Mendocino Winter Seasonal Imperial IPA

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

12 oz. bottle. I believe this beer is called simply “Mendocino Imperial IPA.” The “Winter Seasonal” designation is simply a description of the when the beer is available. Pleasant, clean, soapy aroma dominated by bitter, floral, vegetal (especially squash, pumpkin, and broccoli) hops. Some citrus tanginess in the nose. Red grape scent. The aroma is subdued overall. Liquid is appealing, translucent, effervescent, and copper-toned leather in color. Moderate amount of cream-colored head. Produces small to moderate amount of lacing. Herbal hops dominate the taste, but they aren’t that strong. Parsley, paprika, and salt flavors. Fruit/sugar/candy malt sweetness in the finish. Otherwise, there is little malt presence in the flavor. Bitter aftertaste. Light body by the standards of the style. Soft and lightly oily in the palate with some liveliness. Interesting (or odd, depending on how you look at it) mouthfeel. Mendocino Imperial IPA is a dud of a hop bomb. It is unbalanced, favoring the hops by far over the malts, but the hops are not particularly strong, nor do they produce a particularly pleasant taste. I’m a tough rater when it comes to beers that don’t impress me, and I tend to hold IPAs and double IPAs to a higher standard because they are my favorite styles, so perhaps I’m being a bit too hard on this brew. It’s not horrible, but there are far better beers in the same style, at approximately the same ABV, and at the same price that are widely available.

Pours a copper hue with a slight lacy head. Lots of grapefruit, pine, and citrus in the aroma. Taste of the same. For 6.99 a 6pk this is a great beer with lots of hops. As hoppy as this starts it finishes pretty balanced considering.

Mendocino Imp IPA came off to me heavily hopped and blended hap-harzardly. Grapefruit flavors dominate, and overall there is not much difference with Mendocino’s offering and other middle-of-the-road 2XIPA’s.

Bottle sampled. Pours light amber with a one finger off-white head. Fresh hoppy aroma of pine, grapefruit, citrus, and notes of toffee. Flavor is bold and balanced with caramel, pine, citrus, grapefruit, and some spicy hops. A decent brew

First of all, let me say, that I love that this beer is made in Hopland, CA - that’s so cool. Secondly, this is a really good beer. Very sweet hoppiness with a well-balanced, refreshing finish.

Drinkable and solid. Clear amber pour with short, bubbly head that fully dminishes. The aroma is full of grapefruit juice and orange peel. Hints of flowers and perfume. The flavor is moderately to heavily bitter, lightly acidic and moderately sweet. Medium body, slightly chewy with a sticky finish. The bitterness sticks around for a long time.

~Pours into a light golden amber colour, decent carbonation, small white head.~ Strong hop smell with a piney woodsy scent. ~ Feels light and frothy with a bit of tingles. ~ Strong bitter woodsy hop taste. Pretty decent beer.

Pours a nice copper color with a small white head. Very hoppy aroma with hints of pine and caramel malt. Bitter hoppy malty taste with a dryness on the back of the tongue. Malt is nicely balanced with the hops. Hop heads will like this and it is quite a bargain for a IIPA.