Drakes Denogginizer

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

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.

Hand bottled @ the brewery. This is one of the best IIPA"s, and one of the better beers I’ve rated. Huge hop aroma w/ flavor donimated by hops and alcohol spiciness. Simple, not overdone w/ malt, and damn good. Nice job Rodger.

On tap @ The Bistro- Double IPA Fest where it took the gold. Orange in color with only a whisp of a head. Big, grassy, hop aroma with TONS of orange. I tasted it expecting a huge hop assault, and actually found a somewhat malty sweetness followed by a sharp bitter aftertaste. Finishes very clean. RE-Rate. The newest batch seems to be much more hop forward (and afterward as well) Sweet and hoppy with noticable alcohol. I wouldn’t expect to mix it with anything later on. Any other beer or food after this monster is a waste of your money! I do love this beer.

On tap at City Beer Store. Extra-hazy orange-brown color, aroma of banana, citrus, huge tangerine. Thick, chewy mouthfeel that leaves your tongue tingling for 10-15 seconds. Lots of pine, rye in the taste -- a massive beer bordering on affrontive. Don’t drink this warm unless you’re ready for some puckering. Fucking awesome.

Balance ,Balance Balance the winner of the Bistro Double IPA fest and for good reason did I mention Balance. wonderful complex nose of hops AND malt The brewers at Drakes deserve Kudos for this amazing beer. Delicious with great mouthfeel and a very nice malt sweetness to counterbalance the Obvious truckload of Hops that went into this palate steamroller.

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!

On Tap Hamiltons. Rich copper color, full body hoppy but balanced. Not a hop bomb but a hoppy malty IIPA. Incredible!

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.