Pizza Port Hop 15

Brewed by Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
San Marcos, California USA

Another one of which I’ve had numerous samples at different fests but have failed to review yet, so here we go. All have been draught samples, the most recent being at EBF ’06.
Just a stunning appearance, really. Dense, near Orval-like head is wonderfully well-retained. You have to be very patient to let it settle down so that you can unlock more of the aroma than what it gives off at first while the head is still large. The body is lightly hazy, amber-beige with light lemon-lime skin hues, miniscule bubbles and sheets of lace as it proceeds down the glass all too easily. The nose shows light tropical fruits, easygoing citrus (lemons, limes, red grapefruit), smooth undercurrents of honeyish malts and a splash of tangerines and almost wintergreen esters on the end. Profound and sinus-clearing, it is minty and herbal, yet at the same time citrusy and sweet.
The flavor is a cacaphony of hops, yet they seem wedded to the malt better than most examples. The carbonation effortlessly carries the bright and lively hop flavors and pale sugars, hand-in-hand, while light bits of lime tartness and a scratch of pine surface towards the end. Strong and certainly warming, but otherwise tremendously well concealed is the alcohol. Like the best in its class (in my mind), the hop flavor far, far, far exceeds the hop bitterness/acidity. Nor does the malt become cloying or overly syrupy. Lingering on the finish, I keep finding little hints of mint/spearmint/wintergreen, something like that mixed with a delectable hint of lime. I don’t find this to be extremely bitter at all. Medium-full to full body, tight, expressive carbonation, no wateriness or thinning whatsoever. Give me a bit more malt complexity and maybe throw in some more tropical fruits or something to further stand this one apart in the style and it would be perfect.

(Bottle at Oliver Twist, Stockholm)
On August 23, 2008
Cloudy dark brown color, white head. Sweet malty and hoppy scent. Sweet and bitter hoppy taste. Medium to smooth mouthfeel, high bitterness.

GABF 05. Pours a medium amber with some floaties and slightly hazy. Sticky frothy lasting white head. Aroma is lots of citrus and pine with a lot of Amarillo- pine-sol like qualities. Flavor is very bitter with tons of hops. The rediculous use of 15 different hops somehow works out really well and I must have gone back to try this one at least 3 times. Awesome!

Bottle that came via Beermerchants/Cave Direct cheers Phil L.This beer poured a hazy orange colour with a lovely spicy, hoppy nose. What a beer a perfect marriage of bitterness and sweetness, in fact in the words of Richard Ashcroft this really is a ’Bittersweet Symphony’. There is grapefruit, light gingerness and a wonderful silky honeyness blending in. Whilst there is no denying the amazing hop bombs that constantly bombard the taste buds, this beer is quite an achievement, bloody marvellous and these sentiments were echoed by all who tried this beer, great stuff. A8 A4 F9 P4 OV17 4.2

Draught at Toronado, SF Hazy amber with a medium, white head. Very sweet and hoppy aroma; elder-berries and peaches. Loads and loads of fruity hops; pine, peach and apricot.

Bottled. Thx Marsiblursi. Unclear copper colour with fast diminishing head. Rich, fruity aroma with citrus, oranges and tropical fruits with good malt balance. Flavour is enormously fruity from hops. There are oranges and tropical fruits dominating, with almonds lurking behind. Bitterness is big big, with good maltiness backing up. Oily body with delicate sweetness.

On tap @Falling Rock poured a hazy copper with an offwhite head. Aromas of citrus and pine with a hint of carmel hiding in all the hops. Palate was heavy and resiny. Flavors of bitter grapefruit rind,pine and a touch of carmel.

Bottle. WOW! Pours hazy orange with a small, fizzy, white head, mostly diminishing with spare lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (bread, grain, meal), heavy hops (flowers, perfume, pine, citrus), average yeast (sweat) with notes of apple and pear. Full bodied, creamy texture, lively carbonation, and a bitter finish. Long duration, light sweetness, moderate acidity, and heavy bitterness.