Hair of the Dog Blue Dot Double IPA

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

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.

Bottle, from trade with hoppymeal. Real good aroma. Sweet & spice. Yeasty clovey, lite citrus, orange & lemon, hint of banana. Hazed orangy gold color, big head & good lace. Bitter flavor. Like aroma, though not as good, less diverse. Grassy, clove, lemon. still enjoyable. Medium body, smooth oily mouthffel, bitter finish. Really enjoyed this one, thought it stood out abit from alot of American IIPA’s , especislly after having the Wyterbacher q the other night

Bottle, fall 2007. Aroma of delectable grapefruit and the freshest green melon scent I’ve ever smelled, from beer or fruit. Huge rich rye and caramel malt there in perfect balance, and by balance I mean that both the hoppy and malty aspects shine in bursting glory without subduing each other. Flavor is the same, and that is a very good thing. Not a hint of astringency, mouthfeel both incredibly rich from the malt and airy and juicy from the hops. Fantastic.

Courtesy Degarth. Hazy gold/yellow. Small, frothy, white head settles to a thin layer. Nose of floral and lightly spicy and resinous hops, subtle grain. Similar flavor with a lot more spiciness, drying yeast. Medium body, well balanced. Very nice, very drinkable.

bottle (spring 2007) - dark orange and very hazy upon pouring; lots of suspended carbonation; piny and citrus aromas, lots of malts and very little hops in the flavors; hops faded as missed the boat on this one early this year, but will be ready to pick up in a few months...........................5/23/08 update: well, fresh this is just one kick ass beer as it was on draft at brouwer’s and a good way to close out the sour fest by blasting back with hops and malts; so much sweeter when fresh and maltiness to die for; damn!!

[Bottle from Beermouth tasted with the hop-bros at Jess’ cosy inn.]
Unfiltered look with medium white head and freshhoppy aroma in combination with some spices. Flavor is a mix of yeast, malt, caramel and mediumhops ending up in a mediumbitter aftertaste. Had expected more!!

I love imperial IPAs and Hair of the Dog (both the brewery and the act of drinking to cure a hangover), but this fell just a little short in a couple ways. It pours a cloudy golden color with an off-white head, very opaque. Aroma is basically all West coast hops, but not quite as strong as some of the SoCal offerings (Stone, Green Flash, etc). The hop combo is good but not great and it lacks a little bit of the balancing malty sweetness that great beers in this style usually have. Nice smooth palate though. Substantial sediment remains after.

750ml bottle. Not sure of the age, but at least 6 months old... maybe even a year. Floral initially on the nose with a ton of cedar wood coming to the fore as the beer opens. Citrus zest, lavender, pineapple, pine and cedar. the hops seem to still be quite alive (perhaps lacking a bit of vibrancy) still upstaging the malt base. Pours a thick, hazed peach/apricot with a huge, thick, mouseelike white head. The head’s retention is absolutely amazing and when it does subside, thick, sticky lace drips down the sides of my Darkness snifter. The hops are still quite alive on the tongue as well, but are perhaps mellowed out a bit. Very dry. Citrus rind, cut wood, dried leaves. Grapefruit skin. A surprisingly dry malt profile backs up the zestiness of the hops. The rye definitely gives the beer an adequate dose of spiciness. Medium bodied with lively carbonation. Finishes with tons of woodsy malt and zesty, earthy hops. Damn fine now... now to seek out a fresh bottle... Thanks Eric!