Deschutes Double Bale Quail Imperial IPA

Formerly brewed at Deschutes Brewery
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Bend, Oregon USA

Appearance: a dark, plummish brown color, and a slight, but solid cream-colored head. "Imperial" IPA, that doubles as a barleywine, eh? Obviously the Imperialism reflects high alcohol, and that alone should catapult it into barleywine status, if I’m following their thoughts. With this strength, this hoppiness, and this flavor, it does! Aroma: Fantastic! A buzzing hornet’s nest of hoppiness! Every kind of fruit is set ablaze and swolders away in this astounding nose. Dark cherries, berries, grapes, more, unfolding, showing more alcohol, resembling port wine, dark and leathery, fierce, peppery, stinging, occupying every sense orifice, and becoming akin to taking a deep inhalation of cognac. Hops dominate the mouth on first sip, slowly commanding the senses. Alcohol pretty much takes control, and steers the outcome of every consumption from here on in. Malt does it’s part, too, but the hops, and the booze, never stop! I’m spinning already, under this influence! Perfectly tasty, lip-smacking texture! Very sweet, delicious, full-flavored! Under more ideal circumstances, controlled laboratory tests, perhaps a more thoughtful or scientific discernment might result, but, alas, this was not my first taste of brew of the night, and I feel like I’m getting a triple whammy out of this bad boy! A small 12 0z. bottle, but a well-affected, and remembered, experience. As tasty as I like my barleywines, much stronger than my favorite IPAs, oh, so over the top, but exquisitely created! Good job, Deschutes, keep it up!

Bottle, vintage 2002. Lots of lychee and hops in this one, sweetish as usual and alwasy lots of flavour. Not much else buts hops in the flavour.

Pours with a murky orange color with a tight white sticky head which dissipates quickly. Pleasant fruity, malty aroma - slight whiff of molasses. Excellent thick mouthfeel. Flavor - more akin to a barleywine but more hops present. Alcohol is evident but not overwhelming. Cascade hop flavor is dominant but not to the point of being cloying. Finishes strong. A good nightcap before bed.

Orange brown color. Medium head. Aroma is sweet and fruity with a touch oak. A full bodied Imperial IPA/barley wine /American Strong Ale. Malts are nutty and somewhat sweet. Hops are grapefruity, piney and spicy. A big very hoppy beer. Touch of oak and fruit. This beer is hop dominate, there is no attempt to even try to balance the malts. The hops balance each other out, but there is no attempt to meet the malts. Hides the 10% alcohol very well. Finish is nicely oaky. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean, crisp and oaky. Aftertaste is bitter, with a touch of alcohol bite.

The last keg of Double Bale Quail Imperial IPA was on keg at Toronado last week. Poured into a cute little 10oz glass - seemed to have very little smell but my allergies could have been wrecking havoc with my sense of smell. Nice balance of hops and malt. The malt easily rolls over your tongue but the hops smacks you upside the head to remind you that it's there. Sweet malty flavors of caramel and bubblegum. Very smooth drink given that it's 10%. Make a limited release again!

2002 Vintage. Reddish brown body with a non-existent head. Hoppy, woody nose. Smells similar to the Leviathan from Fish Tale. The first taste is divine! Wondefully hoppy and bitter taste on the tongue mellows a little and then becomes spicy with a lightly bitterted aftertaste. Barely taste the 10% alcohol. This is good. Wish I had more of it!

Weird, cause it says its an imperial ipa, but its clearly a barleywine. Smooth at first with the barley wine flavor kicking in later with a twisting sour bitterness to it. It has an oil and laquer feel to it.

2002: Hazy,darker,oarnge colored beer. Off-white,head of very,small,bubbles. Big earthy,herbal hop aromas.Significant toasted malts and small alcohol. Mouthfeel is thick and fizzy. Very sweet malt flavors.Spicy hop flavors linger on the roof of the mouth.Pretty chewy. Wet,sappy, hop finish. Great earthy/toasted malt in finish as well.