AleSmith YuleSmith (Summer) India Pale Ale

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

650ml bottle. Pours a slightly cloudy copper orange, with a frothy-sudsy head that dissipates slowly. Aroma was all citrus with grapefruit, oranges and lemons. Flavor was hops forward with oranges, thyme, walnuts, and grapefruit. Mouthfeel was creamy, silky and smooth with good carbonation. Finish is medium in duration, dry and very clean with just a slight biter hoppy aftertaste. Overall this is superbly well crafted beer that quenches thirst well.

The best smelling beer i’ve encountered to date. Nose of heavy citrus, noticed the mangos, with hops, exquisite. Flavor is complex, not sure what to make of it... I’ve had other dipas where the flavor was mainly a bitter hoppy adventure, this does not follow suit. Overall a very good beer, and I’m glad I picked it up.

2007 bottle. This one pours a hazy golden yellow with a big fluffy white head that lingers forever leaving big globs of lacing. This is a beautiful looking beer. The aroma is big on citrus hops up front with grapefruit and oranges but also a noticeable pine hop scent as well. There is a faint caramel malt scent as well but the hops are the star in this one. The taste mirrors the aroma with a huge citrus hop kick up front, mainly grapefruit. This gives way temporarily to a more bready malt backbone before the pine hops kick in and give a nice bitter finish that lingers for a while. Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied and sticky with hop oils. It just coats the mouth with hoppy goodness. This is an extremely drinkable DIPA and is another great offering from AleSmith who rarely, if ever, disappoint. Probably a top 5 DIPA in my book.

Pours a gorgeous ruby with tight beige head that lasts forever. There isn’t lacing so much as there is a defiant coasting. Carbonation bubbles up resiliently till the bitter end. Aroma is so powerful; huge grapefruit notes, floral aspects are out of this world, and grassy resinous qualities make make themselves known with vigor. Nearly every appreciable hop quality is present. Flavor hits first with a massive kick of hop resin, followed by sweet woody caramel and molasses malt. Citrus aspects of the nose are not nearly as prevalent in the flavor, rather they are replaced by more resinous flavors such as grass and pine. Malt balance is excellent, providing a great degree of sweetness to counteract the hop battering. Palate is velvety and caressing, leaving a slight alcohol warming and a decidedly dry finish. This brew is put together quite masterfully. Hop character is expounded upon profoundly, balance is phenomenal, and palate is about as good as you can get from the style. I want more.

Pours a light orange. Nose is big fresh grapefruit (reminded me of cutting open a fresh grapefruit and pouring sugar on it), lemon, oranges, floral hops, sweet caramel, light toffee and peaches. Flavor is much the same as the nose. Loads of grapefruit and sweet malt to balance it out. More flavorful than bitter. Amazing offering from Alesmith. I need to get some more of this one.

Bottle. Pours a clear amber with a beautiful fluffy white head that lingers. Huge sweet and bitter citrus hops aroma. Taste is bitter, clean, and refreshing, of hops, citrus, a hint of sweet banana and cloves. Lingering crisp bitterness. Really tasty.

AleSmith produces nothing but the best!!! This is an incredible DIPA in the same class as Dreadnaught. Sun orange body with massive white head that hangs on for dear life to the side of your glass throughout the drink. Aroma is all citrus and heavy pine. Flavor is extremely bold IPA with more subtle hints of vanilla and caramel to provide it balance and improve drinkability. Loved it!!!

2008 Summer Release. Clear dark orange hue with a large craggy white head. Aroma is divine with large swaths of citrus, floral, and light pine hops, cotton candy, and sweet malts. Initial taste is sweet citrus and bitter hops that continue to overpower the malts and spices in the background until the bitter and drying finish. Texture is thick and chewy with lively carbonation that accentuates the sweet hop flavors. A wonderful batch from Peter and crew with excellent balance between sweet and bitter hops.