Papago Hop Father Imperial IPA

Brewed by Oak Creek Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Sedona, Arizona USA

Sour, somewhat bitter aroma. Clear, light amber body with a small, slightly off-white head that is small. Excellent lace. Almost good enough lace to give it a 5 for appearance, but I didn’t like the small head and light amber color. Fairly mellow for a IIPA. Very, very good, but not in the elite IIPA category. Really mellow for a IIPA, although with plenty of piney hops. A little cloying and malty. The difference between a great IPA and an good one is pretty slight, but it is noticeable. This is a very good one; just not great.

(Randallized version) Cloudy golden body with off-white head that leaves nice lacing. Aroma is medium sweet, orange. Taset is medium sweet, orange, grapefruit. Not overhopped despite the Randall. Smooth, watery medium body.

This beer sits in the nonick with a hazy orange-straw color and is topped by a frothy, pale, off-white colored head. The aroma has a heady, hoppy note of citrus (grapefruit, tangerine and sweet orange being notable) and a bit of herbal pine, which dominates the finish of the aroma. The aroma cuts clear through the cigar smoke that is evident in the bar, so you now this is a hop monster.

The taste is dry up front with a sharp bitterness that cuts through and dominates the beer until the malt sweetness picks up a bit in the middle, where it accentuates the citrus hop flavor notes. A spicy, herbal, almost menthol like pine note adds a zippiness that in combination with the carbonation tantalizes the tongue. The hops really try and brutalize the tongue/ mouth on this one; it is almost spicy & piquant because of the hop onslaught. As the beer warms up, the sharp hop attack begins to mellow and the fruity citrus notes begin to come to the fore, with notes of grapefruit and sweet orange peel being quite evident.

The nice thing about this is that the abrasive hop character does not dominate. It has just enough malt to accentuate the fruity hop notes, which keep the harsh character in check, yet it still did this with out an excessive amount of crystal malt. This is very enjoyable in the end, and it is even fairly quaffable.

<font size=-4>Sampled on tap at: <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Place/arizona/scottsd Brewing Co, Scottsdale, AZ<font size=-1>

Hazed golden amber with dropping white head. I got sweet tangy hops in the aroma but not overdone as lesser microbrews exhibit. The taste is a hit. Powerful zap of fresh grapefruit and hops (sappy sweet burst) - amzing huge citrus pith pressence in the bitterness and long into the aftertaste. Lingers dry and firm and not too sweet. Manly stuff witha fruity start. Medium - full in the mouth nd very fresh. Sterling effort.

the strongest hop flavor ...ever - hands down. Not very balanced but still - IT’S GREAT .

Lasting large white head. Pale golden hue. Quite rooty citrusy and floral hops form the front line, backed up by fitting toasted cereal malts. Very engaging carbonation over the medium body helps keeping the flavours tightened together and accentuate pleasant pineapple and pepper notes, lifting and prolonging a firey hoppy finish.

On tap, Stone 9th. I hadn’t heard of Papago before this, but they were a great find. (No surprise since they are part of Sonoran) Big hoppy and citrus aroma and flavor without being overwhelming like some 2IPA’s. I need to find more of this.

(Draft: 2005 Stone 9th Anniversary Festival in Escondido, CA) Having brought two "big" beers to the Stone Festival, Papago is clearly trying to impress us. I’m not sure about others in attendance, but they’ve definitely impressed the crap out of me. This beer proudly boasts its strongly hoppy nose that’s full of massive grapefruit, plus some sweet pale malt aromas that just can’t compete. The flavor is moderately grainy/malty, but very hoppy and very bitter, with loads of tart grapefruit. Though fairly sweet initially, the intense hoppiness definitely cuts into it. Medium body, a bit sticky at first, but the hops quickly clears that out for a very crisp finish. Medium golden color and slightly hazy in appearance. The off-white head is very small on the pour and quickly settles to a patchy film that looks like an aerial photograph of a marshy bog. Decent lace for a festival too (hey, my glass isn’t perfectly clean, you know), with a spider web pattern decorating the glass. Hop Father is my favorite of the beers I’ve sampled at the festival. The fact that I’m writing notes on a yellow notepad, people have been asking me which was the best booth, and I’ve sent them all to Papago. I look forward to visiting the pub in Scottsdale in the future.