Drakes Denogginizer

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

Big, big beer! Lots of cascade-descendent citrus hops. Too much of some dextrin flavor that I didn’t care for too much. perhaps too much 80L+ crystal malt. this is really into barley wine territory. With some longer-term cellaring I think this might be much better. Poor finish. Harsh.

On tap at Toronado. This dark amber ale poured with a thin off-white head, eliciting a hoppy aroma. The flavor, too, is very hoppy, but balanced by the malt, with a smooth bitter finish.

On tap at Hollingshead Deli. Golden brown with some haze, decent sized white head. Aroma of sweet malt, pine and citrus. medium bodied, sweet on contact with nice caramel malt profile, complex hops arrangement keeps interesting flavors coming at you to the finish, which is bitter but not overdone. Balance is perfect, craftmenship is excellent, a great beer.

On tap at Hollingshead Deli. Deep, toffee brown, slightly hazy colored pour with a large, soapy cream head. Gentle, caramelly sweet aromas of blue spruce and raisin bread sprinkled with brown sugar. Wonderfull, full-bodied mouthfeel. Creamy, caramelly goodness pours over my tongue and clings desparately to every tastebud. Far more malty than first expected. Tons of caramelly sugars at first contact, only to be washed down by a smooth, citrusy sweet hoppy cleaning of pine boughs and orange rind. Final smack of spiced tea and pinked grapefruit. Delicious IIPA, and a fabulous example of how good an IIPA can be when the hop and malt balance is selected just right.

6th annual Bistro IIPA fest. This brew won best of show in ’05 and ’04. Failed to place this year. I see why it did so well in year’s past and am shocked it isn’t more highly rated than it is. Wonderfully bitter aroma. Amber body; yellowish, off-white head. Excellent lace. Really good. Good balance. I can’t come up with a way that this could be any better. Outstanding.

Be careful with this one. It does sneak up on you. Definitely a balanced brew but also definitely hoppy, hoppy, hoppy. The big hop nose (which is noticable from half a block away) is tamed by a rich maltiness with lots of roasty caramel notes. Big hop taste all the way from first touch to that gulp as it rolls down your throat. Rich orange/amber appearance with nice head and great lacing as it goes down in your glass. Did I mention, be careful? Real easy to drink a few of these like it was a normal IPA!

Enjoyed this out of a growler, which came straight from the brewer. Simply incredible aroma. Like someone dumped a ton of hops in your back yard, sprayed it with water and the aroma seeps into your house. HUGE hops with incredible pine notes. Words can’t describe how good this is fresh. I will stop now and remember.

GABF 2005. Light gold. Rich hop aroma, just how I like it. Vibrant grapefruit, pine and spruce, with perhaps a hint of grass and herbs. Medium bodied, with a creamy, yet slick texture. Big time bitterness, with grapefruit and orange rind flavors. Good stuff and what do you know, it’s West Coast.