New Albanian Hoptimus

Brewed by New Albanian Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
New Albany, Indiana USA

On-tap, served in a pint glass. L: A nice orangey copper color with fine specks of hop particles, giving this a slight hazy appearance. Bubbly topped, fluffy pale beige head that slowly sank into a sudsy skim. Light amount of splotchy curtain-like lace rings the top of the glass. S: Bouquet of hop aromatics, sweet blossoms, grapefruit, tangerines, apricots, evergreen needles, woody herbs and mint leafs. A mild backing of caramelized, grainy malts. Pulling the aroma in deeply reveals a light spicy alcohol. F&T: An airy creaminess gives the light body some needed heft, enough carbonation to give the mouthfeel a soft firmness. A complex array of hop flavors with a surprisingly mild bitterness. Tastes of grapefruit pith and tangerines, oily lemon peels, chewy herb stems, evergreen sap, English tea with a mint leaf, and at the end, a mild earthy spiciness. The hop tastes provide a sticky coating on the tongue. The malts play a minor supporting role, lightly toasted caramel and grains, turning sugary towards the finale. Finishes with an arid, spicy dryness with the sticky hop tastes lingering in the aftertaste, causing my mouth to water for more. At first the alcohol is really not that noticeable, only after it warms a bit do you feel a mellow, warming alcohol sting. Delectable tasting DIPA, close to heaven for a hophead, glad I had an opportunity to try it.

On tap at New Albanian. Poured cloudy amber, with a nice tan head. Nose was citrus and resin. Flavor was citrus, sweet malt, and a nicely hoppy finish. A really well balanced Imperial IPA. Sneaky alcohol content.

If you are ready for some hops then my friend you have come to the right pint glass. Hop hoppy hops, and more hops. Kick your ass hops. Love it.

On Tap at Rich O’s. Nicely hopped. Normally I find these Double IPAS a bit strong, but this one was very palatable.

Made a special trip for this beer. Enjoyed it at the brewery and took 2 growlers to go. I really enjoyed this beer and just wish I could buy bottles in the area. Good flavor with a great finish, it didn’t have the overly hopped bitterness that you might expect with that high of an alcohol content.

On draught. Slight chill hazed dark yellow golden wit ha dense off white head, creamy. Big pungent fruity hops. Mango. Sweet but subtle malt. Just enough to balance the hops really, ala Ruination. Subdued body on the thinner side, but not watery at all. Low carbonation. Hop bomb that doesn’t overdo it. Low key malt, just enough to balance hops. Lightly grainy. Mangoy to marijuana laced hops. Very fruity and fresh. A bit of bite, but very clean, lightly dry finish.

On tap at the 2007 GTMW: Pours a transparent bright golden bronze with a spotty-lacing white head. Aroma of earthy, grassy, grapefruity, hempy hops and some sweet pale malt. Body starts with a light pale malty sweetness and fresh earthy resiny grapefruity hops toward a crisp sticky bittersweet finish. A pretty nice IIPA.

Piney citrus hops on the nose with a little crystal malt in the nose. Pours a cloudy amber. Solan called it, a lot of canabis flavor, some crystal malt sweetness, piney, and a little citrus hops, very resiny in the flavor. This is exactly what i want in a double ipa, NOT BALANCED, very hop forward, a lot of double/imperial ipas are so sweet, this is great!