AleSmith YuleSmith (Summer) India Pale Ale

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

Pours a cloudy maroon/orange with a fluffy, off white head. Smells of big, up in your face, hops, some grapefruit citrus, spices, and pine. The taste is, of course, big hoppiness with a distnct spiciness to it, that left a little heat on the palate. There is a profound sweetness to it also, especially in the finish and the aftertaste. The hops dominate most of the flavors, however, as you would expect with this style. It definitely wasnt the only flavor though. Well done brew.

Bottle thanks to bentley78. Thick and syrupy. Juicy and sweet. Lots of orange, some grapefruit. Bitterness balances, but monster sweetness is dominant. A little light on flavor in the finish. Piney hops with everything else. The bitterness is showing up a bit more as I drink. This is probably up there with Pliny. Everything an IIPA should be. Maybe just wanting in some complexity.

Bottle shared with the Mad_indian, from a trade with Ohiodad. Pours an unclear orange/amber with a large off-white head. Aroma of caramel malts and citrusy hops. The flavor is exceptionally smooth, sweet caramel, citrus, and well blended hoppy bitterness. Beautiful!!!

Poured a cloudy orange color with a big off white head. Aroma was just all hops, mainly piney. Flavor was very sweet, with a nice strong biting hop flavor in the finish.

Explosion of pineapple and tropical fruits out of the glass. Flavors are sticky-sweet fruits underscored with a tiingly pineyness. Superb.

Pours a hazy red-tinted gold into a tulip. Fluffy white micro head calders as it slowly recedes leaving spider lacing. Fruity pine and resin aromas. Crisp and full with upfront juicy fruit and vanilla/ caramel with a lasting bitter resin finish.

The commercial description of this beer is very accurate. The orangish copper body poured very clean and clear, and the just gently off-white head seemed to continue billowing up after I had stopped pouring. Very good retention on the head, but I’m not sure that is nessecarily a plus, lots of lacing. The first sip is very floral tasting, bitter, and caused a warm dry sensation in my mouth. Alcohol is very prevalent. The hops jump out stronger and stronger with every sip and really build a unique taste on ones pallate. I gave the pallate the lowest percent rating out of all of the categories because of the warm dry sensation. It does make you want more and more, and I found it hard to just sit back and enjoy. It was the only beer I had that night and I finished the whole bottle in about ten minutes. (Fast for me). This beer stands very strong as far as double IPAs go. Its unique, complex, and does not let you down. Snaps for alesmith!!! On a sad note, the night I had this my friends were all celebrating a good friend of mine’s birthday and drinking Yulesmith on cask and Barrel Aged Speedway Stout. It brings a tear to my eye.

Bottle. Pours clear copper color with a decent sized off white head. Aroma is heavy citrus, mango, oange, floral hops, mild caramel. Flavor is piney, citrus, grapefruit, orange, mango, floral hops, caramel malts, alcohol. Palate is medium bodied, medium carbonation, finishes with gigantic hoppy bitterness, almost burning the tongue. Awesome stuff.