Great Divide Hercules Double IPA

I have had this befoe a while back but just recently had again the a beer festival near Loveland, CO. The overall flavor and mouthfeel is just about second to none. Between this, Boulder Beer’s Mojo and Odells IPA, this, I think, is the best in Colorado. The others may have a little smoother drinkability but when I want an overpowering, highly flavored IPA, I go with this one everytime. Cheers.

Aroma: Floral Hops, little bit of pine, sweet malts. Appearance: Reddish copper clear body, medium thick head with good retention. Also leaves good lacing. Flavor: Sweet malts, caramel, pine hops. Palate: medium body, sticky, lively, bitter, long finish. Overall impression: Very good beer with a nice harsh bitterness, sweet caramel malt. The bitterness is overpowering, but then again it is a DIPA.

Serving: 22 oz. bottle. Appearance: Amber with a huge, creamy, light tan head. Great head retention and great lacing all the way down the glass. Aroma: Big hop nose with notes of pine and citrus. Caramel and honey notes from the malt side. Great nose! Taste: Lots of citrus and pine hops gnawing on my enamel. Good malt balance with caramel and honey coming through. Some floral notes emerge as the beer warms. Palate: Medium-low carbonation with a medium-rich mouthfeel. Long bitter finish. Overall: One of the top DIPAs out there and a must try for anyone who is a fan of the style. Rebuy: Absolutely!

Caramel malt, pine needle, and wood bouquet, with traces of rose hips. Orange to rust colored, opaque, medium yellow head, great lacing. Full resinous mouthfeel, fiercely hopped, acidic. Gives the belly a good burn. Flavors are pretty nondescript but approach that of pine needle and caramel, quite bitter. Rotten apples and cinnamon are also discernible. Anise and bark finish. Strong and tremendously complex. Tastes stronger than the 85 IBUs advertised. Fans of the style will really enjoy it.

Pours deep copper color with a creamy head. Strong hoppy aroma, yet very sweet. Lots of caramel on the nose. Similar hoppy and well-balanced malty flavor. Soft and creamy palate. Terrific!

Flavor is big hops (of course) that range from citrusy to earthy, but I wasn’t necessarily picking up the usual piney type of flavors. The malt backbone is reasonably balanced, but leans towards hops... the malt hits on cream, caramel, slight nuts, and a bit of roast. All in all, not bad, but not my favorite!

On tap. This is a good DIPA. It’s aroma is hoppy and mouthfeel is a bit chewy. Could use a tad more malt to balance but not bad. Taste is a little sweet and alcohol is well hidden. Excellent lacing. Nice beer!

Bottle @ GBBF 2009. A clear golden colored beer, with a light beige head. The aroma of hops, with fruits and flowers. There are spices in the back. The taste of bitter hops, dry and fruits like citrus and mango. Flavors of nuts with some spices. The aftertaste is bitter and dry, with some sweet and spices.