AleSmith YuleSmith (Summer) India Pale Ale

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

Bright clear copper. Beatifically hoppy nose, astoundingly tart and citric. Hoppy flavor, quite citric, some orange zest. Malts are there, nice unexpected cocoa flavors plus vanilla. Does have a bit of a gap between the hops and malt, drops off a bit, but still very good.

Dark red color with a big lasting beige head. Citrus hop aroama. Well balanced hop and malt flavor. Long hoppy finsih.

An abundance of hops and pine in the aroma, copper, pours a medium tan head. Flavours are malty, hoppy, piney with some orange too. Creamy, mellow, smooth as silk. Fabulous! Thanks to wohlfs and qdog.

22oz July 04 release-Not much has changed in the flavor from the winter 03 version, but what did change was the balance and palate. This beer is wonderful. I have to bump the score up a little on this one. I will definately update my rating here, but I think i dig this summer version a little more than the winte (even though i gave it the same rating). due to the break in the 2 versions, i have to revisit both of them!

Bonus. Bottle. I had no idea I had the "Summer" version until I noticed the fireworks on the bottle. INTENSE orange peel and grapefruit nose. Huge. No denying the acidic, almost fizzy citrus rind notes in the nose, it tickles my nose. Robust mouthfeel, rich, satifying, sweet on the sides of my tongue. Caramel and tangerine dancing together. This has got to be one of the finest, decadent beers I have enjoyed in a long time. Finishes with a slight bit of alcohol and a whole lot of grapefruity hops. Aftertaste lingers long after the swallow. malty coating holds a sweetness that, in turn, hold onto a piney bitterness. If this was widely available locally, I would alternate between it and Dreadnaught as my treat!

Summer edition. Red & Blue logo with fireworks design. Pours pale yellow & clear. Overly generous white head. Very thick & meringue like. Nice. Aroma is of dry pine cones, pine needles, and smells of crisp autumn air (maybe just the pine cone thing going too far). Palate is warm with hearty malt and smooth hop tang. Not extremely assertive for a strong IPA. Very drinkable. Very approachable to those not already into DIPAs. It certainly does not come across like an 8.5% beer.

2007 bomber, pours a cloudy golden amber with a towering pillowy off-white head, excellent lacing. Impressive aroma of grapefruit, floral, citrus, and some slight caramel. The same lineup as most IIPA’s, but blends and works well together much better than most, making the aroma assessment pleasantly long and drawn out. Taste is incredibly spot on for this style, with near perfect hoppiness, and supporting the aroma very well. Palate is quite smooth, creamy and full, with a clean finish. Yet more proof that AleSmith makes the world a better place!

Pours a hazy dark orange with a huge creamy head that lasts forever. Nice drippy lacing throughout the glass. A touch of sweet caramel malt in the aroma, but that is quickly overshadowed by the intense pine and citrus hoppiness. Just a touch of sweetness in the flavor as well, until the hops and alcohol take hold. Super refreshing on the palate. Intensely hoppy. Fantastic!