AleSmith YuleSmith (Summer) India Pale Ale

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

Pours a hazy pale orange with a fluffy off-white head that leaves nice lacing. Aroma is moderately sweet, grapefruit, pine, pineapple, caramel and mango. Flavor is pineapple, grapefruit, caramel and passion fruit. Medium to full body, sticky texture. Nice long bittery good finish.

received this gem as part of a trade with Saarlander, thanks Aaron. let’s cut right to the quick, this is a beer where the commercial description is dead on! for an IIPA, the mouthfeel is what really impresses me. many IIPA’s have nice malt & hops, most have high alcohol & great appearance. this is one of those cases where it all comes together to form a great beer. does southern California have room for one more beer geek? I may be living in the Alesmith parking lot soon! As I sit here nearing the bottom of my first snifter, at least 35 minutes since the pour, there is still an 1/8th to 1/4 inch of lacey foam. it has a wonderful chewy mouthfeel and the balance is superb. I hope Alesmith comes to Illinois soon!

22 oz bomber: Lasting off very light beige head on a medium amber/orange body. Has just a slight haze. Smells like an IPA! Grapefruit citrus and piney hop aromas dominate at first. Also a little perfumey, probably from alcohol. Toasted bready malt balances hop as it warms. Fruitiness seems to be all citrusy hop, and a little woody aroma comes in as well. Balanced in flavor to bitter, but overall well balanced. Lemony citrus hop flavor dominates with some caramel & toasty malt. Some allcohol in the flavor, but adds to complexity. Finish is on the semi dry side with a citrus hop and toasty malt that lasts into the aftertaste. Medium body, warming alcohol, and lower carbonation; overall smooth. Very enjoyable IPA. I know it says IIPA, but this is a pretty good IPA. Not my favorite style, but a nice change from my malt loving ways!

Finally! Cloudy amber body with a sizeable tan head. Aroma of peppery hops with a significant sweetness. Flavor is a hops explosion, with an initial assault of floral and citrus notes followed by a sticky sweetness. It really lingers on the tongue, with a syrupy sweet finish. Nice DIPA.

Yulesmith is the last of the legendary Alesmith brews I have left from a recent purchase from Hi Times Wines in California and perhaps the best. It pours a nice red/amber color with a bit of white head and a smattering of lace. Nose is bright and citric with a touch of melon and pine. Full-bodied yet somehow still quite dry--would be absolutely perfect with just a hair more carbonation. An almost ice-tea-like maltiness backs up a strongly hoppy flavor profile with just a touch of alcohol in mild, lingiring bitter finish. Very nice. Very nice, indeed.

Wow...this is one of the best Imperial IPAs I have had in a long time. Pours a hazy gold with a thick off white head. Crazy hops aroma, pine, citrus, and about everything else. Great hop flavor, with a some serious hop bitterness. Really glad I got a second bottle :)

Pours a cloudy golden brown with an amazing frothy head that just won’t go away. Aroma of citrus, pine, malt, hops. Flavor is grapefruit, hops, malt, nice and bitter with enough malt sweetness to balance it out. This stuff is really good.

7/3/04-2004 Summer release: Picked up four bombers at MCAS Miramar Marine Mart. ooh-rah. Happy 4th to all of our Men and Women in uniform. Oh yeah, AleSmith ROCKS!