Mendocino Winter Ale (05/06 - IIPA)

Formerly brewed at Olde Saratoga Brewing (Mendocino Brewing Co.)
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Saratoga Springs, New York USA

Huge thanks to matta for scoring me this 05/06 Mendocino Winter IIPA. It pours hazy copper through and through with thin off white head. The aroma has solid malt components of roast and malty sweetness with aged hops in the background. I get faint hints of hop spice, vague citrus and earthiness. The taste is smooth and sweet to start and quickly livens up with a robust yet blunted pulse of citrus hops, pine hops and a moment or two of earthiness. The citrus and pine run the flavor profile front to back given little ground to the full and blended malt bill. The hops are a shadow of their former selves but still deliver moderate bitterness and tasty hop flavor. Zero sense of the ABV.

clean bronzey pours with a small amount of off white head. aroma of lemons, caramel, and pine. well rounded body, good texture, solid slightly oily mouth feel. a lot of sharp piney bite. the finish is a little metallic. the strong hops help to hide the alcohol.

12oz bottle courtesy of CaptainCougar. Good citrus aroma and this one seems to be showing some age. Murky copper body with dirty soap water head. Flavor well most of the hops were gone but the malt presence and alcohol were still there. Body warming effect. Would of really liked this one fresh I bet. Thanks Tom.

5-11-08 bottle
Smell is sweet tart hops that are faded and almost has an alcohol bleach like smell. Amber in color - unmoving but has an okay quickly fading head and sticky lasting lacing though. Flavor is a bit sweet and alcohol and not very bold or well balanced for me. Drinkable but just seems a bit old and like it wasn’t a super fresh bottle. Overall, I feel as though this could have been much much more but it wasn’t horribly disappointing.

Bottle courtesy of kkipple. Thanks!
Pours clearish amber with a lasting whitish head. Smell is overly sweet and faded hops. Not particularly appealing or impressive. Taste is dull hops, stale malt, and light bitterness. Kind of lightly sweet and cheap tasting. Too light on the carbonation as well. Not very good or enjoyable at all.

Bottle. Dark coffee pour with an almost non existent head. Very slight sweet taste. Hint of pine throughout tasting. Nice body. Alchohol content was very well hidden, not overpowering.

A weak and boring IIPA. Aroma was decent. Nice citrus hops with a hint of caramel malt. Pour was a nice deem amber with a 2 finger off white head that stayed the whole drink. Taste was very hoppy and bitter but not full. There was very little taste in the mouth and the bitter hops came out in the aftertaste. Mouthfeel was too thick but the good carbonation kept the palate at a 3. Not impressed but glad I tried it.

12 ounce bottle Looks like dark coffee with a scarce head that dissipates quickly. Aromas of chocolate malts and smoke. Mellow hop aftertaste follows smooth malty flavor. I tasted this after it was a year old, I think it would have been much better fresh, but still not too bad. Very easy drinker.