Moylans Hopsickle Imperial India Pale Ale

As the picture shows, it now says Hopsickle Imperial Ale, not Imperial India Pale Ale. Appearance: Pours a clear, yet dark copper body with a foamy, cream colored head. The head starts out at 2 inches, and subsides to a creamy 1 inch after a few minutes of rest. Aroma: Fresh cut pineapple, grapefruit, and a small touch of pine. Taste: A mixture of bitter hops and a big mouthful of caramel malt. Leaves a bitter hop aftertaste after the sweetness fades away. The pineapple I found in the aroma also peaks its head in and out. Mouthfeel: Heavy, thick, syrupy and creamy. Very carbonated as well giving it a spicy fizzy texture. Overall: Anyone looking for a real bitter beer can look no further. An insane amount of bitter and dry hopping went into this, as well as tons of malt. I true example of a well made California Imperial IPA.

Thanks sebletitje for the share. Pours clear gold with a white head. Nose is malt, lemon, tart citrus, and caramel. Flavor is caramel, malt, pine, citrus, and floral hops. Medium-bodied and enjoyable. Lots of hops and well-hidden alcohol.

Bottle, at LCRBM 2008, ’s Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
Clear, blond body. Off-white head. Aroma of alpha hops (amarillo, cascade) delivering a great complexity. Harshly bitter (hops) 16flavour. Good complexity. Very well balanced. Even not very 1 dimensional on the hops.

Bottle at Papago, finally. Tastes a lot like Four Peaks Hopsquatch to me. Nose is spicy, resiny, hempen and flowery. Flavor is less PtY and more poorly done Barley Wine. Finish is haltingly short for a beer of "this size." Seems to be a progenitor of the 3IPA, so a nice look back in time, but next to Pliney Jr. this gets schooled.

Sample at March 27, 2009 beer club meeting. Almost looks like a hefeweizen! This beer is very dense. Can’t see through this - hmm, there must be something in here. :) Me thinks there be mighty hops present! Has a very frothy head - hmm, I suspect hops may be involved in this, too. Aroma is hoppy... now, waiting for the sip... and... oh, my god. This is GREAT! A little fruity, a little sweet. A great experience. I can’t get enough of this beer. It’s like catnip (should I be a cat).

As I was pouring from a bomber, the aroma had my mouth watering and my head swimming. The medium burnt orange color was capped by a medium light tan head. The head lingered longer and the lacing was a thing of beauty. Each hoppy sip rendered a different experience throughout. Moylan’s description rang true as the high hop content greeted the nose, covered the palate and finished clean with pine and cedar notes. My first brew from Moylan’s has me ready to go back for more of their offerings.

Pours a clear, orangey-amber color with a mostly full, off-white, sticky, creamy, pillowy head which is mostly lasting and leaves some sticky lace. Nose is pure Northwet hops; sticky, resinous, pine needles, pink grapefruit, light grass, light white pepper, and faint floral and apricot notes. A faint biscuity malt presence is there but nothing else; gotta love the hops. Flavor is similar but very bitter and that takes a bit away from the hop flavors. Again some buttery biscuits is the malt base but barely noticeable under all the hops. Lots of pine needles and resinous notes with some rustic notes and dry grass underneath with some juicy, pink grapefruit notes hidden underneath the very high bitterness. Palate is lively, medium to full, sticky, prickly, and spicy. Finishes with loads of bitterness, white pepper, dry grass, rustic notes, and some hints at floral with lingering grapefruit still there. This isn’t even my favorite style of IIPA with all the bitterness and dryness but somehow it all fit together well. Citrus notes are diminished by the dry, bitter notes but still hang around all the way through the end. One of the most complex hop aromas and flavors, aside of Northbridge. Very good and worth the wait, even though it wasn’t my favorite style.

Pours amber with a white head. Smells of resin and peppery. Tastes resiny, bitter, some sticky sweetness on the finish.