 SamGamgee (1396), Santa Cruz (La Selva), California, USA
Jul 9, 2009 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
TheGrandMaster (1846), Auckland, New Zealand
Jul 9, 2009 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!
daleharshman (181), San Diego, California, USA
Jul 9, 2009 2009 bottle from brewery ($7.50). Pours a light amber color with very big and very white fluffy head. I think this head has the longest staying power I have yet seen in an IPA/IIPA. Aroma is all about the bitter-sweet grapefruit but there are also hints of the pine forest I was mountain biking in last weekend in northern California. More juicy grapefruit and pine in the flavor. Starts with a light maltiness and light sweetness and quickly moves into the hoppy bitterness which lingers at the back of the tongue. This is well-balanced and not over the top like many double IPA’s. Refreshing and a high level of drinkability.
dchmela (1406), Orlando, Florida, USA
Jul 8, 2009 08 bottle from Dan. Pours a hazy orange with a thick white head. Big grapefruit hops, pine and a little toffee. Taste is smooth, lush hop grapefruit bitterness, yet not mouth puckering. Somehow they managed to get some nice balance in there so you could drink it. You get the hops in the backend, but still not overwhelming. Excellent DIPA.
can8ianben (903), Pasadena, California, USA
Jul 5, 2009 Oh my. They have created the smoothest, most delicious double IPA that I’ve ever tasted. Aroma of plump juicy grapefruit and subtle pine forest. Appearance is a hazy orange with a thick foamy head that gives you a nice milk mustache when you drink from the glass. Flavor of bright lemon, fresh bread, and toasty caramel at the end. Finish is bitter but not as mouth drying as I expected with that much flavor. What an incredible beer, the ABV is totally hidden, just a hop lovers delight remains.
DuffManSW (283), Riverside, California, USA
Jul 5, 2009 On tap at Hollingshead’s.. Pours a cloudy golden with a fluffy white head.. Great smelling citrus and floral hop aroma. Couldn’t take my nose out of this one..Lingering citrus hop bitterness with alot of grapefruit going on. Great beer!
harbuck76 (127), El Cajon, California, USA
Jul 4, 2009 22 oz. Perfect for the 4th. Pours a hazy orange with a big fluffy white head. Aroma is full of citrus hops, some mango, a nice balance of sweet malts. fFavor is bursting with citrus and pine hops. An all around nice west coast DIPA.
beernbourbon (236), chicago, Illinois, USA
Jul 4, 2009 Bottle with big thanks to zinister! Seemed to be a fitting choice for independence day. Aroma is pineapple, citrus hops, strong malt, some fruity notes, and spice. Smells kind of like barleywine. Flavor is very sweet and malty up front with notes of cinnamon and clove. Then the hops kick in to balance it out. The hops are not as prominent as I expected. More of a balancing flavor to counter the sweetness. Hops are piny with notes of pineapple in the finish, but certainly more of a background flavor. I think this bottle may have had some age on it which is fine with me, I occasionally like IPA’s with some age on them; more like hoppy balanced barleywine.
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