AleSmith YuleSmith (Summer) India Pale Ale

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

Bomber. I’m absolutely buying everything the brewer claims for this beer: citrus and florals on the nose, and an attack that starts hoppy and grows malty and sweet, even to the point of vanilla. There’s a decent off-white head, dark copper color, body on the high side of medium, and plenty of carb (without being an overabundance). The finish is dry and lingering. After rousing the yeast, it takes on a more pronounced fruitiness and the malt sweetness takes up a new emphasis as well. This is a fantastic IIPA with and without yeast in the glass.

22oz bottle. Pours a beautiful blood orange with a frothy, off white head that left nice lacing on the glass. Nose was big on the pine, citrus, and grass. lingered on the palate for what seemed like days.

Bottle 07 Vintage. Pours nice golden yellow with a lively two finger head. Smell is straight pine, citrus and a touch of sweetness. Taste is a sublime hop bomb. Straigh forward pine hops that mute any malt. As it warms up, the malt comes alive and balances everthing out with a nice caramel/vanilla note.. Carbonation was dialed in prefect. One of the best DIPA ’s I have had in a long time.

Beautiful golden orange color with a huge, fluffy white head that hangs around a long time and leaves a heavy coating on the grass as it slowly recedes. Smells of pungent, bright fruit, lemon-lime and tangerine hops over sweet, mild malts. Tastes of bright citrus hops with little malt flavor but a pleasantly smooth, rich mouthfeel. The malt component emerges more on the finish, which is also marked by a lingering hop bitterness. They didn’t muck it up with a lot of specialty malts; it’s almost like a double version of AleSmith X. I live in San Diego and I’ve tasted some great DIPA’s; this is my favorite. It starts with the ridiculously thick foam that foreshadows the extremely rich texture; but in another sense it is light, in that it doesn’t have much toast/ caramel/ crystal malt flavor; it does have a touch of sweetness, which only seems to enhance the enjoyment of the hop bitterness. But it’s the smell that seals the deal - if you like citrus fruit bright hops more than piney-resin smells, this is for you. The bitterness is powerful but not quite in the ’I’ve got more IBU’ s thn you’ camp. A definite contender for my desert island brew.

Bottle from mreusch. Holy crap, this is good beer. The nose is just bursting with bright, beautiful hops. Sticky pine resin, cedar, lemon zest, sweet sticky malt. Very nice. Pours the color of orange marmalade. Big, creamy, cumulus like white head with excellent retention. Flavor is hop heaven! Perfect balance of oily pine and tangy citrus zest. Tongue coating hoppy goodness leading to a zesty finish that lasts forever. Notes of grass, slightly floral and spicy hops. Creamy with mouth filling carbonation. This is what IIPA’s are all about... balanced excessiveness. STUNNING!

Pours a hazy amber with fizzy white head. Aromas of pine and citrus fruit. Flavors of hops and citrus. Alcohol is hidden well and this one finishes smooth. Good solid beer.

#200...Bottle: Pours a cloudy orange-tan color with a minimal white head. This could be one of the most pleasant aromas I’ve ever smelled. Notes of grapefruit, peaches, bananas, caramel malt along with floral and pine hops. Very silky smooth in the mouth. Hop-bomb that doesn’t shaolin-finger jab the other caramel and fruity accents. Phenomenal brew by a great brewery. I can’t remember who traded me this but thank you.

A bit maltier than your standard double IPA’s though there is a great hop presence throughout. I appreciate the caramel flavors though I think this is more of a strong ale like Double Bastard than a double IPA as the style has been defined. A great beer and I’ll drink it wherever I see it.