AleSmith YuleSmith (Summer) India Pale Ale

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.

From the Bottle at Tom’s Ultimate Glasgow Tasting, Blackfriars 01/12/2007 Very hoppy aroma. Golden coloured and hazy in appearance with a crisp and bitter lasting finish.

Orange pour with big white head. I can smell the hops from across the room. Big, fruity bitter aroma. Fresh citrus, slight herbal tinge. Flavor is massively bitter. Grapefruit rind, pine, a bit of mint, and light herbal notes. Malt is bready and there to complement the hops. Nice medium mouthfeel, smooth nice carbonation, dry bitter finish. Absolutely the perfect double IPA.

Draught at the brewery. The last Alesmith bottle release that I have yet to have, and irony-of-ironies, I have it on-tap at the brewery. Warmed up with a sampler of the regular IPA to get my palate in order. Came with an orange color and sticky head. Fruity and somewhat yeasty aroma with grapefruit, mint, and peach. There is also some nutty malt. The flavor has soft, fruity hops and more bready malt sweetness than I was expecting. Lower on the bitterness scale, with a good balance that is almost too malty. Nice, though not the dry hop bomb that I had come to love after a day and a half of local IPAs

Bottle (in NZ). Pours ahazy gold with a thin white foamy head. A floral and fruity aroma, sweetish toffee, and pine. Orange is big in the flavour. Big full mouthfeel with a strong tart hoppiness on the palate. A big beer!