Portsmouth Imperial IPA

Brewed by Portsmouth Brewery
Style: Imperial/Double IPA
Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA

Deep copper in color this poured a thick fluffy off-white head. The nose showed off aromas of citrus with a floral edge that picks up an herbaceousness with time and finishes with some light caramel. In the mouth it was medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated with a wonderfully smooth midpalate. It transitions to a bitter finish that is slightly dry but also holds the richness from the midpalate. Really well-balanced.

Draft at the brewery. Pours haxy amber color with foamy white head. Aroma floral hops. Taste of hops, hops and hops, with bitter finsih. You will feel the alcohol.

Pours a beautiful copper dark orange with a two finger white. Aroma of citrus and floral hops. Nice balance of hops and caramel malt. Medium bodied. Bitterness is very nice with a nice malty sweet finish.

Purchased a bomber of this from the brewery. Was more expensive than I initially thought but whatever. A great beer, hazy copper color with lots of piney hops and a touch of citrus fruit. Bitter, dry finish. A hint of caramel malt to balance it but the hops dominate. Nicely done!

12 ounce draught glass at the brewpub in mid-May 2007. Dark honey-apricot color with a lasting small smooth cream head....big, luscious fruity nose, peaches and apricots in light natural syrup, really fresh at the front but with a dried, musty quality apparent after a few nosings, lightly woody hops to go with the fruity juiciness....beautiful-drinking, fruity-light honey character upfront in the mouth, melds effortlessly with the drier, earthy-loamy hops that start biting at midpalate....floral character comes to dominate things halfway through the glass....on the verge of being too syrupy, but the strong carbonation cuts things nicely. This was a joy to drink, one of the best interpretations I’ve had lately and another jewel in this great brewpub’s crown.

22oz bottle shared courtesy of zrrbrrt. Poured a medium and hazy amber color with a smaller sized off white head. Aromas grapefruit rind, orange peels, caramel, pine and caramel. Tastes of grapefruit, oranges, caramel, and melons. Nicely balanced. Alcohol content well hidden. A very enjoyable IIPA.

22 ounce bomber bottle from the brewery in July. Pours clear reddish-amber till the yeast from the bottom of the bottle stirs. Respectable, short-lived head, no lace. Very citrusy hop-heavy aroma with some sweet floral notes. Great full flavor. Again very citrusy and hop-dominated, but with a solid malt backbone. Surprisingly balanced finish. Medium bodied, smooth and warming without being hot. Excellent DIPA.

on tap at the brewpub. Amber in color with a medium off white head. Aroma has a ton of resinous, piney hops with notes of earth and grass. Taste is very big with pine and earthy hops, a strong bitterness throughout. The body is full and has a big caramel malt backbone. Finishes bitter and it lingers nicely well after the finish. I think the citrus aspects could have been a bit brighter, but this is still a very good IIPA.