramel touch. (8)
Palate: Medium bodied with fine bubbles. (4)
Overall: Doesn’t really have the malt you would expect in an imperial amber, but the massive hops do make it hard to tell. Pretty tasty stuff. (15)
Rerate: Cask at Birerria Paradiso. Huge hop nose seemed more expressive than the bottle. Have to give that a boost. Snoop59 (69), Penn Run, Pennsylvania, USA Feb 6, 2009 Growler from the brewery. Pours a crystal clear amber-copper color with an average foamy off-white head that lasts throughout and leaves incredible lacing. The aroma is of grapefruit, oranges, and pine. Initial flavor is grapefruit and piney citrus followed by an orange-like sweetness. Nicely balanced yet short finish. Medium body. Soft carbonation. Excellent IPA. jrob21 (1249), Atlanta, Georgia, USA Feb 5, 2009 Looks tasty with its clear copper color. Massive flavor and aroma for a straight IPA. Grapefruit citrus hop aroma. That flows through into the flavor pretty well. There is a stabbing prickly sort of bitterness. Full body with a touch of caramel in the background balancing everything out. A little too quick on the finish but I’m being selfish because I kind of want this one to last forever. Thanks to MaltOMeal for bonusing me this one.
|