Midnight Sun Obliteration V

Brewed by Midnight Sun Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Anchorage, Alaska USA

Clear orange gold, white head. Citrus and floral notes, some bready malts, nice bitterness on the finish. Good stuff.

Pours dark, cider-like bronze with a thin white head. Aroma is warm and bready, with abundant caramel and fruit notes. Flavor is like an intensely rich and hearty biscuit, right from the oven, covered with delicious ’hop-syrup’. Insanely drinkable, leaving a nicely balanced bitterness in the finish. Very interesting ’inversion’ of the style. The malt backbone is extremely strong here, and probably places this ’outside the box’ for many lovers of the well-established IIPA style. I, for one, absolutely love it. Very different, and very good. I would sample it again in a heartbeat. Seek this out if you need a break from some of the ultra-cloying and ’soapy’ examples of the style. Malt ... forward ... march.

Bomber from riversideAK - thanks, Alex! Oily and faintly murky deep orange pour. Not much of a head, but there is a thin layer of foam-as-lily-pads. I almost didn’t want to disturb the sticky formation, but it smelled so dank and delicious. Interestingly, despite the bitter hop aroma, the initial tastes were a bit too heavy on the malts (possibly on the downside of DIPA freshness?) and boozy heat. Smooth texture and a great mouthfeel. But interestingly, the beer seemed to get crisper, fresher, and more drinkable as I went on. Second Obliteration I’ve had, and another delight.

This one poured a bright orange color with a big off white head. Aroma was very piney hops, dank and some sweetness from the loads of malt as well. Flavor was bright hoppy bitterness, piney and citrus, balancing the very sweet malt character. Good beer but could be a little less sweet and cloying.

Bottle thanks to savnac. Pour is hazy copper with a small white head. A shade or two lighter than the (VI). Flavor is light honey malt with gentle citrus hops and subtle pine hop aromas. The honey malt is fairly prominent. Flavor is honey malt up front with the citrus and pine hop flavors creeping up slowly with building intensity. Finish is nice lingering hop and black pepper flavor. Had this side by side with the (VI) and this is a lot more subtle and drinkable than the (VI). Both good, but very different beers. THe (V) is more of a summer DIPA while the (VI) is more of a winter warmer. Thank you, Ira, for this awesome opportunity!

Orange pour. Small white head. Juicy citrus aroma with some stone fruit and caramel. Flavor is malty and juicy with citrus peel. Nice.

Bomber, courtesy Americanbrew. Pours a glowing golden orange color topped by a thick and foamy off white colored head that settles slowly and leaves sheets of lacing behind. The aroma is a bouquet of citrus with fresh grapefruit, oranges, and mangos to go with the resinous grassy and pine hop bitterness. The malt base underneath is comprised of sweet toffee and caramel malts and toasted bread. The flavor follows and is hugely hopped by the citrus and pine hops with loads of resinous bitterness on the backend. The sweet toffee and caramel malt balances things nicely with some pepper spices on the finish. Medium to full bodied with plenty of carbonation and a bitter citrus finish. This is a great west coast style double ipa and one I hope to have again.

10/18/2009: Midnight Sun Obliteration V... Aroma: Toffe malt; lots of appealing pine. Appearance: Tarnished gold, transparent; thin, frothy crown. Flavor: Mostly toasted malts and pine with some herbal/earthy hops; floral notes; decent bitterness, but it doesn’t linger. Palate: Medium body; average. Overall: Decent, but Midnight Sun is a MUCH better beer and a lower price.

22 Fl. Oz. bottle from the Midnight Sun Brewery in Anchorage, AK. Rating #40 for this beer.