BrewDog Hardcore IPA

Finally an IPA that combines the style of a classic UK IPA with slight nuances of the "new" American--style IPA. IPA originally was pale ale that was aged slightly; Hardcore IPA is a Double IPA in that style, but updated of course, with modern twists. With this said, if you are seeking a West Coast, heavy carbonated, heavily hopped IPA, this is not your bottle of beer. Hardcore, had little carbonation, no substantial head, even with a sloppy pour. The color was dark orange amber so slightly darker then most modern IPAs’. The Smell was rich; I could tell much of the flavors of the IPA from the smell. The smell is hard to describe, but has a rich malt smell to it that is balanced off with slight citrus overtones. When I first tasted a sip no bitter hop taste punched my palate, instead a bold rich creamy malty taste with a mild almost unnoticeable taste of citrus tasting hop. The after taste does hit you with hoppy bitterness though it hits in a way unlike any ale I have ever drunk. The malty first flavor seems to fully develop and then disappear as a hoppy bitterness appears. It s very sticky in the mouth and the taste lingered on my palate for around thirty minutes. Hardcore contains more malt then most IPA’s which gives it a slight barley wine type taste though without the sweetness. It seemed like BrewDog did it in the traditional UK classic way, but with more hops. Over all one of the best unique imperial IPA’s I have ever had; it truly is far different from any Imperial IPA I have had, it’s a shame I only had one bottle.

Bottle. Pours a cloudy orange copper with a paperthin head that diminishes quickly to nothing. The aroma is a light floral hops and pine. Medium mouthfeel with a dry hop and citrus taste with a nice sweet finish. Hides the alcohol well making it easy to drink. A good IIPA from BrewDog.

330 ml bottle. Finland. Batch 037. Hazy golden-orange colour with thin head. Hoppy aroma of grapefruit, pine and citrus. Dry bitter flavour with grapfruit, citrus, malts and some hints of caramel sweetness. Quite thin and hop driven.

Bottle 0,33 l. Pours light orange gold with small white head. Nose is somewhat musty, flowery, hops and the some rotten grass quite up front. Skunky and earthy. Flavor is sourish bitter with only a bit maltiness. Feels quite thin and boring for it’s style. As a lighter pale ale I would give this much better score, but as a strong DIPA it just doesn’t deliver.

Bottle. Golden colour, disappearing small white head. Hoppy aroma of citrus and grapefruit. The flavour is bitter, citrus and grapefruit with malty notes. Long bitter aftertaste. Quite good, not as bitter as I was expecting.

Batch 207-- bb 02/02/10 from a snifter: pours dark hazy orange-gold with a medium head. Aroma is funky earthy yeasty at first, apricot and citrus fruitiness and resinous hop upon closer investigation. Some biscuity malt in there as well. Flavour is fruity and boozy, medium bitterness through the middle and a slightly sticky alc sweetness towards the finish. Low carbonation let’s the malt shine through.

Best before 2/2/10 - pours a lightly hazy gold with a soapy lace - earthy, kind of sweaty aroma, with some notes of apricot, grapefruit, some crackery malt - moderate carbonation, medium body - starts rather sweet and sugary, but a rather dry bitterness squashes this pretty fast - a really strong grapefruit pith flavor borderlines on unpleasant after a while - ends dry, almost flinty, and strongly bitter - it ain’t bad, just a little out of balance.

Four oz sample from a botttle at the 3 sons beer tasting.Yellow with some bubbly head, typical pale lage appearance. Strongish dull Ipa aroma. Some carbonation but mostly a big alky laden mildly hoppy beer. Don’t think this reaches douple IPA form. Rather smoothgoing down. Long bitter terrible linger for a finish. Almost on style.