 Fin (2344), Merton, Oxfordshire, England
Jun 22, 2007
Bottle in the company of Doppelganger, Tracey and Loz. Poured copper in colour with slight haze and off white head. Super aroma with pine and resin notes in abundance. This beer really took no prisoners in the taste stakes, as you taste buds were instantly assaulted with an intense bitter and resiny bite this was tempered with an initial sweetness that soon offered it’s submission to the crushingly bitter fury of the Simcoe hop. Just when you think it’s all over there was a grapefruit pithiness that Doppelganger picked out and how right he was this lingered forever and a day. A great beer, but quite a shock for someone quite unaccustomed to such hoppy beers it was quite a blast to the palate.
NobleSquirrel (683), Chicago, Illinois, USA
Oct 6, 2008 Bottle from Discount Liquors. Pours an attractive Deep bronze-red, a lot like Gordon. Nice off-yellow head. Nose isn’t as strong as I would have expected, though that could be due to the burnt bread in the kitchen. NOse is grassy and slightly citric. In my experience there is little to no pine coming off of a simcoe hop, just a very floral, albeit slightly resinous aroma. (I know, resinous sounds like pine, but it’s not). Taste is crushingly bitter, lots of citrus, followed by crisp, not astringent, bitterness. This is much more bitter than the beers I’ve brewed with Simcoe, likely due to amounts and way used. But this is a very nice hop, minimal grassiness in taste. Distinct alcohol and a thick body (which is expected.) Exceptional IIPA.
douglas88 (808), Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Oct 6, 2008 Bottle thanks to hopscotch. Pours a deep amber color with a large white head and lots of lacing. The aroma is great; loads of sweet pine and citrus hops.The flavor was also great; initially this is quite a hop bomb. The simcoe hope are very full and ripe, like biting a handful or fresh hops. There is also a strong caramel malt that adds balance. Perhaps my favorite aspect is the full and very creamy mouthfeel. Just delicious. If we could get this in Utah I’d be a happy man. I’m proud of my home state for producing such great beer.
skoisirius (480), Seattle, Washington, USA
Sep 29, 2008 12 oz bottle thanks to Mr. Ed! Pours a thicker golden color with almost a light brown tone that extends a bit of a tannish color into the lightly foamy head. Gorgeous coloring for an IPA. Aroma consists mainly of different hops, but mainly a bitter sense to it. The flavor on this is simply Simcoe. It’s really amazing. I wasn’t as blown away as I thought I would be, but it’s HUGE in the bitter department. Starts off fairly shallow with a light malt and once the body kicks in it is bitter, Simcoe, bitter, Simcoe, all the way through the finish. The bitter lingers forever too! Hints of peach and melon are hidden in there throughout as well. The ABV is not really all that detectable either! Good stuff...hope to try a full bottle at some point!
GodOfThunder (26), Orlando, Florida, USA
Sep 29, 2008 It pours a bright bronze color with a slight cloudiness. The head is nice and thick and a light beige color that leaves lacing all the way down the glass.
The smell isn’t as strong as I thought it would be. It has a light, and sweet, hoppy smell to it, not strong and bitter.
The taste is fabulous. Not bitter at all, just smooth Simcoe hoppiness. There’s a lot of grapefruit in it, especially the aftertaste. I’ll have the taste of grapefruit in my mouth for an hour. Very enjoyable.
gsmitty80 (533), Washington DC, USA
Sep 25, 2008 I really enjoyed this beer as it poured a nice golden color with smells effervescing from it that were strictly of hops. Taste was exceptionally smooth for a double IPA. Mouthfeel was silky and pleasant and there was no lingering aftertaste except for a clean hoppy palate.
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