AleSmith YuleSmith (Summer) India Pale Ale

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
San Diego, California USA

The Dan Journal #136. Tasted 11/19/07. 22oz bomber. First pour is clear with adeep golden honey hue. Huge off-white head. The head holds aromas of light grains with berry and honey undertones. Full bodied and BIG! Lotta action going on. Citrus nuances drift up the nostrils as you sip. Spicy and piney hop flavors. Good amount of alcohol. Noticeable burn. Sticky with lively effervescence. The bottom of the bottle poured activated and sedimented. Clinging head. Good balance but not enough depth. Slightly piney and tart. Good brew.

Bomber consumed at Stone Bistro because it topped the draft offerings the day I was there. Pours a dull hazy orange with off white head. The aroma has a sweet sugary maltiness mixed with juicy pine and some citrus hops. Not nearly as pungent as the winter version. The mouth feel is thick and chewy with a plentiful bounty of pine and grapefruit hoppiness that mixes brilliantly with a river of malty sweetness. Toward the finish the hops seem to split into bitter pine hops and grapefruit hops as well as sweet orange juice. Easily quaffable.

Bottle from mreusch. Holy crap, this is good beer. The nose is just bursting with bright, beautiful hops. Sticky pine resin, cedar, lemon zest, sweet sticky malt. Very nice. Pours the color of orange marmalade. Big, creamy, cumulus like white head with excellent retention. Flavor is hop heaven! Perfect balance of oily pine and tangy citrus zest. Tongue coating hoppy goodness leading to a zesty finish that lasts forever. Notes of grass, slightly floral and spicy hops. Creamy with mouth filling carbonation. This is what IIPA’s are all about... balanced excessiveness. STUNNING!

Bottle (Sune) at ØLklubben (2007 edition). Clear yellow (green glow) - white head. High hoppy, peach, light peppery, sweetness, light almond notes. Dry bitter finish. Very nice.

2007 edition, with a very crisp, fresh, sharp and sizzling hop bite. Especially rich in texture -- significantly more viscous and gooey than you expect with a beer of this style designation. It bursts with hop flavor, with an abundance of bittering hops. The IBUs must be maxed out with this one. Tons of that hop character in the aroma; very floral in terms of olfactory saturation. Finishes very dry, and even with some spiciness. May well be the best and biggest of this style I’ve ever had. Stone has to do some special release of its own to challenge this.

22 oz bottle.. Nice Imperial IPA. Had it in between Ruination so I compared it to that. This was pretty thick and domineering for an IPA but not over powering. The flavor was strong and malty and bitter but not as much as some other IPAs. Detected hints of chocolate, roasted malts, light citrus, and of course piny hops. Recommended over DFH 90 minute but not Stone Ruination.

22 oz. bottle from Zinister. Pous is a cloudy golden yellow with a bunch of carbonation bubbles and a big, fluffy slightly off white head (which was rocky, and very slow to settle). Aroma of grapefruit, lemons, limes and flowers. Smell is quite soft, particularly the floral. Also some nice sweet breadiness in the nose as well. Very engaging. Taste is primarily the citrus hops (grapefruit predominantly) with some hop resin and pine mixed in for good measure. Was expecting a bit more maltiness based on the nose. Finish is long and full of hop bitterness. This one was very hop forward. Enjoyable, though I enjoyed the Winter YuleSmith a bit more due to its balance. Thanks for this one Michael!

Den første øl til klub-smagningen. Tak til Sune. Lys rav med et sjovt grønligt skær. Hvidt skum. Både sødlig og bitter i duft og smag, maltet, grasset og krydret. Lidt støvet med en god bitter og tør eftersmag. God mundfylde og ganske velsmagende.