Moylans Hopsickle Imperial India Pale Ale

Brewed by Moylans Brewery & Restaurant
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Novato, California USA

Huge thanks to Odeed for this bottle - just when I thought I’d gotten tired of hop monsters, along comes this beauty - clear copper color with sticky, frothy white lace - the nose has quite a nice blend of aromatic hops, with a gentle fruity sweetness behind them - the flavor is filled with meaty, chewy, hops that are so earthy you can almost taste the soil they were growing in - quite bitter, but not dry - background light fruit (citrus, of course, and some mild cherry and strawberry), followed by a subdued, buttery/caramel flavor - oily throughout the flavor, and through the extremely bitter finish, leaving the mouth feeling like it is coated in hop resin - a hop head’s delight.

The aroma is very hoppy with pine, grass, and citrus as well as caramel malt. The appearance is copper with a very large head. The flavor is like caramel with lots of bitter elements like those in the aroma. The palate is typical for the style. Overall it’s too astringent.

Departing the 22 ounce bottle, the beer shows a slightly muzzy gold with a hint of copper, the gargantuan, creamy white head towers over the body, after its eminent demise, the lace seals the glass with a fine coating. The aroma of hops permeates the nose; sweet malt takes a rumble seat to the spiciness, lime like crispness, a hop lover’s nose for sure. Front has a pleasing malt profile, sweet with the hops providing a lip smacking tartness, just a tad bit of alcohol finds its way into the mix, top is medium in feel to the palate. Finish has a prickly acidity, the hops “Blows The Doors Off The Taste Buds”, and the arid aftertaste glues itself to the palate, another good beer from a great brewery.

(Draught at Oliver Twist, Stockholm, 27 Sep 2009) Amber colour with frothy, beige head. Slightly hazy. Fruity, hoppy nose with notes of orange peel, grapefruit and pine needles. Fruity, hoppy taste with orange peel, apricots, grapefruit, pine needles and resin. Loads of hops in a long, bitter finish with a warming touch of alcohol. Grainy malt to back it up. More than medium body, balanced sweetness. You might call it one dimensional, but the hop character is quite stunning and in lovely balance. A hop heads wet dream. Lovely beer!

Sampled at the Richmond Beer Industry Gathering 2006. Clear amber body with a small creamy white head. sweet citrus hops aroma. Beautiful sweet citrus hops flavor.

Bottle shared by Hogtown Harry with the regular fine folks on Canada Day ’06. Medium orange, small white head. Wow, so many hops in aroma - very pine/tree like - lots of herbs too - sweet and lovely. Taste is very bitter and very dry, with even more linger than initial taste. Medium body, alcohol well hidden, this is exactly as advertised. As Greg said earlier, we probably should be tired of these hop monsters by now, but it just isn’t happening!

Wouldn’t have guessed this to be at 9.2% alcohol. Pours a hazy orange with thick off-white head. Resiny, leafy hop aroma. The body is thick and rich with a big hop bitterness, resiny/ peppery notes, and a buttery, toffee like malt background to make it highly drinkable and enjoyable.

[1287-20080411] 1pt6floz bottle. Super citrus grainy hops aroma. Slightly hazy, amber orange body with a quick off-white head. Bitter woodsy logs seeped in aged grapefruit sap. Bitter bitter medium-full body. Wow! Hoppy.
(c/o DuctTape, w/ him, jerc)