Great Divide Hercules Double IPA

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

Lovely, bright amber color, full, fresh head of froth, creamy as all-get-out, utterly delightful. Aroma, smoooth, I meant to say, smooo-oo–ooth, and luscious, with touches of pine, and citrus, a forest floor at loose in the nose. Uplifting and well worth smelling! Taste: full blast of hoppiness, and brash fruity flavor. A rewarding overload of juicy taste delivers on the palate again and again. Nice, and nice. Not as punishing or as harsh as a Rogue or a Dreadnaught, but I imagine they weren’t out to slay the uninitiated with this, but welcome some into the heavily hoppy fold. Despite that qualm, a big, brash IPA, well worth any ale-lover’s tasting! Yum, I says, as the flavor still laps up and around the mouth and I keep thinking "yum, yum, and, again, yum." Tastiness beerily personified!

Absolutely delicious! Really hoppy without being too bitter, actually has a slight sweetness. Beautiful color. I'm gonna have to go buy a case before it sells out!

By far one of the best looking double IPA’s I’ve laid my eyes on! Absolutely gorgeous glowing cloud of orange, deeper in color towards the top then at the bottom where it keeps some golden highlights. Massively stacked inch high head of dusty yellowed whipped froth that becomes crusty and lumpy as it muddles down to a thick haze remaining present. Lace in thick globby ink blot sheeting and strings. Aroma is redolent with highly sweet citrus and soft dry pine, a bit juicy and oily thick with some resinous qualities, but set back some and moderately present on the nose. Lots of alcoholic vapors seep through like volcanic gases about to rupture the top of a fault-lined island of hops. Taste is wowfully juicy with citrus flavors, fresh, clean, with a good load of skins and pulp of every kind play softly in the front but gain a huge acidic return at the finish. Nice bitterness of orange and grapefruit acids and hop oils coat the end for a good long while along with a finespun slow drying pulpy action. Slight sticky toffee-like malts way in the back. Floating pineyness vapors and alcoholic esters pass into the finish as well. Uff-da - yum! There’s no doubt that this has a Herculian amount of hops. Quite complex and full of citrusy things including the flowers and blossoms too. Akin to Dreadnaught in its hop profile. A yummy puree of hops are to be enjoyed and awed upon while trekking up this mountain. Feel is quite smooth for the seemingly end of hoppy citrus thats been given. Big full body with fluffy edges. Thick, fat, juicy, super fine citrusy bitterness. Oily but dry finish thats incredible to undertake. Yum! A great beer by Great Divide.

Interesting, different hop aroma - pine, citronella. Amber with white head that laces partially recedes to thick cover. Very assertive bitterness with a quick hit of alcohol. Balanced by a wonderful supporting malt body. Hps in flavour are more orange. Mouthfeel is full and creamy. This is a truly fine beverage and very enjoyable to drink. Bottle (enjoyed at Mondial RB Gathering 2004 with CapFlu, CaptainCougar, JerCraigs, MartinT, OKBeer, Radek and Rastacouere).

Reddish tinge to med amber color. Mellow crisp orange citrus with a pine undertone arome. Pleasantly bitter taste. Smoothe mouthfeel and a desirable peach like taste and smoothness) very much like Bell’s 2-Heart). I like this the more I try it.

Pours a cupric amber with moderate fluffy head. Particulate matter is suspended in the glass. It’s quite a beautiful appearance. Nose is strong of delicious hops. Taste is significant hoppy, just the way an IPA should be. The hoppiness fades away and gives a slight sweet tingle for aftertaste. It kind of feels refreshing. It hides the alcohol very well. I could get in trouble with this one. My favorite IPA thus far.

650 ml bottle. Coppercoloured with a good lasting head. Aroma is dominated of lime, grapefruit, pine needles and orange rind. In the mouth this beer is massive. The citrus flavours explode and blends with caramel flavours. Massive bitterness and an alcoholic snap finishes off. Who said there’s a difference between beauty and bitterness????

Pours thick copper in the glass with a tall bubbly head. I could tell deom the scent this would be a fantastic IPA even though I’m not really an IPA fan. Lots of complexities in the nose. Citrus, pine, floral, bitter fruit. The taste was so full bodied. So many flavors. Bitter, yet very sweet, like pink grapefruit instead of yellow if you were to compare this with other IPA’s. I highly recommend it.