Great Divide Hercules Double IPA

Brewed by Great Divide Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Denver, Colorado USA

This beer was sampled at the San Diego Real Ale Festival courtesy of cquiroga. Orange gold color. Medium head. Aroma is malt, fruit and orange. A full bodied Imperial IPA. Malts are fruity, orange and sweet. Hops are grapefruity, citrusy and orange. A very nicely balanced 2x IPA. Lots of flavor stuff going on in here. The bitterness and sweet compare and contrast with every sip. Nice smooth taste. Crisp dry finish. Excellent beer. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and dry. Aftertaste is bitter with a fairly pronounced hop bite. This one is in the top echelon of Imperial IPAs.

Mad props to HERFTYdrF for this gem. Poured with a cloudy orange color and a nice thick tan head. Oh my, the aromas, hoppy, malty and citrus all rolled into one piece of nasal bliss. The taste is a bit malty up front but I can see this is one hell of a beer. I’m putting this up there with the best of them and beyond. Best beer I’ve had in a long while and man, I drink a LOT of beer. To my "home away from home, Denver" nice going. See you in Oct.

On tap at the Flying Saucer in Charlotte. Very hoppy IIPA with a nice citrusy aroma and flavor. Malt in the finish balances it out. Excellent.

Huge aroma of apricots, grapefruit and rose. Beautiful dark orange amber color with a creamy off-white head. Quite dry, bitter finish. Lots of alcohol on the palate. Syrupy. Intense. Mild carbonation. This is perhaps the best Imperial IPA I’ve had.

(Stockholm Beer Festival 2005) Hazy orange, nice creamy offwhite head. Very hoppy and spicy aroma, orange and with floral notes, dry and with citrus and grapefruit. Very, very hoppy flavor, dry, grassy, pine notes and some malty notes can also be found next to the almost extreme hoppiness. Great to feel how almost no alcohol comes through.

Bottle. Pours a rusted amber with a thick frothy head. Nice lacing on this one! Aroma is hop bliss! Big pine cones, floral and earthy hops and light citrus. Taste is also big hops but has a rich malt sweetness balancing this nicely. The bitterness is contained on this. Pine needles, maple syrup, light caramel, and citrus fruits. Body is smooth and creamy with moderate carbonation and bitterness. Bit oily in spots as well. Finishes with more hoppiness, light caramel, pine needles, and bigger citrus fruits.

Had this at a nearby taproom after visiting the brewery. This is a HUGE beer with a skyscraper of a rocky head. This is big and chewy, makes you pucker, and is only for the staunchest hop lovers. I prefer their Titan IPA, but if you’re in the mood for the monsters, this is right up there.

A dark orange appearance with a moderate off white head. The flavor is a nice kick of hops with some orange citrus, bread, pine , and caramel in the flavor. The aroma is pretty much the same and quite enjoyable. A bitter finish that leaves a citrus sting in your mouth. Yet another fantastic Double IPA!