Arcadia Hopmouth Double IPA

Brewed by Arcadia Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Battle Creek, Michigan USA

This beer pours a drab, dark, amber-brown color, but shows pretty notes of a hazy, orangish copper colored beer when held up to the light. While pouring this beer from my 22oz bottle, it produces an initial head of about three fingers thick and it is a creamy tan color. The aroma is expressively hoppy with sweet notes of grapefruit and tangerine being prominent. The aroma is just sweet smelling enough that it almost reminds me of candied citrus peels, but there is a touch of crystal malt caramel flavors here as well.

The taste is fairly sweet as well, it is a combination of the bright citrus-like hop flavors and the sweet malt notes that make it sweet. This has a certain creaminess to it as it rests in my mouth, it is definitely on the full side, but is not heavy like say a Barleywine would be. While the citrus/ fruity hop notes certainly dominate this beer there is an undercurrent of herbal pine notes that sort of morph into a lingering bitter note that attempts to dominate the finish, but can’t quite do it because those sweet citrus notes refuse to be subdued. This beer has flavors that make me think of ruby-red grapefruits, fleshy-sweet apricots, some notes of sweet tangerines and of course orange. The malt plays a supporting role, but does supply some sweet malt character in the form of caramel flavors as well as some lightly toasted grain notes.

This is a nice example of a Double IPA, it has the body and heft to stand up to the ample hops, but does not become too cloying. It is certainly not as abrasive and raw as some, but to be honest I am not in the mood for tongue peeling hops right now anyway. The focus on soft, fruity hop notes makes this version drinkable yet suitably hoppy for the style.

Dark Apricot Coloring with White Skin. Citrusy Hop Aroma. Nice Body..Notes of Citrus/Grapefruit..Piney... Big West Coast Hop Flavor...Very Drying At the End...with Citrus Notes Staying on the Tongue Till the Very End. A Nice Big Bad Hop Beer.

22oz bottle. hops, malt stickyness. honey, hops, smooth body. malt flavors. hints of sherry. clean finish.

22 oz. bottle from Whole Foods Charlottesville. Orange red pour with a three finger head. Good lacing and retention. Big wet resiny hop aroma. Hops are assertive in the taste... citrus and resin. Brown sugar like malt sweetness. Well balanced. Full bodied.

Mixed results with this one - first bottle was delicious; bright hops and a huge pear taste, medium thick malty body. Second try was way off, bitter but not fruity at all.

On tap at the Blind Tiger in NYC. Poured an amber type color, weak initial head and lacing, not off to a great start. The aroma was caramel, some pine resin. The flavor was a little watered down, some caramel, pine hops, light breadiness, needed more citrus. For a style that has a lot of potential, this was pretty weak. Watery mouthfeel, needed more umph all the way around: malts and hops. Not a turnoff, just short of the style’s potential.

Bottle: Poured a cloudy orangey color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and minimal lacing. Aroma of bitter and floral hoppy notes with a big malt backbone. Taste is also dominated by some floral and hoppy notes with a huge light caramel malt backbone. Medium body with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. While this beer is very good overall I would have expected more hops for the style.

650 ml bottle from vintagecellars. Cloudy copper brown with a foamy white head. Aroma of caramel and sweet spice: clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon. A nice malty backbone with an earhty, peppery cinnamon and corriander taste with some fruity notes. Smooth silky palate and a mild bitterness. Excellent.