Mendocino Winter Seasonal Imperial IPA

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

Bottle from Daniel. Pours and orange color with not much head on it. Smell is sweet and full of citrus lemon flavors. Little bit of grass and pine smells as well. Taste was strong on the hop end with a nice sticky hop flavor to it. Plenty of citrus to accompany as well. Easy to drink especially at the lower alcohol content. Worth seeking out, even though it does not really stand out among IIPA’s..

not a bad IIPA. pours out a lighter orange color with a smaller head. aroma is very hoppy and grassy. Flavor is very much the same with a nice citrus undertone. finish was weak though.

12oz bottle. Golden orange body mixed with some amber highlights. Stout, thick white head, 2 fingers thick. Very densely packed, bubbly on the top. Incredible retention and lacing. Great looking beer. Nose is less impressive. There are hops here, but this isn’t the type of hop bomb I was expecting. There are definitely a lot of citrus and floral hops here, but if you are looking for something to knock your socks off in the aroma department, this isn’t it. Caramel/toffee malts, pine cones, grassy notes and citrus fruits split equal time with the hop bouquet. Fore is a bit soapy and medicinal, in turns. Middle of the palate brings more hops into the fold, along with the sweet caramel backing. Back end brings the medicinal notes back, along with a ton of hop bitterness. Tastes more like a IIPA when compared to the aroma. Medium bodied, note quite as oily and slick as I would have expected from the style. Finish is medium in length, bitter citric hops, pine, sweet malts and some additional medicinal notes. Just an above average IIPA, but isn’t going to wow you in any one direction.

pours a copper gold with a 11/1 finger fluffy off white head. aroma is caramel malt and hops with citrus and pine. has a medium body with clumpy lacing and good carbonation. flavor is the same as aroma but a bit stronger. has a nice dry hop aftertaste and the pine just sticks to the tongue for a while. not bad but it is in between an ipa and iipa. the aroma does get better as it warms.

Bottle: Poured with a nice orange sheen, moderately carbonated, with a thin but sticky top. The aroma is thick, gluey, viscuous with hop oil. This drinks with the leafy earthiness of a raw tea, as well as a hint of stiff citrus. Yummy little beer, inviting my palate to partake of something spicy! (#3330, 2/19/2008)

1/2/08 Tap @ The Billy Goat Tavern in Mt. Shasta, CA. Pours orange with a bright white ring. Nose is light and hoppy. Taste is sweet hoppy and overall pretty nice.

very pleasant sweet aroma. one finger head with a slightly foggy light amber/ yellow color. The smell is not boasting too much in the hop arena and the taste is pretty much the same. a little too much on the burnt caramel side. Never the less I’ve had IPA’s balanced farther to the malt side and quite a few way off wack on the hop side. I’d say this beer is a little too far malt of center and I can’t really see myself buying this one again. Not really a heavy feeling beer however and It would do good to session because there is virtually no aftertaste and it leaves dry. Maybe I’m just looking for something to turn my mouth green right now. Too burnt sweet. Much more fun after four. nite!

Pour a clear amber color, with light head, very nice lacing. aroma of hops, some citrus. flarors are high hop qualities. a nice palate. this is a good brew