Leinenkugels Big Eddy Imperial IPA

Formerly brewed at Leinenkugel Brewing Company (MillerCoors)
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin USA

Name: Big Eddy Imperial IPA
Date: 03/18/2007
Mode: Growler
Source: Tasting

clear dark amber, wispy head, huge sweet fruity and piney aroma, sticky sweet body, lots of caramel sweetness along with the sweet pine, plenty of hop flavor along with the sweetness, light bitterness lasts through the finish without detracting from the sweetness,

Aroma: 8/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 3.9/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4

Sampled from a growler shared by goldtwins. Pours a transparent clear copper orange with a spotty-lacing white head. Great aroma is bursting with a ton of fresh piny and grapefruity hops along with some sweet caramel malty notes. Body starts with a fuller sweet caramel maltiness with plenty of fresh piny grapefruity flavor hops toward a sticky, crisp, amazingly balanced bittersweet finish. I’m very surprised to say that one of the best imperial IPAs I’ve had is from Wisconsin.

Draft. Crystal clear, bright copper color. with a moderate off-white head. Big light fruit and grapefruit aromas. Biscuit and caramel in the backdrop. Initial sweet fruit juiciness, grabbed and shaken about by a full hops assault. Grapefruit and citrus dominate, but some light pine and wood come in late in the finish. Quite dry and with some wood and dry malt flavors in the linger. This rivals many of the IIPAs out there. A great job on this one. I hope they bottle some of this.

Handbottled and served in my Duval snifter: Deep ruby highlight along an tangerine sea topped by a small fading frothy head and some lace. The aroma has notes of grapefruit, orange zest, pear, clove, grassy and resiny hops, and a hint of soap.

The taste is initially caramelized sweetness supported by acidic and fruity hops. The hops however seem discombulated and no one aspect shines. Chalky and metallic upon the lightly spicy finish. The mouth feel is sticky and sharp. It is not bad at all considering the source but I have a hard time seeing this anywhere near the better examples of the genre. Methinks it gets a unjust bonus points for being a SABMiller product.

On tap at the Landmark 1850, across the highway from Mitchell Int. Airport in Milwaukee. Pours a thick hazy coppery amber brew with a lumpy white head. Aroma of strong grapefruit hops, barley malt, caramel, and citrus zest. Taste is thick and syrupy with some light alcohol and pine spice. Finish is grapefruit bitter that lingers around a little bit. Leinenkugel has really done great on this craft beer and hope to see this come out as a regular beer.

Poured a clear copper color with a small off-white head. Big nice fresh hop forward aroma with a sweet caramel base. grapefruit, orange and pine. The flavor started as a mix of oranges (hops) and caramel malt. Some citrus starts to enter then a piney and bitter semi-dry finish. Long finish. Some warmth. Medium to full bodied.

On tap at Wicked Hop. Poured clear caramelly-brown with a short, average-looking off-white head.. cool translucent copper effect when the head died down. Aroma was wonderfully-aggressive with spicy pine and grapefruit hoppage, grapefruit meat and drawn caramel beneath.. opened up with warmth to show some floral and pears... WOW!

Heavy, slightly-boozy grapefruit meat and a lightly-toasted caramel base in the flavor surrounded by huge floral, grapefruit, pine, and spicy hops.. tons of flavor with a long satisfying finish! Heavy bitterness on the palate with an ideal, thick, resiny grapefruit and caramel base.. left a thick, hoppy film on the back of the teeth. Excellent brew! Please continue in this direction.

Limited handbottle sent from Murrayswine, quickly and fresh. One of the smoothest DIPAs I have tried. Just great bitterness, and tasted and looked as if off the tap. Creamy mouthfeel and soft carbonation was purrfect. C-hop aroma. Orange and grapefruit. I could have drank this all night.