5 Seasons GFY IIPA

Brewed by 5 Seasons Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Atlanta, Georgia USA

Date: 02/27/2005
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub

dark hazy amber, lasting tan head, sweet grapefruit aroma, very creamy body, great hop flavor well balanced with a touch of carmel sweetness, long low bitter finish,
-------- /> Date: 05/14/2005
Words: home keg

piicking up some pine in the aroma, the hop flavor is sweetening into a liquid hop poem like a ruination with body, sweetness is tempering the bitter finish making it a quick finish
-------- /> Date: 01/28/2006
Mode: atl cask fest

hazy copper, frothy head, sweet piney aroma and flavor, nice long bitter finish,

Aroma: 9/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 17/20
Rating: 4.2/5.0
Score: ***4
-------- /> The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.

Sampled right before I found out I would be judging IPAs at the RBHBC. Damn glad Im a hophead. Anyway a dark copper color with a large head. The aroma is malty with some grapefruit and pine showing through. The flavor is rather bitter but has a dark malt presence to balance it out. On the citrus side I get alot of grapefruit and orange, on the malty side I get alot of caramel and some honey. Reminds me of Big Hoppy Monster but maybe a little less extreme. A fine beer.

Oh man! I’m going to have a huge buzz by the time I finish this… and it’s my first and probably only beer of the day! -

This baby has the richest copper/amber hue, and a thick pillow of cream head…with lacing that leaves spiraled rings as the glass empties. The aroma is surprisingly malty.. Caramel sits below the massively fruity torso. The woodsy / piney / citric hoppyness blends with the attending toffee, caramel, Munich malt, which brings a compote of fruitiness…. It’s Remarkable! Apples, peach, pears, plums, cantaloupe, honeydew, and figs bring large fructose like flavors… I’m totally digging it! The hops never overwhelms and is only to be found in the finish…as the rear taste buds are the last of the senses and catch the dissipating delicacy. The palate is syrupy thick. It’s as heavy as mud… but taste much better!
5 Seasons brewed a monster here… and it’s Valentines Day in my mouth… in a very straight way!

On cask @ the Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting 2006. One of the top three beers of the festival IMHO. Agree w/ previous rating- would enjoy a little more hops here, but one of the best southern IIPA’s I’ve had.

Pours a golden hue with a 1/2" head. 5 Seasons used the proper trapist style glass which allowed for an easy nose. The beer was citrusy, bready, and I knew there was going to be a hops kick in there. The taste is very malty and sweet. The sweet floral taste was complex but soon overtaken by the hops involved. The hops, to me, is slightly overbalanced and left no room for any other taste moments after a second or two of each sip. An overall good beer for a guy that doesn’t really like double IPAs or beers that boast on their hops.

Orange/resin aroma--cloudy orange color. Taste---ooooh orange syrup, maple, honey--hops nicely integrated. Clean, bitter, herbal finish. Tasty IIPA.

From cask at the Atlanta Cask Ale Tasting. Poured a hazy copper with no head. Alcohol was the first aroma I picked up followed by a good amount of floral and citrus hops. Some malty caramel and toasty flavors cut in half by piney hops with a long finish. The light cask carbonation gives a nice silky smooth mouthfeel. Regular version: medium off white head. Not as silky.

Ok, I’ve had this more than once and can’t figure out why I haven’t rated it yet. I was positive I had. Hazy copper with a good head. The aroma is definitely big hops. Citrusy hops and a bit of honey and caramel from the malt. The flavor is a bit reserved for an IIPA, but solid and actually makes it a little more drinkable. Good stuff.