E. J. Phair Cumbre Diablo

Brewed by E. J. Phair Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Concord, California USA

Draft. Hazy orange-amber beer with a low white head. Big tangerine aroma. Tangerine, grapefruit, and summer fruit flavor with low pine backing and a good malt backbone. This beer was brewed with all Summit hops as part of an experiment with 16 breweries in the Bay Area. In comparison, this one has a bit of a harsher taste than most I tried. Still, very enjoyable.

Draft at the brew pub. Other than the fact that it’s an Imperial IPA, I don’t know much about this beer. The pour is an apricot color and very murky with a heavy white lacing. Big, resinous grapefruit aroma with notes of oranges and pine. There is a bit of malt in the aroma as well. The flavor is extremely bitter with hop flavors characterized by grapefruit, lemon and pine. Just enough sweet maltiness to provide a nice balance but the beer in general is very hop forward. Dry bitter finish with a slight hint of honey.