AleSmith YuleSmith (Summer) India Pale Ale

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

Pours a pastel orange with a large white head. Aroma is very crisply of piney, grapefruity hops and other light-colored fruit. Flavor is very nice, with more emphasis on the hops than malt. Very crisp again, those hops shine through very brightly with cannabis and pine/grapefruit juice flavor. Creamy, full mouthfeel. Overall, excellent.

[Rating #300] Ok I hadn’t planned on drinking this one for my 300th but I couldn’t find anything else around town that interested me and this beer just hit the shelves. I’ve been wanting to try it for a long time. It’s a small disappointment, given it’s reputation. The hop aroma is not quite as strong and distinct as other DIPAs. The flavor is better than the aroma though. It’s grassy and a little fruity. The finish is quite bitter, and also dry. A wonderful IPA no doubt, but not quite up to par with Dreadnaught, Pliny, etc. Still enjoyable and I’m happy to try this one.

Bottle purchased with dinner at Stone Sour Fest 09. Pours a cloudy golden color with a large frothy white head that laces nicely. Aroma is a super fresh hop attack of mostly pine then citrus. Flavor is equally as huge and fresh. Tons of grapefruit, pine, and ridiculously bitter. A slightly sweet malt background with some fresh fruits and bread. Perfect medium to full palate with moderate carbonation. I weep thinking about it.

bomber from south bay drugs, 2009 bottling. pours a beautiful, slightly hazy, perfect gold with a modest, bright white head and great lacing. aroma is absolutely wonderful and the perfect example of pure citrus hops with notes of pink grapefruit, tangerine, and lemon zest with hints of sweet vanilla, fresh flowers, and ginger snap malts. flavor is truly worthy of the word "perfect". huge, bitter citrus hop notes of juicy grapefruit and orange are elegantly balanced by slightly sweet notes of tropical fruit, vanilla, and light, biscuity malts with a touch of brown sugar leading to a wonderful, lingering, dry, bitter and citrusy hop finish. palate is juicy and medium bodied with a smoothness not found in other DIPAs. overall, a world class brew.

Finally I get to try the Imperial IPA! I’ve had the Red, or whatever the other Yulesmith is called, but this one has eluded me. Pours a dark pale ale. Golden with a hint of orange. Some hop aroma, but not quite so pronounced. Nice fluffy head that almost flows over the glass, creamy off white. Sticky lace [so far] down the glass. I am realizing that this is *last* years release! I bought it at Hollingshead on June 12th or so, and I am not that familier with the AleSmith release times so, what do I know... mmmm. Well... It’s not that bad, but my scores might be higher if it was a fresher batch? mm I hope we will know some day... Back to the review.... It’s fairly well balanced, kinda oily, a little citrussy, nicely hoppy and malty I will need to get a fresher bottle some day!

golden orange with large white head. very citrusy hop nose. moderate to low carbonation for style. moderate bitterness that is definitely there, but not overwhelming, almost perfect bittering. monstrous hop flavor that is spicy, citrusy, and herbal before some alcohol and a nice malt balance that is not overwhelming. a lingering hop flavor, the likes of which i’ve never had, this beer really benefits from a mild malt component because it entirely displays a more than worthy hop element. quite possibly the best hop flavor and alcohol combination that i can imagine. never had a double ipa that i can say is definitely better

Wow was this amazing. One of the best beers I’ve ever had. So perfectly hopped and bodied that it feels like a single IPA at 6% in the mouth but burns with the tremendous sweetness and mouth watering tongue squeltering bitterness of a 12% IIPA. Just fantastic, purely citrussy, no floral, no pine. Just fantastically amazing. I had been expecting this one a long while, four years I looked for it, and it absolutely blew my mind.

22 oz. bomber into snifter. Pours a very hazy light gold with a two finger white head that leaves some excellent lacing. Aroma is heavy on grapefruit hops, honey, vanilla extract, white pepper. Taste is very light and refreshing in the beginning with lots of candi sugar, caramel, vanilla, papaya, and mango but then moves to a very dry and hoppy finish that reveals some nutty bitterness. Very easy to drink and very enjoyable but not the ultimate IIPA that I was expecting.