Drakes Denogginizer

Brewed by Drakes Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
San Leandro, California USA

Can at ZBF 08, thanks to Phil_l. Beautiful amber colour. Lots of big American hops, resiny, slightly empty in terms of malts. Bit metallic on the hops. Some good toffee. Very hoppy on end, but it’s a metallic unbalanced hop. Some pepper, hot hop on finish, just a bit too big and unbalanced. Met the brewer, Roger, the following day at Struise and he is a very nice guy.

ZBF 2008 Sunday Thanks to whoever brought the can and passed it around!: Dark red amber with a nice tan head. Biscuity caramel that seems somewhat powdery. Alcohol intertwined with a big grassy hop sandwich. A touch of mint and tree-bark and just a sprinkle of black pepper. Peppery hop flavor balanced (if you can ever say balance with a double IPA) with the toast and burnt caramel. Many layers of caramel. Good malt background. A touch of lychee and maybe strawberry. All kicked up a notch by the hot alcohol.

On tap @ City Beer Store. Pours a ruddy copper with huge tan head leaving substantial lacing. Wonderful nose of pine and citrus hops, with a nice malt influence as well. Flavor is perfectly supported by the nose, with all the complexities of the different hops and malts blending beautifully. Great brew.

ZBF 2008 on the Saturday, poured from a can and shared by Phil L, thanks Phil! What an amazing big hoppy nose and as Chris O said this is like the essence of liquified hops quite incredible. A goodly dose of malts just about take some of the edge of those aromatic hops for a while but they just keep coming back at you like a randy king charles spaniel at an unguarded leg. Poured mid amber with no head, the hoppy nose momentarily gives way to grapefruit and a stunning bitterness, I really liked this.

Can shared with jimbowood. Pours orange/amber with thick off white head. Huge hop aroma of pines and grapefruit. Big hop bite. Nice balance in this beer. What a double IIPA is supposed to be.

Tap at Porky’s Pizza Palace - San Leandro: Dark gold with a small off-white head. WoW! What an aroma, almost toasty hops, sweet, thick and powerful. The flavor is gigantic turning your tongue into a punching bag being assualted by a boger wearing hop gloves. There is a bitter-sweet tastes with a sharp tang following it. The body is thick and smooth. Very tasty!

On tap @ Drakes poured a clear dark reddish amber with a lastin g amber head. Aromas of earthiness, pine, carmel and grapefruit. Palate was medium bodied and smooth with a dry finish. Flavors of grapefruit, pine, carmel and a hint of earthiness with a smooth lingering bitter finish.

Draft at the Bistro’s 8th DIPA Fest; Nose of pine and citrus hops; cloudy amber with a small off-white head; flavor of pine and hop bitterness lasting into the finish.