Hair of the Dog Blue Dot Imperial IPA

Brewed by Hair of the Dog Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Portland, Oregon USA

Cloudy yet bright tawny orange body. Small ghost of a head with a bright hoppy-malty nose. Refreshing floral, slightly citrus flavor. Mild cidery finish with notes of sticky candy.

22 oz bottle. Pours murky orange. Very light aroma with hints of sweetness and bright fruit. Not what you might expect from a 2IPA. The taste is also mild compared to what I was expecting. Grapefruit is the predominant hop presence but it is not overpowering or overbearing in any way. It’s just there like a straight IPA might present the hops. There is very little sweetness in this one. The malt is there in terms of full round body but it is not really any more noticeable than that. Semi-dry finish. For a 2IPA this is a bit lack luster. It doesn’t taste bad, but rather one dimensional and boring. Too bad.

Bottle... Poured a hazy, burnt orange color with a tiny white, fizzy head. So orange and unfiltered that if the tone was a little lighter it could be mistaken for a wheat beer. A lot of people complain about unfiltered IPAs but I love the look. Aroma is mellow for the power this beer has, just faint malt and hop. Slight sizzle on the palate, flavors of strong, piney hops, caramel, lemons and berries, and earthy floral undertones. This was an awesome brew. Just what I needed after a seven day work week.

Bomber, pours a cloudy golden with a thin white head that disappears quickly, minimal lacing. Strong aroma of grapefruit, citrus, and some subtle pine and caramel. Taste is a hit of hops with more of the same, and malts kick in quickly to tame the hops bite on the backend. Palate is lighter and smooth, with a somewhat abrupt finish. This is a very light and drinkable IIPA; not heavy at all, which is a diversion from many others in this style. Good stuff!

22 oz bomber. Pours a cloudy honey gold color with almost no head. A tiny small white head that quickly vanishes. Aroma of orange juice, grapefruit, pine and caramel. Taste is hoppy with a strong orange juice presence. A bit flowery as well. Unusual IIPA. Good overall.

First time I tasted this,thought it was wonderful,now that I had a chance to rate it,it was a little different. Aroma was a strange rubbery hoppy caramel mix, taste was much lighter ten I remembered, that strange hop taste dominating here,you do get the zing of the rye, and some light malt backing,somewhat uncomplex for an IIPA. Wonder if there was something wrong with this one

Bottle: Pours a very hazy yellow with a thin white head. Lots of great hop aroma with notes of orange blossoms honey and citrusy. Flavor is light malt sweetness and some low to moderate rye spiciness. A moderate hop bitterness and lots of flowery and orange rind like hop flavors. My only problem with this beer is its labeling as an imperial. Its not very high abv and that shows in the body.

Rating from memory. 22oz from LennyH - thanks! One of the more dry and crisp, grapefruity of all PNW IIPAs, Blue Dot was something else. A hugely lively body, with the bitter piney hops blending nicely with a touch of breadiness and sticky malt. Wonderfully done and on a par with the best of the style.