AleSmith YuleSmith (Summer) India Pale Ale

Spilt this bottle (Blue and Red label) with Duane. This is an amazing IIPA! A perfect blend of citrusy, hoppy bitterness and sweet malts. Velvety medium mouthfeel coats your entire tongue and also lingers of the back of your palate. I couldn’t think of any way they might have done better with this one, so I had to give it a 5. I’d really like to try the Winter release to see if it’s any different, as well as revisit Dreadnaught to see which beer is truly the best of the IIPAs.

Stating the obvious...but Alesmith did it again with this brew! For Double IPAs this is a close second to the dreadnaught. Awesome citrus and floral aromas, and the taste has has an excellent balance for such an agressive Double IPA. the taste is also riddled with piney resiny hops that are just wonderful. Very good beer, and another fine example of what Alesmith is capable of.

Had the summer release (blue and red bottle) I feel the need to state the obvious but alesmith nailed this one. This is a superb IPA that I nearly put in the same category as Dreadnaught. Smells strongly of Pineapple, begging to be drank, hell, chugged until only that sweet smell remains. Great IPA balance of hops, citrus a few floral notes and a slight malty sweetness to pull it all together. There’s a slight alcohol imbalance that could mellow this beer into a 5.0 with age. Its like adult candy, worthy of all your allowance. Great beer.

Bottle, thanks Naven! Wow. I don’t think I’ve ever had a smoother DIPA. Great hoppy flavor with fruit coming through nicely. Warm finish with plenty of alcohol coming through. Really good brew that I will be hunting down now.

Bottle, purchased at Bev Mo in Mission Valley, San Diego CA. Drank at home on 8/13/06. This is the summer release in the blue and red bottle. Honestly I think this is a different recipe then the winter. Pours cloudy amber. Amazingly strong hoppy smell. It has a complex lingering bitter hoppy taste. It is also sweet. Although I love Alesmith, this brew has to come second in my book for Imperial IPA’s when compared to Dogfish 90. If you can find it grab it. Keep up the good work your brilliant beer makers.

Bottled. I think this is a summer release of the Holiday Ale. It’s huge and very complex. There is so much flavor and huge hop that it’s like a tap dance explosion on my tongue! Thick creamy head, hugely bitter and certainly not for the whimpy lite sissy yellow beer drinker. This one is for serious beer pros only.

On tap at AleSmith and out of the bottle. What can I say, I really liked this beer. Lots of fruit, and very smooth. Hops are noticeable and tasty, but not overwhelming. One of the best IIPA’s I’ve had. I’m glad I’ve got half a dozen of these at home.

bottle. murky golden color. big head. fuity hops in aroma and taste. very creamy. bit sweet. good.