Mendocino Winter Seasonal Imperial IPA

Brewed by Mendocino Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Hopland, California USA

Very grapefruity aroma... Taste of more grapefruit... The malts come through a bit earlier in than expected... A very good offering when the majority of winter beers are way too similar...

From the winter 2008 batch this poured out of a 12 oz bottle a very clear deep garnet color with a big citrus hop nose. Very pronounced and sticky lacing rings left from the thick and foamy off-white head. Mouthfeel is rich and almost oily. Flavor of caramel malts and a variety of hop bitterness including some pine. Good bitter finish. A very nice brew.

Nice nose, great color. . . Tastes like the White Hawk IPA but with more balls. . . Nice Grapefruit hop flavor with just a touch of resin to it, just enough to give it that "stick" The grapefruit. . . hmmm. . . it’s more grapefruit zest with a touch of grapefruit juice there. . . . But i’ll tell you what, it has pound-ability and a great price. . . By far one of the best value 6 packs you can get. . . You like IPA’s, you like hops, try this now !

The winter seasonal in sunny Florida. Nose hit’s off right away. Candy, Hoppy, fresh, alpine like in air...it’s brisk baby...minus the copyright. Taste is superbly bitter. It overrides the taste the first few sips. This stuff certainly wouldn’t have spoiled on it’s way to India. Candied hopped up flavour, with green apple written all over it....enough to make ol Granny Smith pucker up, that is for sure. Pine cleans out here, with a slight roasted malty finish. I think it’s well balanced, and largely bitter, but it’s still a bit rough around the edges..Superb though.

Bottle. Good, tasty—grapefruity IPA; high drinkability. Nice price! However, I don’t really taste the "Imperial" at all...

12-ounce bottle from Total Wine. Pours a clear brownish/amber color and a small off-white head. Lacing is tight and pulled hard by gravity. The nose is subtle with hints of pine tree and citrus. Flavors are resinous with hops in the forefront and a malty caramel backbone. Notes of subtle cereal and a boozy aftertaste that mellows with each sip. Medium/high carbonation and medium/full body. A well-balanced IPA but fairly generic for the style.

Tasting at River’s Bend. Pours dark amber color with a nice off white head. Complex hop aromas, pine/resin and grapefruit dominated, with plenty of sweet malt as well. Flavor is similar, nice strong and sweet malt backbone to complement the hops nicely. The somewhat high alcohol content is well hidden. Enjoyable winter brew.

12 oz bottle. Clear topaz with a fluffy white head. Nose is dough, orange, caramel, pine and pepper. Medium body with a prickly tingle. Taste is caramel, honeydew, spruce and quinine. Finishes with grapefruit pith and peel. A bit raw and muddled.