Nodding Head Hoptimus Prime

Brewed by Nodding Head Brewery
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA

GABF 2007. A pale orange-golden beer with a thin orangey head. The aroma is sweet with notes of over ripe fruit and perfumy hops. The flavor is sweet with primary notes of perfumy hops, leading to a dry bitter finish where a floral note lingers.

On tap at the Nodding Head. This one was the reason I went down there today. Billed as a ’tripel IPA’ for what that’s worth. Poured a medium and clear orange color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of oranges, other citrus fruits, caramel, and pine. Tastes of grapefruit, oranges, caramel, lighter pine, and all around sweet malts. Body was definiltey on the ’chewy’ side. Warm alcohol finish. Nicely balanced.

I’m proud to pop the 10-rate-cherry on this beer, and it was great meeting Hopdog at this event. Draft at Capone’s, followed by another two drafts at Capone’s. This one is good. It looks like Oggi’s Hop Whompus, a ruddy, muddy, deep brown pour that looks rough around the edges; liks a glass of Schuylkill River water at best. The aroma was a mix of fresh wet hops, heavy scotch aley malt, some dark fruit, and some black peppery notes. The palate was hefty, and the hops were bold, wet, green, and fresh, backed by a huge malt bill that melded greatly. There was no apparent heat at all, and I still cannot believe this is a 12% beer. This beer is outstanding.

[Draft @ Capones] Poured an amber color with a small white head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of pine, raw, floral hops, citrus, a bit of tobacco, and caramel as well. Taste of piney skunk, strong herb, tobacco, sweet caramel malts, with citrus, a bit of vanilla, and moderate alcohol in the finish. Freshie!

GABF ’07. Pours clear dark yellow with a small, fizzy, off-white head, diminishing with fair lacing. Aroma is average malt (grain, meal), average hops (flowers, pine), average yeast (sweat) with notes of pear and peach. Medium bodied, sticky texture, average carbonation, and a bitter finish. Average duration, light sweetness, moderate acidity and bitterness.

Growler filled at Capone’s. Pours a translucent golden copper/amber with an average size bubbly off white head that left light lacing. Aroma was a handful of fresh hops, very floral, sweet citrus with some nice sweet caramel malt. Flavor of very green hops, a little earthy, pine, grapefruit, mixed citrus, some sweet caramel malt, light hop bitterness with a nice balance of malty sweetness. Well done Imp. IPA.b 12%...would never had believed it.

2007 GABF. Copper colored pour, huge frothy tan head, good lacing. Well blended aroma, fresh juicy hops w/ a big caramel back and some light fruits. oily well coated palate. Sweet hop flowers and other sweet fruits like watermelon, passion fruit, and strawberry, hints of cereal, and a lot of caramel. one of the top beers at GABF.

sampler at the brewpub. dark golden/light clear amber. Aroma is heavy resiny citrus hops with sweet malt showing. Taste is huge as I expected for the 12 % abv. Tons of citrus hops hit you in the front with a big sweet malty backbone. Lasting bitter finish. well done.