Bend Hop Head Imperial IPA

Brewed by Bend Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Bend, Oregon USA

Date: 10/13/2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewfest, GABF

hazy dark yellow, creamy off white head, big sweet crystal malt aroma with lots of citrus and pine hops plus a bit of sweet fruity tangerine, creamy body, lots of liquid hop flavor, sweet tangerine and citrus character, crystal malt adds sweetness, a nice bitterness comes in to balance it,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.6/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

Golden colour with slight haze. No shock - lots of resiny hop notes and crystal malt as per the style archetype. Thankfully, the attenuation is respectable and the body thus leaner than many examples of the style. I prefer this (disagreeing with Jordan, apparently). The finish leans I think a little more to the malt, though it’s hardly a doppelbock. It’s just that the finish is only slightly hoppy but fairly chewy.

(Draught) Pours a hazy yellow body with a medium off-white head. Aroma of citrus, floral, light pine, and melon. Flavor of hops (earthiness, pine, tangerine) and caramel malt.

On tap at the 2008 Strong Ale Festival. Poured a medium amber color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of citrus, pine, melons, and some malts. Tastes of citrus, melons, caramel, and pines.

Sampled draught at Bend Brewing Company, Bend
Light hazy copper, thin head. Nose of ant hill amounts of simco or cascade, very piney & earthy & citrusy at the same time. Very awesome nose. The flavor is also well acclimated to the hop essence, low alcohol threshold but watery finish. Moderate body too, like .002 higher FG would do this wonders.

GABF 2007: Poured an almost clear golden yellow color with a medium off-white head. Hop forward citrus aroma with some biscuity malt underneath. Big but not overdone. The flavor had a great mix of big citrus and piny hop on top of malt. Medium to full bodied and nice warming in the chest. This was one of the better IIPA and beers I had at the fest.

Tasted on tap at the 2006 Bistro 2xIPA festival. Pours a slightly hazy medium orange gold color. Small sized white foamy head. Aroma is fruity, caramel and pine. A medium bodied Imperial IPA. Malts are fruity (apricots and peaches), with some caramel. Hops are floral and citrusy, Medium bitter IPA. Nicely balanced. Very easy drinking, this beer would almost work as a session IPA. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

On tap at the Sasquatch Brewfest 05. Pours a clear orange with a tall off-white head. Tons of big fruity citrus hops in the aroma. Nice caramel malts up front, but they get quickly rocked by the big hop finish. Nice crisp finish with a lighter body and not excessive bitter finish.