Marin Eldridge Grade White Knuckle Double IPA

Brewed by Marin Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Larkspur, California USA

The aroma alone will make you stand up and take notice! No way to confuse this for anything BUT a IIPA. Smells like: HOPS! Tastes like: HOPS! Overall impression: HOPS! Pretty hoppin' good.

aroma? iipa! damn straight. it looks like the deepest red ale i've ever seen. thin white head, the bubbles are struggling, ... implying something thick. it almost looks like a delicious red wine/liquor. sweet and lonely flavor. nearly cloyish, malty, yet a great hop presence just barely redeems this brew. for the most part it's malty with piney hops. hmm, balanced well, but i prefer more bittering than sweetness. i'm burping up the cleanest forest right now. and it has a lazy palate, in a good way ;o) why is this called white knuckle? i'm a fan, but it's not of my favorite IPAs. oh, hum. it seems like it should be called... mmm... mountain lion prowl, rather than white knuckle bike ride - or whatever it is. ;o)

This is a very solid example of what a double IPA should be, in every category. A nice roasted malty backbone, with some great bittering hops to round out the mouthfeel. It sweetens up nicely when it warms, bring out lots of acidic fruit flavors and sweetness of the hops. Very drinkable and enjoyable.

Solid entry into the double IPA category; Bold, toasty maltiness is fairly sweet and holds up well the the strong hops bitterness; The toasty flavor is unusual for the style, but most welcomed; Surprisingly, the bitterness eases up a bit in the finish, which is also unusual; Good, solid mouthfeel is neither flimsy nor cloying; Nice amber color and crystal clear; Not much head on the initial pour, so retention isn't a factor; Fairly minimal amount of lacing

Very floural and piney with some citrus trailing. Pours copper and clear with strong carbonation and large off white head with good lacing. Flavor was very pleasing with good hop bite and rich mouth feel. Very nice Double/Imperial IPA.

Pours nice deep amber with a rich head. Aroma of sticky sweet hops. Lightly bitter warm mouthfeel.

22oz. bottle. Appealing flowery, fresh, piney, leafy and fruity hop aroma, some dark honeyish sweetness and faint vanilla with just a touch of alcohol. Medium-dark orange-amber color, some drifting particulates but lacking sediment, with a fine, creamy off-white head and artful lacing. Malty and substantially sweet up front, toasty, honeyed and sugary, but being thereafter largely subdued by undeniable, resinous hops, smoothly melding with the generous maltiness by the close, which is somewhat lengthy and indulgent. Palate is rich and chewy but somehow also slick and oily, with a gratifyingly full body. Shows a powerful yet restrained character, not overwhelming in any particular aspect, just some well-structured elements here, even some subtle interplays to be found. Power and finesse, a rare combination and difficult to achieve. Highly recommended. Thanks to cquiroga.

Hmm, this one seems to be from the Dreadnaught side of the style being intensely fruity. Sweet apples, figs, citrus on the nose. Big sweet malt body with highly fruity ragging intense hop finish. Sweet figs, overall it has me thinking of dreadnaught with richer darker fruits, less clear and more confussing though.